Brief
Netflix documentary examines Las Vegas ‘Black Widower’ Thomas Randolph
The film follows the two‑decade investigation that led to Randolph’s 2017 murder conviction and death‑row sentence.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Netflix’s documentary The Widower: ’Til Death Do Us Part chronicles the case of Thomas Randolph, a Las Vegas man convicted of murdering his wife Sharon Causse and his handyman Michael Miller.
What happened
On May 9, 2008, Randolph called 9‑1‑1 reporting a masked intruder in his home. Police arrived to find Causse shot dead and a man in a ski mask holding a gun. Randolph claimed he fired at the intruder, later identifying the shooter as Miller, his handyman. Subsequent police investigation revealed inconsistencies in Randolph’s account and linked the deaths to a pattern: four of his six wives had died under mysterious circumstances, earning him the nickname “The Black Widower.”
What the reports add
Rolling Stone notes that the documentary, directed by Chris Smith of Tiger King, details the nearly twenty‑year effort by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department to uncover Randolph’s criminal history. It also highlights that prosecutors took several years to gather sufficient evidence, leading to Randolph’s 2017 murder conviction and death‑row sentence.
What was said
Dateline producer Dan Slepian, who worked with the police and interviewed Randolph, told People that Randolph was “the most unusual murder defendant I’ve ever covered by far.” Las Vegas detective Dean O’Kelley is quoted in the film saying, “My responsibility as the lead investigator is to document the crime scene, and right out of the gate there were things that weren’t adding up.”
How it came about
The case began with the 2008 shooting, but earlier deaths of Randolph’s wives had attracted media attention and police scrutiny. Over the years, investigative journalists and detectives pieced together evidence that contradicted Randolph’s self‑defense claim, culminating in the documentary’s release to illustrate the long‑term pursuit of justice.
Key facts
- Thomas Randolph called 9‑1‑1 on May 9, 2008 reporting a masked intruder. (rollingstone.com)
- Four of Randolph’s six wives died under mysterious circumstances. (rollingstone.com)
- Randolph was convicted of murder in 2017 and sentenced to death row. (rollingstone.com)
- Netflix released the documentary "The Widower: ’Til Death Do Us Part" directed by Chris Smith. (rollingstone.com)
Sources
- [1] rollingstone.com — originally reported as “Three of His Wives Died Mysteriously. Did Thomas Randolph Kill Them?”
