A suspect charged in connection with a 42-year-old homicide in Massac County has pleaded not guilty.
76 year-old George Bradfield of Owensboro, Ky is accused of killing Lisa Ann Carnes in 1984. On April 22, a Massac County Grand Jury returned a five-count indictment charging Bradfield with murder after an investigation by Illinois State Police Zone 7 Investigations. He was arrested in Owensboro and later extradited from the Daviess County Detention Center to Illinois.
Court records show Bradfield entered a not guilty plea Thursday in Massac County. During the hearing, he was advised of the charges, his rights, and potential penalties. Due to the age of the case, officials noted sentencing could be affected by differences between laws in 1984 and those in 2026. Prosecutors are expected to submit a sentencing memorandum. As of Thursday Bradfield is being held at the Tri-County Detention Center while awaiting further court proceedings.
He is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing on May 6th at 1 p.m. before Judge Thurston in Massac County.
According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) alert, Carnes’ body was discovered March 30, 1984, in a rural field south of County Road 1150 North and east of U.S. Route 45 in Massac County.
An autopsy conducted the following day determined Carnes died from blood loss caused by a gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators also reported evidence of blunt force trauma to her head, and several items of clothing were recovered near the scene.