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The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial

February 25, 2021 /

This episode covers the case of Thomas Randolph, who was accused of murdering his wife Sharon and hiring a hitman to kill her. Key discussions include Randolph's history of six marriages, four of which ended in the deaths of his wives, and the circumstantial evidence against him. The episode features insights from law enforcement and legal professionals involved in the case.

Thomas Randolph's tumultuous marital history is highlighted, revealing that he had been married six times, with four of his wives dead under suspicious circumstances. The episode discusses how Randolph allegedly hired a hitman, Mike Miller, to kill Sharon, only to kill Miller himself to eliminate a witness.

Colleen Byer, Sharon's daughter, shares her emotional journey and the impact of her mother's death on her life. The episode also features testimonies from detectives and attorneys who worked on the case, detailing the challenges they faced in building a case against Randolph.

The trial's complexities are examined, including the introduction of evidence from Randolph's previous acquittal in Utah, which played a significant role in the prosecution's strategy. The episode culminates in the jury's decision, sentencing Randolph to death.

Overall, the episode provides a detailed account of the legal proceedings surrounding Thomas Randolph, emphasizing the emotional toll on the victims' families and the intricacies of the justice system.

TLDR

Thomas Randolph, accused of murdering his wife, faces trial amid a history of suspicious deaths of previous spouses.

Episode

1:22:44
00:00:00
A couple had gone out to dinner, they got home. An intruder shot and killed the wife.
00:00:06
The husband, Thomas Randolph, shot the suspect. Kind of rushed up on me a little bit, and that's when I just pushed it and boom, boom!
00:00:13
It was clear there was a lot more to the story. We found out Tom Randolph had been married six times, and four of his wives are dead.
00:00:21
He said, point blank, I want you to kill my wife. These women come up dead. He comes up with money.
00:00:26
Do you have guns? Of course they've got guns. that I had one in your face. No, but you had one in mine.
00:00:33
What is it about you and women, Tom? I love women. I love all women. We have to stop him.
00:00:38
There can't be any more Sharons. There can't be any more Becky's. It's a completely circumstantial murder case.
00:00:43
It's the second time you're facing the death penalty. Yeah, ain't a big deal. They want to kill you, man. They don't like you. They want to kill you.
00:00:49
I've been waiting a long time for this moment. It was the hardest thing I've ever done.
00:00:54
Thomas Randolph's gig is up. I won't be acquitted. I've told you this from day one, have I not?
00:01:07
Boom, boom, boom! Put your hands on your head right now. Put your hands on your head!
00:01:13
What did you do, my mother? I love you, Tom. Trouble gonna come. Am I beautiful?
00:01:28
Hello? Can I talk to you real quick? Put your hands on your head right now. Put your hands on your head!
00:01:51
Hazer, let me see you, Hazer. Oh, my God! What did you do to me? Oh, I'm in. Police arrested a man in Clearfield, a man who was accused of hiring a hitman to kill his wife and then of killing the hitman himself.
00:02:05
This isn't the first time the man has faced murder charges. Twenty years ago, he was acquitted of killing another wife.
00:02:11
I think that was a little rough there when I told you I couldn't let go of the door. I was holding myself up.
00:02:19
Thomas, you understand that I was there to arrest you on homicide warrants, correct?
00:02:23
Tom Randolph was arrested for the murders of Sharon Randolph and Mike Miller. Tom Randolph knew Michael Miller.
00:02:36
He had met him out at a 7-Eleven store and he had him do some handiwork around his house.
00:02:41
So he was very familiar with him. So we had a theory and that's this. Mike Miller had been convinced by Thomas Randolph to kill his wife, Sharon Randolph.
00:02:51
and then Tom Randolph double-crossed Mike Miller shooting him over and over and over again.
00:02:57
Boom! Boom! Boom! That was awesome. You guys are fantastic. Thanks for coming. You guys are heroes now.
00:03:04
You guys drive safe. Here's his booking. That's it, huh? It was pretty satisfying, him being taken into custody, willingly or not,
00:03:12
but it was pretty satisfying to finally see that happen, knowing the type of person he is and predator that he really is.
00:03:20
He'd been married six times, and four of his wives are dead. It was a long road to get there, to look at each one of those wives, each one of those marriages.
00:03:32
You know, all of the traveling that we had to do. We went to Washington, we went to Indiana, we went to Kentucky.
00:03:38
New Hampshire, North and South Carolina, Utah a couple of times, so we traveled everywhere.
00:03:43
And here we were. It finally came to a head, and he was in custody. It was awesome.
00:03:49
Within minutes after Tom was arrested, I was on the phone with Sharon's daughter, Colleen.
00:03:57
It took them eight months to arrest him. But yeah, when he was finally arrested, I actually had a party with neighbors and everything.
00:04:11
So that was good. Mom, make him look this way. Look at mommy, look at mommy. My mom was the first person that called me every morning.
00:04:23
I don't have that anymore. Every once in a while you'll get this case that's just interesting, that you want to be a part of it.
00:04:37
And I thought, oh man, that's such an interesting case, and this guy, and all these wives.
00:04:43
We're not taking somebody to trial unless we know that he did it. But oftentimes, trials will make or break on one issue.
00:04:54
You either believe he was a mastermind of it all and set up this master plan, or you believe he's completely innocent and is a victim.
00:05:16
This is the second time you're facing the death penalty. Yeah, ain't a big deal. It ain't a big deal.
00:05:23
I mean, it is really not a big deal. I'm glad they made this a death penalty case.
00:05:29
If they wouldn't have, I would have been greatly disappointed. I mean, this is definitely a death penalty type case.
00:05:35
I would have felt cheated if it wasn't a death penalty case. I'm thinking about going to court and getting this all straightened out
00:05:43
and get vindicated and then suing all the and just kicking their ass. But that's why I want you here on all of it.
00:05:53
That was my idea and I wasn swaying in that whatsoever The lawyers aren in agreement with that but I just me and I done a lot of things I shouldn have done
00:06:09
I mean, I have. I'm not no saint, but if you're going to get to know me, then you get to know me all the way.
00:06:17
I had just finished being part of the team that represented O.J. Simpson and Randolph wanted O.J.'s lawyer.
00:06:28
I told him he had to keep his mouth shut. I've won most of my jury trials of a good 75 to 80% of them acquittals.
00:06:55
I've always rooted for the underdog. And criminal defense is the ultimate little guy.
00:07:02
I had just finished being part of the team that represented O.J. Simpson in the Palace Station robbery case.
00:07:09
and Randolph, being who he is, wanted OJ's lawyer. You have Randolph's file? He got arrested on January 7th.
00:07:34
Here, you're in March, and the case is just getting started. The mother of all battles in this case is going to be the back and forth tug that's going to take place between the defense and the state with respect to Mr. Randolph's past.
00:07:53
That is the monumental fight in this case. I've handled more than a dozen death penalty cases.
00:08:05
Hi, how are you today? Hey, how's it going? Okay, see ya. There's no cookie cutter instruction on how to do a death penalty case.
00:08:17
What's up, buddy? What did you want to talk to me about before filing? Because I'm on the edge of filing this motion.
00:08:25
I said bail. What did you want to talk to me about? Okay, for bail, I need to be out to help you.
00:08:33
My files are in mom's house, in my attic, in mom's attic, in the garage, in a storage shed.
00:08:39
Thomas Randolph loves to talk. And I told him he had to keep his mouth shut. Because the state did not have a statement from him confessing anything or admitting anything.
00:08:54
This DA's office is notorious for putting snitches in people's cells, especially in this case, because their biggest problem in this case.
00:09:03
is that this case is completely circumstantial. They need you to say something to somebody.
00:09:10
See, they don't have that. They need you to say, I hired Mike Miller. They need you to say that to one of their jailbird snitches.
00:09:21
They'll just say I said it. The facts in this case, it's such a house of cards, okay?
00:09:27
it's such a house of cards as to that one specific issue that we have to deal with,
00:09:34
which is whether, you know, whether you were shooting a burglar or an accomplice.
00:09:41
Police tell us that Sharon was shot and killed by the burglar. Her body was found lined in a...
00:09:46
The version of events that Thomas Randolph presented, which was he had gone out to dinner with his wife,
00:09:55
They had gotten home. He was in the garage closing things up. His wife had walked in. Boom, a gunshot.
00:10:06
And the burglar shoots the wife. Reached right up here, got the gun. I don't know how many times they shot him.
00:10:13
And Randolph luckily kills the burglar. Boom! Boom! Boom! But on the other side, you had the state saying he hired Mike Miller to kill his wife,
00:10:26
and then he double-crossed Mike Miller and killed him so there wouldn't be any witnesses to what he had pulled off or tried to pull off.
00:10:37
When I visit with Randolph, You know, here for my weekly visit. he doesn't see himself as the defendant in the case.
00:10:44
He sees himself as the assistant lawyer in the case. Thanks. He really came off as a very overly cocky guy.
00:10:54
Like he thought he was, even though he was sitting in jail in a jail outfit, that he was running the show.
00:11:01
We're going to bring some of this discovery out so I can see it. You want it? Yeah.
00:11:04
You want to hold on to it? Well, I want to read some of it and see what they got.
00:11:08
Have you found out if they had phone taps yet? They didn't. They did not? No. And that's a fact.
00:11:13
Yeah. They got any other audio or video besides the ones we mentioned? No. So they ain't got s***.
00:11:20
All they got is just somebody saying this, somebody saying that. Right. After the investigation of the other wives of Thomas Randolph came to light,
00:11:37
we sought certain facts about Randolph's second wife's death in Utah. And that's the case involving the death of Becky Randolph in the 1980s.
00:11:51
When Becky Ray Randolph died two years ago from a gunshot wound to the head Clearfield police called it apparent suicide But today police arrested Randolph husband on charges of murder You start looking at the relationships between Becky and Thomas
00:12:09
and Sharon and Thomas and these life insurance policies. Randolph is suspected of concocting
00:12:18
an elaborate scheme to kill his wife and collect on her life insurance policy. And it's almost
00:12:24
identical. The only thing that separates them is different people and years. When you see how many lives have been profoundly impacted by one single man,
00:12:37
you know that A, he needs to pay the price for that, but B, and almost even more importantly,
00:12:44
he has to be stopped. But I remember when we were preparing for trial, David kept saying,
00:12:51
and he'll find a way out of it. We had a trial date set. And then before the trial date,
00:13:04
I withdrew about four months after I came into the case. Although my withdrawal was based on the fact
00:13:12
that Randolph had no money to retain me, Thomas Randolph never really asked, oh Gabe can you please stay on
00:13:22
because I think my withdrawal is the beginning of his possible plan to delay his trial
00:13:30
as long as he could people who are represented they understand I need a lawyer the lawyer's got to help me sort of
00:13:38
navigate this jungle that I find myself in so I don't get eaten by the lions Randolph wants
00:13:45
to burn the jungle down Are they supposed to have their case together before they arrest me?
00:13:55
Well, that's what we're going to argue right now. You make a snake move on me, then watch out.
00:14:17
Randolph's been in limbo now for over a year. He's been in jail, and so it's starting to take a toll on him.
00:14:26
And we need to move and know exactly how to prepare for this case. Right now, we don't.
00:14:31
In the spring of 2009, Thomas Randolph asked me if I would represent him. Let's see if we get a little justice over there today.
00:14:43
I see Mr. Randolph frequently. I mean, he's concerned. Anytime you're in jail for an extended period of time,
00:14:53
it starts to wear on you. We intend to meet force with force. We're not going to be overwhelmed.
00:15:02
We'll be ready. You can make sure of that. No matter what happens, we'll be ready.
00:15:08
The Utah case was a huge issue in Tom's case here. Thomas had been charged with murder of his second wife, Becky, to get insurance money.
00:15:20
And Thomas was acquitted. Five and a half months. Randolph's case was actually sealed, meaning you're not supposed to be able to get into it.
00:15:28
The DA down here wanted to bring in the Utah case, trying to allege that it showed the same motive, same purpose, same intent.
00:15:39
always the goal was to keep the Utah case out. They're trying to blame us on the fact that we won't allow them to unseal that up there,
00:15:49
which, you know, don't want to have them do that. But they're supposed to have their case together before they arrest me.
00:15:58
Well, that's what we're going to argue right now. It's like they're still figuring it out.
00:16:03
I don't feel very good. I know. Well, I'm going to argue a lot of good stuff. We have to ask for and obtain permission at a hearing to tell the court what it is that we want to get in, who's going to be testifying to it.
00:16:20
Hi, good morning, counsel. This is a State of Nevada versus Randolph, counsel. Thank you, Honor. Mr. Randolph has no criminal history of any significance.
00:16:32
He has always fought all charges and allegations that have been levied against him, including the ones up in Utah that seem to be the problem that is maybe holding things up here.
00:16:44
He's down here in Nevada saying, hey, we want these records. But this defendant in Utah is saying, I don't want those records released.
00:16:51
And that's what's causing the delay. What have they demonstrated to this court? What facts or evidence have they demonstrated to this court that the proof is evident, the presumption is great, that he committed this crime without the Utah type of evidence that they keep spewing?
00:17:08
Utah, Utah, Utah. Well, that wasn't too bad. After the arguments, you don't know whether she's going to grant the state's motion to bring in these other, quote, prior bad acts.
00:17:24
So it makes it very difficult until you finally get the decision to know exactly how you're going to defend this case.
00:17:32
Well, call us when you talk with... The rapport I have with the DAs that I try to have with all opposing counsel, I try to get along with them.
00:17:41
That's all I want. I mean, this guy, I mean, at some point we've got to try the thing. You know that.
00:17:44
Let's try it. I know, but... With the Utah case. Yeah, let's try it without. I'm ready to go.
00:17:50
I'll see you, Robert. I try to get along with them unless I determine that they trying to make snake moves on me okay You make a snake move on me then watch out because from then on it on baby you know
00:18:07
This is a little country law you're going up against, you big collutes over there.
00:18:13
There's no tentacles up there. This is going to be fun. You guys leave me alone, man. I've had a long day, okay?
00:18:20
I got it. It's 9.30. Mary, you want to come sit over here with me? I was about five and a half months pregnant with Katie when my mom died.
00:18:46
She wears hats. She loves hats. Mom, that's a camera. I think she looks a little like my mom, especially in the eyes.
00:18:54
I see my mom. It's been hard. I've had a lot of anger and anxiety over this. I wish he was just passing his sleep tonight.
00:19:08
I mean, I know he's guilty. I don't care if the rest of the world believes it. I just want him to go.
00:19:17
I just want it to be done. I had a couple of thoughts. He wants to show them I'm smarter than you.
00:19:25
They want to kill you, man. Okay? I mean, let's put it out on the table. They don't like you. They want to kill you.
00:19:48
Breakfast with champions with a coffee, A little flitter. I didn't get better than that, man.
00:19:56
One of the main reasons I became an attorney is because I have personally sat in that seat
00:20:05
where the state is saying, you're guilty of killing someone. Let me tell you, that's not a good feeling.
00:20:18
All right, we're going to slow it down right now. A while back, I was a musician at the time.
00:20:23
Come on, put your hands together for live music. And I got in a bar fight. And I saw this bottle of beer coming up at me.
00:20:35
This guy was going to clock me in the head. When he came up, my wine glass broke on the beer bottle.
00:20:44
And his carotid artery got severed. So they tried me for manslaughter. And I was acquitted by reason of self-defense and accident.
00:21:02
I didn't go to prison. I'm sorry, I get a little choked up here. Because it really was a changing point in my life.
00:21:12
And I'm sorry that the man lost his life. I wish it hadn't happened. But it did, and I'm here now.
00:21:22
It's like I believe I have a moral responsibility to do whatever I can personally for an individual that's in trouble and needs my help.
00:21:35
Since we have so many boxes. Thanks, yes. Thomas Randolph is unlike any other client I've ever had.
00:21:47
Just do what we've got to do, man. He's a unique individual. That's the way it works, guy.
00:21:55
I had a couple of thoughts. My thought is on an opening argument. You've got to try to explain me what happened, what's going to happen.
00:22:05
Tom understood the law. and Tom was a smart individual. I could see that Tom could be, if he wasn't handled right,
00:22:14
could be a problem client. I would think if he just looked right at the jury and says,
00:22:18
you know, we talked to you and this is really important and it's a big responsibility and you've been lied to,
00:22:25
you're just fluff. You don't mean nothing. This has no bearing on you whatsoever.
00:22:30
It's just fluff. I'll tell you one thing. I'm not going to start this damn case off telling the jury that they're fluff.
00:22:36
That ain't gonna work, brother. I'm telling you. It's almost like every time you go to see Thomas,
00:22:44
it's like you're in a question in law school again. You know, he wants to show him, I'm smarter than you.
00:22:51
I controlled this. You know, in other words, he's controlling the situation. I mean, we understand what's going on.
00:23:00
This is a death penalty case. You know, we lose, this guy dies. I just got the decision on this, Judge Miley finally decided on these prior bad acts, whether or not they're going to come in.
00:23:15
Lo and behold, she says yes. The judge ruled in her order that the Utah case could come in.
00:23:25
And that really is very difficult to overcome. How you doing, man? What's up? You know, the judge came back with this order.
00:23:44
She is going to let this murder come in. And so it's going to make the job a little more difficult.
00:23:56
It's not impossible. We just got a lot of work to do. How do you go back and prove you didn't do something 20-some years later, especially considering most everybody's dead?
00:24:07
I mean, we knew this was going to go down one or two roads, so I mean, it's not like this caught us completely by surprise.
00:24:13
So if the jury decides that I'm guilty of the Utah thing, will they kill me in Utah or will they kill me in Vegas?
00:24:20
It's insane. It's insane. You know, this is obviously a kick in the butt, but like I said, I have an advantage.
00:24:28
I was there. I really know what happens. I'm not a killer. I'm not a stalker of women.
00:24:34
Just the opposite. I love women. You guys were filming. And Tom loved the cameras.
00:24:46
You're looking chipper. I mean, he loved the cameras. He loved the attention. To the extent that often I'd have to tell Tom,
00:24:54
hey, chill out a little bit. I've had several fiancées and six wives and so many girlfriends I can't remember,
00:25:02
and I've slept with a gazillion women just because I can. Let's just hold off on that, okay?
00:25:07
This is the state's theory, four of six wives. It was from day one they're saying this, and they're certainly telling witnesses against me this.
00:25:15
Tom, they want to kill you, man, okay? I mean, let's put it out on the table. They don't like you.
00:25:22
They want to kill you, okay? They're trying to do whatever they can do to make it happen.
00:25:26
Okay? That's true. Well, hopefully I can prevent it with your help. Okay? We're okay.
00:25:33
So let's kick their ass and forget about it. We're okay. That's what I'm talking about.
00:25:37
We had a trial date. I was preparing to file a whole bunch of different types of motions.
00:25:43
And Tom had a falling out with one of the other attorneys that was involved in the case.
00:25:50
Tom fired the other attorney, fired me, fired the investigator. And that was that.
00:25:59
Tom went his way. I went my way. You asked me to be here alone. You are. You said no attorneys.
00:26:18
That's correct. these lawyers are I don't get it it's like you came I've done a murder trial before
00:26:28
so I know how it sort of works I don't have a problem with going to trial I will be acquitted
00:26:34
I've told you this from day one have I not been absolutely adamant the only thing that concerns me
00:26:39
about going to trial is these turds for lawyers I'm curious if there's any secrets
00:26:47
Is that on? Yeah. Normally I'd say, well, you know, I'm telling you my secrets. I'm going to have to kill you.
00:26:55
But next thing I know, I'll be getting charged with that too. Hello. We're here from Dateline.
00:27:16
I'm here to see an inmate. How long have you been in here now? Going on 18 months.
00:27:35
You want your day in court? Are you eager to get that done? Oh, yeah, yeah. That'll get done and go home.
00:27:40
Start doing something else. I never really have been worried about the conviction part of it.
00:27:46
I just never have. I just don't see it happening. But it dawned on me that this is Utah over again.
00:27:53
This is the Tommy Show. And now it's the Tommy Show live from Las Vegas. Am I beautiful?
00:28:14
I mean, you've been in jail here now for, what, three and a half years, you know?
00:28:19
It's hard on everybody. I want to go home. I'm the victim in this. I'm the victim in this.
00:28:25
What is it about you and women at home? I love women. I love all women. Well, obviously, you know, there for a while.
00:28:35
The band Poison. Look what the cat drug in. And I know damn well I slept with both last night.
00:28:44
I thought they wrote that about me. Name your wives. Kathy Randolph. Becky Randolph.
00:28:55
Leona Randolph. Gaina Randolph Francis Randolph Sharon Randolph Do you want the names of my fiancées too?
00:29:08
I'm curious if there's any secrets Is that on? Yeah Normally I'd say Well, you know
00:29:15
If I tell you my secrets I'm going to have to kill you But next thing I know I'll be getting charged with that too
00:29:20
Oh yeah And we're not married There's no insurance So hell I wouldn't be profitable with it
00:29:25
What's up with your hair? It was this long last time he was here. It was just back in a ponytail.
00:29:36
I got to have a fair trial. That's all I'm asking for, is a fair trial. All of my lawyers have said, if the Utah case comes in, you will be convicted and you will get the death penalty.
00:29:47
And then three years later, the Supreme Court will overturn it. Kathy was my first wife.
00:29:54
Just the first time I seen her I knew that I was going to have a baby with her She was beautiful She looked like Farrah Fawcett
00:30:07
I had two children with her. Justice is my gift to the world, and Christ is my other gift to the world.
00:30:14
How was your marriage to Kathy? It wasn't good. It was my fault, totally, doing too much drugs and other women.
00:30:22
And Becky was my second wife. What was special about Becky? What did you love about her?
00:30:28
She was perfect. Becky was whatever I wanted her to be. I could call up and say, I want steak tonight,
00:30:34
and I want you to dress up as a clown to serve it to me. And she would say, do you mean like a sexy girl clown,
00:30:42
or do you want me to have the floppy shoes and the honk-honk nose? She didn't deserve me cheating on her.
00:30:49
The last I talked to her, I gave her the ultimatum. I said, I am so sick and tired of hearing about how you want to kill yourself.
00:30:59
If you want to kill yourself, do it. Do it and put everybody out of their misery.
00:31:05
And she's just bawling and says, you're mean. And all I had to do was just hug her, say, I love you.
00:31:14
Everything will be okay. What the f*** was thinking? And I said, there's some rope downstairs from, you know, I repelled and stuff.
00:31:23
I said, I think there's some of my rope downstairs. Maybe you can just hang yourself.
00:31:28
When Becky Ray Randolph died two years ago from a gunshot wound to the head, Clearfield police called it apparent suicide.
00:31:35
And that's the last time I've seen Becky alive. My third wife was Leona. It was Lee.
00:31:46
Went by Lee. so beautiful. She's part Guamanian and kind of reminds you of an island girl.
00:31:55
So how long were you married to leave for? About a year. She likes to party. Sometimes she forgets to come home on time.
00:32:12
My fourth wife is Gaina Almond. You married Gaina right away? I married them all right away because they all want to.
00:32:21
He was sitting at the dining room table and was cleaning the gun, and I wasn't very far away from him at all, and it went off.
00:32:29
You remember cleaning a gun, went past her head or into the floor? That's just such a bull**** story.
00:32:35
My fifth wife is Frances. Did you love Frances? Oh, absolutely. I married her as soon as I could because she was wonderful.
00:32:45
Were you surprised when Frances died? No, no, she was, she was, Frances was sick.
00:32:51
I remember she was born with heart disease. I didn't do the heart surgery on Frances.
00:32:57
Asshole. I love you, Tom. You had her shoot a video Will. Why would you do that?
00:33:04
Who does that? And I'm making this tape so that people will know what I want for Rachel.
00:33:11
It's not about the money. It's about custody of Rachel. Rachel thinks that you killed her mother.
00:33:18
Rachel knows better. My six wives was Sharon. She wakes up in the morning and she's got a smile on her face.
00:33:29
It's like the sun, the moon, the stars. It was just... What is it like to come home and see your wife dead on the floor?
00:33:38
When I first opened the door, I seen she fell. She'd been having some problems with her hip and stuff.
00:33:43
And I started to go toward her. Some noise. Come back down this way. I smell gunpowder.
00:33:50
Sharon? Sharon! There's absolutely nothing to solve. I was there. Mike Miller shot Sharon.
00:33:58
Every wife that you've had, one of the first things you've done is get life insurance on them.
00:34:03
Well, they want to know about your finances. You got insurance money from Becky.
00:34:08
You got insurance money from Francis. You got a wrongful death from Francis. You had several insurance policies on Sharon.
00:34:15
Don't you think it looks fishy at all to people when you have... It is, sure, unless somebody would take the time to sit and look.
00:34:22
You think you're a narcissist? Absolutely. I am a narcissist. So do you think it's possible that because you're a narcissist,
00:34:32
you're unable to possibly see what the truth might be? If you're talking about the truth of me killing Sharon
00:34:40
or having anything to do with Sharon's death or Becky's death, then no, because I had nothing to do with it.
00:34:47
I'm telling you, Becky killed Becky. So two different police agencies, two different prosecutors' offices,
00:34:53
30 years apart are both wrong. They're all talking to each other. Are both wrong.
00:34:58
Yes, they're wrong. It's all interconnected. I'm expecting to be acquitted. She thinks about him all the time.
00:35:09
he's been given every chance in the world and then three more you know is he gonna wait for
00:35:15
all the witnesses to die what's the deal that was super hard going through all those years of
00:35:35
having a trial date you're waiting for it you're waiting for it and then it gets close
00:35:42
and they say nope it's like when is it gonna end how many times can he extend this So again it like another stab in the heart
00:36:10
Another year, another year, another year. My name is Katie Lynn Byer. I'm seven years old and I'm in second grade.
00:36:35
My birthday is September 17th. 2008. There you go. And what's your favorite color?
00:36:46
My favorite colors are light blue and purple. Yeah. Hmm? One of my favorite things are animals, stuffed animals, and my family.
00:36:59
And your family all. Yes, it's been eight years. And you're still waiting for justice.
00:37:07
Yes. She thinks about him all the time. And the moments that were stolen, that should have been.
00:37:18
Yeah. Yeah. Obviously, he's been given every chance in the world and then three more.
00:37:30
Now that's the issue that we have. It's like, you know, is he going to wait for all the witnesses to die?
00:37:37
What's the deal? It's like from Scott Conley and Dick Martin. You know, Dick Martin went down for the autopsy and they didn't find the bullet.
00:37:51
and he hurried back, and the whole house had been emptied, and the carpets tore up and replaced, and the walls.
00:37:58
I'm listening to one of his jail calls right now. He's talking about Becky. I think he's on his fourth set of attorneys,
00:38:05
and he's just been delaying the process. Each time the court date comes up, he does what he can to put it off.
00:38:12
It's frustrating to see somebody manipulate the system when you know that that's their intent.
00:38:17
It was year after year after year. there was something that came up. Multiple teams of attorneys that were fired. You know,
00:38:25
it got so routine that when a trial date was coming up, we'd sit there and go, okay, what's
00:38:30
he going to do this time? I'm like, how are we moving the body without me standing here?
00:38:35
You know what I mean? This hasn't consumed me like it has Dean. My life went on. If it wasn't
00:38:43
for Dean, this case wouldn't even be prosecuted because it would have gone off as a justified
00:38:50
shooting of a home invasion. If it wasn't even for him from the very beginning sticking to his gun saying something's not
00:38:57
right about this, we wouldn't even be considering this at all. There would be no story and you wouldn't be filming me right now.
00:39:13
You go on a trial next week after nine years. I'm excited, but the lawyers are still useless.
00:39:21
Tell me the history of the representation. So start from the beginning. Yulgalanter, Gabe Grasso, Brent Bryson, Belinda Weaver, then Curtis Brown, Norman Reed, then Randy Pike and Clark Patrick.
00:39:38
They tell me every homicide case usually goes through two sets of attorneys. Yeah, but you went through 10.
00:39:43
Well, there's three at a time. Tell me why you are the most misunderstood man in America.
00:39:52
I mean, how did they get it wrong? They're saying that lightning is struck twice.
00:39:57
I didn't kill Becky. Unfortunately, Becky killed Becky. I didn't kill Sharon. Mike Miller killed Sharon.
00:40:05
You've got to realize what they're saying. She shot in the head, in the home, and I find her.
00:40:12
Sharon? Sharon? You know, I should be acquitted on this, because the bottom line is, who's going to say I did what?
00:40:21
They're going to say that you hired Mike Miller to kill Sharon, and you killed Mike to make it look like a botched burglary.
00:40:27
That's what they're going to say. Okay, well, who's going to say I did that, other than the state?
00:40:31
There ain't going to be anybody, because that just didn't happen. There's just not going to be anybody to say that.
00:40:36
You can understand why people raise their eyebrows when they hear that you've had six wives and four wives are dead and this is the second time you're facing a death penalty.
00:40:45
That's the corruption in Las Vegas. I've never had six wives and four of them are dead.
00:40:49
I mean, when you say that, you say that like. You don't have six wives? Well, I did.
00:40:54
And four of them are not dead? Well, the way they say it, the way they say it is somehow I've caused their death.
00:41:00
I'm just saying the fact is the headline is, is that you did have six wives and four of those six wives are dead.
00:41:06
That's true. So you just think you're super unlucky? No, I'm one of the luckiest men in the world.
00:41:11
I've had six wives. Six women that loved me enough to not just give me their body, give me their sex.
00:41:21
They gave me their love. They married me. They trusted me. We took care of them.
00:41:28
A lot of them didn't work out. I got nothing to hide. And besides that, I want to make him look like a fool again, because that's just, that's how I roll.
00:41:43
We got a jury about two o'clock this afternoon. It's go time and we're ready. I am ready. I am cast ready.
00:41:51
What's up? Where? I know. Still here, man. His gig is up. Witnesses are flying in from all over the country
00:42:17
I want him to be found guilty on this one. Scott Connolly is one of the detectives in Utah who had dealt with Randolph for a really long time, knew him just from his interactions as being a police officer and a detective.
00:42:34
Over the 10 years I've been working on this case, you know, developed a friendship with Scott Connolly.
00:42:39
He's the Dean O'Kelly of Becky's case. Without him and without his memory, we would be lost.
00:42:47
I think the most critical witness was Eric Tarantino. Just a point blank, I want you to kill my wife.
00:43:03
And no, it was the first thing out of my mouth. Tom Randolph had befriended him years earlier.
00:43:10
He ended up starting to groom him to kill Becky Randolph. Tom was very intimidated.
00:43:17
He can intimidate you just by looking at you. Somebody wants to say hi. I don't know if you know him or not.
00:43:28
He's changed a little. In all these years. I hadn't spoken to Eric in some time, but there's still a special bond between he and I.
00:43:37
It's just the only other that kept me alive the whole time. And that comes again, I think, because Eric wanted to right the wrong.
00:43:44
We got a jury about 2 o'clock this afternoon and then we go into openings at 9.30.
00:43:52
It's go time and we're ready. By the time we got the case, we were Tom's 8th, 9th, 10th lawyers
00:44:08
and the first thing you think of is that this may be either a very difficult case or maybe a difficult client.
00:44:18
Tom was pretty much both. It was our obligation and duty to do everything that we could to represent him.
00:44:26
Aggressively, legally, ethically. I always thought this was a winnable case. I am ready. I am cast ready. What's up? Where?
00:44:49
I know, sir. Still here? Still here. Good morning. Good morning, let's say. Take a break.
00:44:56
We have to stop him. There can't be any more Sharons. There can't be any more Beckys.
00:45:01
There can't be any more Francis'. I hope they brought the new clothes in or the different clothes or something.
00:45:07
His gig is up. Do they not bring new clothes? That's it. I'm anal retinue when it comes to shopping.
00:45:15
I must have a feminine gene because I love to shop. I love to take the women shopping.
00:45:22
They think I'm such a gentleman because I buy them these clothes. It's nice just to get them dressed up in what I like,
00:45:30
knowing I'm going to be taking them off later. So it's like a win-win situation for me.
00:45:36
but uh i wanted him convicted so bad i just wanted him put away forever and i was thank god this is finally happening
00:46:06
Justice Page 1 for 930 trial, C250-966, Randolph. Good morning, everybody. I asked David, who was lead counsel, I said, I want to do the opening.
00:46:21
And Dave said, hey, knock yourself out, you go for it, girl. It's a lot of work to do, opening argument.
00:46:27
All right, let's bring the jury in. If the state wants to present its opening. Thank you, Your Honor.
00:46:39
Ladies and gentlemen, you were here two stories of two men, 20 years apart, that never even met each other.
00:46:50
Yet their stories are the exact same. Their job was to kill two women, the wife of Thomas Randolph.
00:46:59
And the only reason why Mike Miller is dead is because Eric Tarantino lived to tell the story.
00:47:09
And Thomas Randolph was not going to make that mistake twice. You will know the who, the why, and the how.
00:47:17
And all of those roads will lead back to the man in this courtroom. Thank you. At this time, would defense like to present?
00:47:25
Mr. Pike, whenever you're ready. What we felt was most important was that they understood that his wife was a victim, he was a victim, and he acted appropriately.
00:47:38
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the one thing that we'll always agree with with the state is it was Mr. Miller that came in with a gun and shot and killed Sharon.
00:47:52
Our strategy was to get the jury to understand that the case against Becky in Utah was irrelevant.
00:48:03
We had that heavy burden that we had to do, and so we had to face that head on. We are involved in facts and circumstances that have no relation, no connection to the Utah case.
00:48:17
And the truth is that Thomas Randolph didn't plan anything. Mr. Miller didn't do anything that would merit him being charged with killing his wife.
00:48:30
and that you'll find him not guilty at the conclusion of this trial. Thank you very much.
00:48:36
It was just a few months into the relationship, and he wanted to get life insurance policies
00:48:43
and pick out his and hers matching urns. The state calls Colleen Byer. Colleen was critical because I felt like Randolph's behavior was very atypical.
00:49:17
I felt it was inappropriate. It was just a few months into relationship and he wanted to get life insurance policies
00:49:25
and pick out his and hers matching urns. Urns? Urns. Like what you put cremation?
00:49:33
Ashes in the cremation. He looked at me, but there was like, it was like nothing.
00:49:42
He had no feelings. He didn't care. How was it that you found out about your mother's death?
00:49:52
A friend of ours called me. Did you call the defendant or did he call you? I called him.
00:50:01
When you called him, what did you say? I said, what did you do to my mother? What did he say?
00:50:12
He said, no, I didn't kill your mother. Michael shot and killed your mother. And he hung up on me.
00:50:20
That was the hardest thing I've ever done. This is awful. Absolutely awful. The state calls Alice Wolfe.
00:50:36
Good afternoon, Miss Wolfe. The purpose of calling in Sharon's friends was that they saw the relationship between Thomas and Sharon.
00:50:49
How would you characterize the state of their relationship? It was just madness.
00:50:55
Did you have contact with Sharon on the day that she learned that the defendant had a life insurance policy on her?
00:51:05
Yes. She was extremely, extremely upset. Did the two of you go to get paperwork together to make a will?
00:51:18
Yes. What were the directions that Sharon gave to you to do with the will? she said to me
00:51:24
if anything happens to me give this to Colleen this doesn't seem to be really greatly affecting you
00:51:42
no that's this is me would you give it all back not to be standing trial right now
00:51:47
give all what back all those wives I'd certainly give back Becky and Francis and Sharon back, then they'd be alive.
00:51:58
Of course, that's like a give me. Really miss Sharon. Assume for a moment you're convicted, right?
00:52:07
And then they say guilty, and then the week of mitigation hearings, and they say, all right, he's sentenced to death.
00:52:13
Good. Why good? I'd hate to do life in prison. Notify. The next witness, please. Is that Scott Conley?
00:52:25
It is, Your Honor. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you're about to hear a testimony from Scott Conley.
00:52:29
I'm not knowing what he was involved in. I wanted him. I wanted eye contact with him.
00:52:36
I wanted him to know probably the anger I have. The state has introduced evidence that Mr. Randolph was previously charged with a killing in Utah in 1988.
00:52:45
Mr. Randolph was found not guilty of that offense by a Utah jury. There are facts that occur in Utah that explain the behavior and the facts that exist in Sharon Randolph's death in Las Vegas.
00:53:00
Were you able to determine that there were insurance policies taken out in the case of Becky Randolph's death where the defendant, Thomas Randolph, was a beneficiary?
00:53:09
Yes. Was an arrest warrant issued for Thomas Randolph for the death of Becky Randolph?
00:53:15
It was. We're going to call our next witness, Mr. Eric Tarantino. It was just little innuendos here and there, and then just a point blank, I want you to kill my wife.
00:53:33
During your friendship with Mr. Randolph, did the defendant ask you questions that you thought odd or made you feel uncomfortable?
00:53:42
Yes. He told me that he wanted me to kill his wife. Did he discuss with you why he wanted to kill Becky?
00:53:52
The money from insurance policies Eric Tarantino is the prosecution star witness Eric Tarantino lived to testify and in our case Mike Miller wasn afforded that opportunity
00:54:07
What Randolph learned in Utah in the 1980s, he applied to Nevada in the 2000s, and that is, don't leave anybody alive.
00:54:17
We discussed having a burglary. I was to go in, grab a couple of things, rummage through some drawers.
00:54:27
When she came home, shoot her and leave. I said, I'm not doing this. And I left.
00:54:34
And I got on that plane and ran. It was important for the jury to see that because I think it allows them to get more into the mind of Thomas Randolph.
00:54:47
I was the last witness for the state. I was back in cleanup. I had been waiting a long time for this moment to testify.
00:55:01
Detective, what was the total number of life insurance policies for? What was the total value of those policies?
00:55:09
$360,000. Was there a common beneficiary? Yes, Thomas Randolph. So Mark Bartlett, incredibly, incredibly important because we needed to establish this time frame.
00:55:40
I knew it had to be like one of these houses right here across the street because it was like boom, boom.
00:55:45
You know, I heard it. And on that evening at precisely 833, did you happen to have a telephone conversation on your cell phone with a friend of yours?
00:55:55
Yes, I did. I was on the phone and I heard gunshots, three rapid gunshots. We were able to look at his phone, find out when he heard those shots, and then compare that to the time that Thomas Randolph actually calls 911.
00:56:10
911 emergency. My wife's been shot. So all told, how long do you think it took from the time you opened the door to you being on 9-1-1?
00:56:21
Two, three minutes, maybe. Two, three minutes, Tom. Yeah. What was the time stamp coming through when the defendant makes connection to 9-1-1?
00:56:28
20.45, 8.45 p.m. So we're talking about 12, 13 minutes difference between the time that Randolph said that he got home and when he got on the phone with 9-1-1.
00:56:40
Oh, my God. I can't. No! Randolph had to be damn sure she was completely dead before 911 was called, before the police ever get there.
00:56:52
That video in the hallway and that 911 call to me, I thought were really damning, damning to him.
00:57:04
I'd been waiting a long time for this moment to testify. There are certain detectives that are really good on the stand.
00:57:14
I think juries naturally like them, want to hear from them, believe them. Dean O'Kelly is that witness.
00:57:22
The state will call Detective Dean O'Kelly. So when you first fire, he's right in this area.
00:57:32
Yeah, probably. Maybe a little more that way, maybe a little more this way. You, in the walkthrough video, spent several minutes going over with Mr. Randolph the positioning of Mr. Miller in the hallway.
00:57:47
I was trying to lock Mr. Randolph into the position of Mr. Miller to determine for myself Mr. Randolph was not telling the truth about where he was when those shots were fired.
00:58:00
I just, I shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot. With the amount of rounds that Mr. Randolph said he fired from the hallway, we would have expected to see more cases in the hallway.
00:58:10
All of the evidence that you found relative to a shooting and the injuries that Mr. Miller suffered were found where?
00:58:18
In the garage, save for the one cartridge case. We needed people to understand Mike.
00:58:29
And all of a sudden, this relationship with this guy named Thomas Randolph, who comes out of nowhere and then basically almost adopts him, and he's with him all the time.
00:58:37
From February up until May 8th of 2008, how many phone calls were you able to locate between the defendant and Mr. Miller?
00:58:45
I found 283 phone calls. back approach showing you what's been marked as 14a do you recognize what's contained therein
00:58:59
yes this is the black ski mask that was at the at the scene adjacent to mike miller's body on the floor
00:59:07
from your observations at the scene did you look for whether there was any other bullet defects or anything associated
00:59:17
with a head gunshot wound on that mask. We didn't see any such defects. That seemed odd.
00:59:24
It certainly indicated that it was not on his head when the rounds were fired through his head.
00:59:33
Detective, what was the total number of life insurance policies ensuring Ms. Randolph's death at the time of her death?
00:59:41
The ones that we were able to locate was four. What was the total value of those policies?
00:59:46
$360,000. Was there a common beneficiary in all four policies? Yes, Thomas Randolph.
00:59:55
Thank you All right have a lovely day You excused When I got off the stand and walked out of the courtroom
01:00:07
what I had hoped is that I conveyed enough to the jury what we knew about what Tom Randolph did.
01:00:17
Your Honor, with the conclusion of Detective O'Kelly's testimony, the state would rest.
01:00:21
All right. Tom protecting himself, protecting his family, protecting his home, took the necessary action and killed Mr. Miller.
01:00:33
We weren't going to hold back on anything. You didn't ask the questions. You didn't take it in there.
01:00:41
These attorneys suck. I keep trying to explain to them what to do with it. We don't need to do that. We made our point.
01:00:49
What? Dealing with Tom's personality was challenging for us. He didn't ask the questions.
01:01:09
He didn't take it in depth. Because he wanted to run the show and that we should just do whatever he said.
01:01:16
I still just don't think you guys got all of it in. I want more impact. Whether or not it was ethical or sound legal strategy
01:01:24
or something that we thought needed to be done. We miss so much stuff, it's unbelievable.
01:01:31
All we want from you today is to look through this, see what the truth is, and that they can't prove this case
01:01:39
without smearing him with a, you know, a red M. Murderer. Murderer. He's got away with it before.
01:01:48
Objection, Your Honor. Objection, Your Honor. Objection, Your Honor. So you're continuing objections that you object to any admission regarding the events in Utah, correct?
01:01:55
Yes, Your Honor. I don't think the Utah case should have come in at all. It was completely irrelevant to what was going on in the case here in Las Vegas.
01:02:04
We had to fight that tooth and nail every step of the way. Do you have a recollection that there was gunshot residue testing on the hand of Becky?
01:02:14
I do not recall that, to be honest with you. And in this case, it was processed as a suicide.
01:02:20
It was. We had to tell the jury, it's nothing. It's gone. It was not proven. Let's deal with what we know about this case.
01:02:30
Look at this evidence. Sharon? Sharon? Sharon! The walkthrough video that Tom did, that was another hurdle that we had to overcome.
01:02:40
It was clear that when he did it, he was very intoxicated on the pain medications he was taking.
01:02:47
My name is Tom Randolph. My date of birth. You want to call your witness? Thank you. Joe Randolph.
01:02:56
Good afternoon, Joe. Good morning. Do you know Tommy? Yes, my brother. And older or younger?
01:03:03
Older. His brother had to drive Tom to the house to do this walkthrough video. I didn't feel like he should drive.
01:03:11
Okay, and that was because you felt that Tom was under the effects of the medications?
01:03:15
Yes. Just kind of, you know, just didn't know what to do. Did you think it was a good idea for Tom to do the walkthrough that night?
01:03:28
No. You're free to go, sir. Have a nice day. Does the defense have any additional witnesses at this time?
01:03:36
It's a dangerous thing to put your client on the stand and be cross-examined by the prosecution.
01:03:43
We advised him not to testify, and he agreed with us. The defense will rest. Oh, you're back.
01:03:58
How's it going, Tom? These attorneys suck. You think so? I know so. You're not happy with the way things are going?
01:04:12
There's so much they can do. They just keep off. I keep trying to explain them there's a way to do it.
01:04:20
But we don't need to do that. We don't need to do that. We made our point. What point?
01:04:25
They ain't done the shit. I'm not happy. Not in the least. The main city of New York 23 is now back in session.
01:04:44
All right. Is the state ready? Yes, Your Honor. Thank you. Thomas Randolph has had a lot of secrets, some of which date back to over 30 years ago.
01:04:56
But those secrets back then and the secrets leading up to May 8th of 2008 have exposed him for exactly what and who he is.
01:05:08
And that is someone that is willing to kill those closest to him for his own monetary gain.
01:05:16
Thomas Randolph's gig is up. He is done. tell him he is done by finding him guilty of the murder of Sharon Randolph and Mike Miller.
01:05:30
Thank you. Whenever you're ready. Tom was assaulted by a masked intruder, a home invader in his house,
01:05:43
an intruder who had just killed his wife. Tom had every right To defend himself To defend his wife
01:05:51
To defend his home No matter where he shot Miller No matter how many times he shot Miller and you should come to the same decision that Jerry did in Utah 28 years ago
01:06:07
Not guilty. It's not over completely, but I'm feeling really good. Jury's out. They've been out since 9 a.m. It's now 1 o'clock, so we're on hour four.
01:06:33
Waiting for a jury's verdict is the worst. I don't think we could have done anything more. I don't think we could have done anything different.
01:06:41
I go through every aspect of my closing argument in my head, and what could I have said more?
01:06:46
Oh, if I would have said this, they would have been already back by now. If it goes into day two?
01:06:51
If it goes into day two, we've got to hold out. So are you concerned right now? Yeah, I mean, I'm always concerned.
01:07:04
It doesn't matter how solid. I mean, I've had solid cases with confessions, and I've still been nervous.
01:07:12
As it went on, we thought maybe we had either a hung jury or that we actually had won the case.
01:07:18
Okay, we just sent us a text. Verdict will be back in around 11 to 11.30. I'm nervous.
01:07:38
Why? First trial didn't go so well. And I'm hoping they come back with a guilty on this one.
01:07:44
I would be extremely disappointed if this didn't turn our way. Of course, you can hug me.
01:07:52
Can I get my dad? Yeah. Your thoughts, okay? Turn to start trial at 9 a.m. 966 Randolph.
01:08:05
Okay, bring the jury in, please. It's sad I had to wait nine years to get here. I wanted to see his face.
01:08:17
Miss Forperson, would you give the verdict to the marshal, please? There's this noise when the jury's about to come in and the door opens.
01:08:40
and that clicking noise, to this day, a chill will run down the back of my neck.
01:08:50
I wanted to see his face. I wanted to see if there was any trace of remorse, any kind of real reaction.
01:08:58
All right, Ms. Foreperson, would you give the verdict to the marshal, please? We the jury in the above entitled case find the defendant Thomas William Randolph as follows.
01:09:15
Count one, conspiracy to commit murder. Guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. Count two, murder with the use of a deadly weapon.
01:09:25
Sharon Randolph, guilty of first degree murder. count three Michael James Miller
01:09:31
guilty of first degree murder alright before the verdict is recorded does either side wish
01:09:38
hers would pop out of my chest it was very intense exciting it was good I think next time
01:09:54
we better call some witnesses Well, welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, the jury.
01:10:06
This is the penalty phase of the trial. The jury had to make a decision. Is Thomas Randolph going to live out his life in a closet-sized room,
01:10:18
or is he going to die by execution? Thank you, Your Honor. The state calls Rachel Gaskins.
01:10:26
Rachel Gaskins is the daughter of Frances. Frances is Thomas' fifth wife. Did you ever see him be physical towards your mother?
01:10:37
Yes. In what ways? She went and got Burger King one time, and Burger King put mayonnaise on the sandwich,
01:10:45
and he slammed it into her face. He slammed the sandwich into your mother's face?
01:10:48
Yeah. Because it had mayonnaise on it? Yes. Unbelievable. She was just so powerful.
01:10:58
And when she was talking, you could hear a pin drop. Your mom needs to go in for a surgery, is that right?
01:11:04
Yes, ma'am. After he goes into the room with your mother and comes back out, what does he tell you?
01:11:09
That she had passed away. And he was crying. He got down on his knees and started hugging me.
01:11:15
During the time you lived with your mother and Tom, did a custody battle ensue between your mother and your father being Jesse?
01:11:27
Yes Did the defendant tell you to say certain things to the judge so that he and your mother could keep you?
01:11:35
Yes, I should say that my dad was a pedophile so that I wouldn't be taken away from my mom
01:11:42
Did you tell the judge that? Yes but today you cleared your dad's name in the 20 years that you weren't able to
01:11:48
clear your dad's name. Has that haunted you? Yeah. Our whole mission became to save Tom's life.
01:11:55
His life does have meaning to many people. My name is Dorothy. Arlene Randolph. This is where I should be as a mother today to support my son. I love you, son.
01:12:13
Since I was 12, I've been a Cowboys fan. As I got older and started becoming a fan of football, it gives me comfort, even in here.
01:12:36
I have never had a defendant walk into the day of his death penalty case where he gets to address the jury wearing a football jersey.
01:12:49
I think that pretty much sums it up. That was a f*** you to everybody in that courtroom, to include the jury, me and the judge, in my opinion.
01:12:58
Yes, we would call Chris Durandolph. How do you know, Tommy? He's my father. My dad was a terrific dad. He was loving. He was always there for me. He's a great grandpa.
01:13:12
To my children, he's loving and caring. Spent a lot of quality time with them. He's just an excellent grandfather to them.
01:13:21
Does your dad's life still have meaning to you? Of course, a ton. Is it Justice next?
01:13:27
Yes, Justice Randolph. This is kind of absurd to me because I think that this impression that you have of my dad or this reality is so different from my reality growing up with him.
01:13:41
I mean, he was somebody who was just a great father to me. And that's valuable to you.
01:13:48
It's invaluable. Your Honor, at this time, Tommy would like to make an allocution.
01:13:56
The allocution is when the defendant has the right to give a statement to the jury.
01:14:03
I'm so sorry that all this happened. You've heard what you've heard and you can't imagine how much I miss Sharon and how much I miss Francis.
01:14:17
I don't want to spend the rest of my life on death row. And I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison.
01:14:24
but for my mother and my children, and I suspect for me. But yeah it going to be hard on my family more than anything so I don know what else to say
01:14:52
All rise to the jury. The record will reflect the presence of the jury. Madam Poor Person, do you have a verdict?
01:15:06
We the jury in the above entitled case, having found the defendant Thomas William Randolph guilty of murder of the first degree of Sharon Randolph and Michael James Miller, imposed a sentence of death.
01:15:30
Justice, finally, after nine years, nine really, really hard years. Yes. It's going to feel better.
01:15:41
It's going to get better for me and my family. Oh, yes. Well, it's just the next step. It's no big deal, really.
01:15:55
It's sad I had to wait nine years to get here. We should have already been through the appeal process and out.
01:16:01
But it's just a matter of three more years and we'll get a fair trial. I'm sitting at work.
01:16:11
Email comes in. See the title line of Randolph decision. I couldn't believe it. This guy is a psychopath, all caps.
01:16:20
All of my lawyers have said, if the Utah case comes in, you will be convicted and you will get the death penalty.
01:16:39
And then three years later, the Supreme Court will overturn it. I've never even thought about any other thing other than acquittal.
01:16:45
I'm the victim in this. I'm the victim in this. It's no big deal, really. It's sad I had to wait nine years to get here.
01:16:54
We should have already been through the appeal process and out. It's just a matter of three more years and we'll get a fair trial.
01:17:05
This is the time set for oral argument in the case of Randolph v. State. The only way the state was able to get a conviction in this case was to portray Thomas Randolph as a serial wife killer
01:17:28
The prosecutor set about to revive the Utah case involving Becky's death and to admit evidence in that case against Randolph in this case involving Sharon's death by suggesting that Randolph killed Becky
01:17:46
and so he probably killed Sharon as well. This is a man's life we're talking about
01:17:52
and the Becky evidence should have never come in. Mr. Stanton, do you think you could approve this case without this prior?
01:18:00
I'm not sure whether or not I've ever assessed this case in that way. I'm sitting at work, email comes in, see the title line of Randolph decision, pull it up and then read it.
01:18:29
They're going to give him a new trial and disagree that the evidence from Utah should have come in.
01:18:35
They conclude that it should not have. he's still remanded in custody he doesn't get to get out but he's going to get a new trial
01:18:48
i was i couldn't believe it i can't say what i said on you know on tv i i was just flabbergasted
01:18:57
this guy is a psychopath all caps and that's why he is in my opinion you can't find a more
01:19:11
dangerous person in the community than this guy I've started to get back to normal.
01:19:24
Yeah. Well, not right away. The trial brought a bunch more emotions back up. My kids are my focus, and they are my joy.
01:19:39
I was about five and a half months pregnant with Katie. My mom died. Yeah, that's my baby girl.
01:19:51
I'm seven years old and I'm in second grade. Katie's 12. She so grown up now She so beautiful
01:20:11
It's just crazy how much time has passed. I wish she could have met a grandma. How I would sum up the Thomas Randolph case is, it's like a movie, how it plays out.
01:20:39
It's almost unbelievable until you believe it. Becky's mother. You know what she said about you after you were acquitted in the 80s?
01:20:49
He's guilty. And he's just going to kill somebody else's daughter. That's what she said about you in the 1980s.
01:20:57
Becky's mother. Hey, maybe she's psychic, who knows? I'm just elated. I'm hoping for bail.
01:21:17
Because the only one I'm a threat to is married women. So I pose a threat to nobody.
01:21:24
No married women, nobody I have insurance on. We start back at square one. He's not convicted of any charges.
01:21:35
He will stand trial for the second time. There's no guarantees in any trial. Yeah, he could be found not guilty
01:21:42
and walk out of the court of free man. I only ran across probably half a dozen people
01:21:52
who when you're sitting, you just sense that they're, the darkness in them. Is your wife good living?
01:22:01
What do you think? To kill for? You see that they not only killed that person, they don't regret it.
01:22:13
Am I beautiful? And if they were able to get out, they would kill someone else. I shot him again, and he's just laying there.
01:22:27
Some noise. Tom Randolph's real sentence will start when he takes his last breath on this earth,
01:22:40
and it'll be for eternity.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 90
    Most shocking
  • 90
    Most intense
  • 90
    Biggest twist
  • 85
    Most heartbreaking

Episode Highlights

  • Facing the Death Penalty
    Randolph faces the death penalty for the second time, raising the stakes of the case.
    “This is the second time you're facing the death penalty.”
    @ 00m 43s
    February 25, 2021
  • A Shocking Crime
    An intruder shot and killed the wife, leading to a shocking twist.
    “Boom, boom, boom!”
    @ 01m 07s
    February 25, 2021
  • A Troubling Past
    Thomas Randolph had been married six times, with four wives dead under suspicious circumstances.
    “He'd been married six times, and four of his wives are dead.”
    @ 03m 20s
    February 25, 2021
  • The Utah Connection
    The prosecution aims to use Randolph's past to strengthen their case against him.
    “The Utah case was a huge issue in Tom's case here.”
    @ 15m 08s
    February 25, 2021
  • The Tommy Show
    Randolph's trial becomes a spectacle, with him at the center of attention.
    “This is the Tommy Show live from Las Vegas.”
    @ 27m 55s
    February 25, 2021
  • Detective Testimony
    Detective Dean O'Kelly's testimony is pivotal in establishing Randolph's guilt.
    “That video in the hallway and that 911 call to me, I thought were really damning.”
    @ 56m 52s
    February 25, 2021
  • Guilty Verdict
    Thomas Randolph found guilty of first degree murder for Sharon Randolph and Michael James Miller.
    “We the jury in the above entitled case find the defendant Thomas William Randolph guilty.”
    @ 01h 09m 15s
    February 25, 2021
  • Emotional Allocution
    Randolph expresses remorse and fear of spending life in prison during his allocution.
    “I'm so sorry that all this happened.”
    @ 01h 14m 03s
    February 25, 2021

Episode Quotes

  • They want to kill you, man. They don't like you.
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial
  • I just want him to go. I just want it to be done.
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial
  • I mean, you've been in jail here now for, what, three and a half years?
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial
  • Oh, my God.
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial
  • Unbelievable.
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial
  • I'm just elated.
    The Widower Ep. 3: The Trial

Key Moments

  • Intruder Attack00:04
  • Husband's Revenge00:06
  • Murder Charges01:57
  • Arrest01:57
  • Trial Tension23:02
  • Testimony Shift57:20
  • Guilty Verdict1:09:15
  • Emotional Allocution1:14:03

Tension Over Time

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown