Ex-wife charged with conspiring to murder Winnipeg wrestler

5 hours ago

WINNIPEG - The former wife of a one-time pro wrestler known as the Croatian Giant is being accused of plotting to kill him.

RCMP said Friday that Melody Lynn Sanford, 43, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the beating death of Ivan Radocaj.

Radocaj, 43, died of blunt force trauma in mid-September, just weeks after he accused his ex-wife of threatening to have him killed when their three-week marriage fell apart last summer.

RCMP said they also arrested a woman they identified as Sanford's friend. Rita Louise Cushnie, 53, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

Cushnie is the mother of 31-year-old Donald Richard, one of three men charged earlier this week with first-degree murder in Radocaj's death, Sgt. Line Karpish said Friday.

Daniel Richard, 22, and Timothy Richard, 20, are the other two men charged with murder. Police said the pair are also related to Donald Richard, but would not specify how.

Just days after Radocaj was killed, his father, Josip, filed an affidavit in court that claimed Sanford "sucked" his son into a fraudulent wedding so she could try to get his money - including a $49,000 Manitoba Public Insurance settlement from a car crash that left him with a broken neck.

The father wanted to have his son's assets frozen so that Sanford couldn't attempt to sell them off. He claimed his son was afraid of his former wife's "connections with gangs and traffickers."

Melody Sanford denies those claims. She has said she was "heartbroken" by Radocaj's death and had nothing to hide. She also said she reconciled with him in the days preceding his death, although that came as news to the victim's family.

Sanford did not respond to an interview request Friday. Cushnie returned a call, but declined comment.

"I just wanted to let you know I am unable to talk to you regarding this situation at this time. I will consider it later," she said.

RCMP would not comment on a possible motive.

"Not at this point," said Karpish. I'm afraid that's part of the investigation, and the investigation remains ongoing."

Radocaj was a professional wrestler in Winnipeg during the early 1980s. He went under various ring names including the Croatian Giant, Ivan the Giant and Big John Radocaj.