The case dates back to 1992, when a Graham mother was found dead near her toddler daughter’s crib.
GRAHAM, Wash. — Pierce County prosecutors have charged James Robert Randle with first-degree murder in the 1992 death of his estranged wife in Graham, according to court documents filed in Pierce County Superior Court.
Randle is accused of causing Janice Randle’s death on or about Nov. 7, 1992.
Court documents says she was found dead the next day in a bedroom of her home, where investigators also saw bruises, other injuries and signs of a struggle.
Her 18-month-old daughter was found alive in a nearby crib.
According to court documents, the case was initially handled as a death investigation rather than a murder case, even though investigators found evidence that Janice Randle had been killed.
Original reports and booked evidence were later destroyed, but detectives were able to recover some materials, including scene photos, a polygraph report and medical examiner records.
Court records say James and Janice Randle were no longer living together and were in the middle of a divorce at the time of her death.
Janice Randle filed for divorce after an Oct. 1, 1992 assault, and James Randle was later charged with fourth-degree assault in that case.
Prosecutors said he was later convicted of that assault after her death.
According to court documents, Janice Randle was found on her bed dressed only in a sweatshirt and underwear.
A chair had been placed against the front door even though the back sliding door was unlocked, and a table next to the bed had been shoved against the wall with a lamp crushed between them.
James Randle told police and relatives in 1992 that Janice Randle was addicted to pills and had most likely overdosed, but toxicology later found no drugs in her system.
The medical examiner first listed the cause of death as undetermined pending toxicology, and family members later told detectives they were told Janice Randle may have been smothered.
Witness statements describe growing tension in the days before she died.
One witness said James Randle became angry during a visit involving their young daughter and said, “She’s gonna pay for this.”
Another acquaintance said Janice Randle called shortly before her death, upset and afraid, and said she believed her husband was going to hurt her.
James Randle also failed a polygraph in December 1992.
Detectives later interviewed relatives who said he admitted killing Janice Randle and staging the scene. One daughter told investigators he said, “I put a pillow over her head. It was me.”
Prosecutors filed the first-degree murder charge March 26.
He was arrested at an assisted living facility Wednesday and booked into the Pierce County Jail.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
