Netflix Docuseries Recounts Thomas Randolph's Trail of Deceased Wives

Netflix's latest true crime documentary, "The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part," delves into the disturbing life of Thomas Randolph, a man whose six marriages were marked by the suspicious deaths of four of his wives. The 91-minute film, building on a 2021 docuseries by NBC producer Dan Slepian, provides an in-depth look at Randolph's criminal proceedings, which spanned nearly two decades.

Slepian, who cultivated a relationship with Randolph over ten years, features prominently in the documentary, sharing his extensive access to the subject and the legal investigations. The film highlights Randolph's repeated encounters with the death penalty, facing it twice with 20 years separating the cases. Randolph, described as a textbook narcissist, maintained a confident demeanor throughout the process, even during interviews filmed by Slepian.

The Investigation into Sharon Causse's Death

The documentary's narrative gains momentum with the 2008 death of Randolph's sixth wife, Sharon Causse. Las Vegas detectives, alerted by the circumstances, brought Slepian into the investigation. Randolph claimed his wife was shot and killed by a handyman he had hired, Mike Miller, and that he subsequently shot Miller in self-defense. Slepian and Detective Dean O'Kelley were granted access to the crime scene and district attorney meetings, witnessing Randolph reenact the events of the night.

Further investigation revealed that Randolph had taken out substantial life insurance policies on Causse and was initially named the sole beneficiary of her estate. However, Causse had begun to fear Randolph's behavior and had changed her will to benefit her daughter, Colleen Beyer, who becomes a central figure in the documentary, representing the emotional core of the story.

A Pattern of Suspicious Deaths

Randolph's past marriages were then scrutinized. His second wife was found dead from a gunshot wound staged to look like a suicide, leading to a trial where Randolph narrowly avoided the death penalty. His third wife died of cancer, while his fifth wife died in the hospital after heart surgery, leading to suspicions about Randolph's involvement. Each of these wives also had life insurance policies in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, on which Randolph collected. He even successfully sued the hospital for malpractice following his fifth wife's death, receiving a financial settlement.

Legal Battles and Conviction

The documentary chronicles the lengthy legal process, with Slepian and O'Kelley gathering testimonies from Randolph's surviving wives and Miller's family. In 2009, months after the deaths of Miller and Causse, Randolph was arrested. He faced delays in his trials for seven years, often by firing lawyers just before proceedings.

In 2017, Randolph was convicted and sentenced to death. Slepian conducted a final, confrontational interview with Randolph, who did not offer a confession. However, in 2020, the Nevada Supreme Court overturned the conviction, citing jury bias due to the sharing of information about Randolph's prior death-penalty trial. This decision allowed Randolph to pursue a second trial.

Present Day Status

After a second trial, Randolph was convicted again. The Nevada Supreme Court, in September 2026, dismissed his appeal for a third trial. The postscript of the film reveals that Thomas Randolph, now 71 years old, is serving a 60-year prison sentence.