Greater than three many years after a Washington mom was discovered useless inside her residence, investigators have made an arrest in a case that had gone chilly.
In November 1992, Janice Randle was discovered useless on her mattress inside her Graham, Washington, residence, together with her younger daughter close by in a crib.
On the time, her husband, James Randle, advised authorities she might have died from a drug overdose, citing a previous historical past of painkiller use.
The couple had been separated and had been going via a divorce.
The case was initially handled as a dying investigation and doable overdose.
Nonetheless, post-mortem outcomes later revealed there have been no medication in Randle’s system, prompting investigators to reclassify the case as a murder.
Regardless of that shift, solely restricted proof was out there, and detectives had been unable to ascertain possible trigger for an arrest.
The case remained unsolved for many years.
The investigation was revived lately after members of the family got here ahead with new data, together with accounts of alleged confessions made by James Randle.
These leads gave investigators a recent perspective and a brand new path ahead.
Authorities say the renewed investigation finally established possible trigger to arrest the 68-year-old suspect, who was residing in a care middle in Everett, Washington.
He was taken into custody on April 1.
Investigators now consider Janice Randle died as the results of a violent battle together with her husband, with newly uncovered proof contradicting the unique account from 1992.
“This case stands as a robust instance of how developments in know-how and investigative practices can convey justice — even many years later,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned.
“Most significantly, it’s a testomony to the unwavering dedication of the detectives and investigators who refused to let Janice’s story be forgotten,” officers added. “Their diligence, compassion and willpower have given Janice’s household the closure they’ve sought for therefore a few years.”
Courtroom paperwork obtained by Fox 13 Seattle point out the suspect allegedly admitted to 2 members of the family within the years after Janice’s dying that he killed her and staged the aftermath to look as a drug overdose.
Investigators additionally famous Janice had seen bruising and indicators of a battle, although her dying was initially dominated undetermined.
The data present the couple had been in a contentious divorce and custody battle on the time, and the suspect had a previous home violence conviction and made threats within the weeks main as much as her dying.
Jail data present James Robert Randle was booked into the Pierce County Jail April 1 on a first-degree homicide cost with bail set at $1 million.
The break within the case was pushed partly by Randle’s daughters, considered one of whom was simply 18 months outdated and in a crib subsequent to her mom the evening she died and helped convey renewed consideration to the investigation many years later.
Janice’s oldest daughter, Katie Wakin, credited each her household and investigators for lastly bringing the case again to mild.
“The blessing of getting numerous my mother’s greatest associates fill within the gaps for us as youngsters as a result of she was gone,” Wakin advised Fox 13 Seattle. “I’ve had the pleasure of bonding with my siblings, and we’re very, very shut.”
Wakin was 14 years outdated when her mom was killed and mentioned she by no means anticipated to see an arrest.
“I don’t wish to say I gave up hope, however I by no means thought I might see this in my lifetime,” she mentioned. “I accepted that. I used to be at peace with that— till a few yr in the past.”
That shift got here when her youthful half-sister, Kourtney Lewis, who was simply 18 months outdated on the time of the killing, started digging into the case in 2025 whereas making an attempt to be taught extra about her mom for her personal youngsters.
“I by no means checked out a few of the paperwork … simply the essential paperwork when somebody dies,” Lewis advised Fox 13 Seattle. “Once I checked out them, I knew. I knew precisely what was taking place. And, so, I mentioned, ‘I must determine this out.’”
Collectively, the sisters gathered data and pushed for solutions, efforts that finally helped investigators reexamine proof and nil in on the suspect.
For Randle’s household, the arrest marks a long-awaited step towards closure after greater than 30 years.
Fox Information Digital reached out to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Workplace for remark.
