In the quiet neighborhood of Pleasure Ridge Park in Louisville, Kentucky, the evening of March 18, 2022, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Inside her home on the 6300 block of Hackel Drive, 50-year-old Paula Rife, a White female, was fatally wounded. Officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department responded to reports of the shooting just before 10 p.m. and discovered her body inside the residence.
The Jefferson County Coroner's Office later confirmed that she had died from a gunshot wound.
The investigation into the death of the woman quickly focused on her husband, 51-year-old Samuel David Bradford. Neighbors reported hearing the gunshots and seeing Bradford speeding away from the scene on a motorcycle. The same night, he was taken into custody at a nearby Taco Bell on Greenwood Road following a disturbance where he allegedly attacked employees. Bradford was subsequently charged with murder, domestic violence, and wanton endangerment in connection with his wife's death.
During their investigation, detectives found several shell casings both inside and outside of the Rife home. When he was arrested, Bradford was found to be in possession of two of his wife's prescription bottles. Though the specific circumstances that led to the shooting have not been publicly detailed, the incident has been highlighted as a tragic case of domestic violence. Following his arrest, Samuel Bradford pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and his bail was set at $1 million.
