Thomas Randolph's previous wives: Kathryn Thomas, Leona Stapleton, Gayna Allmon, and Francis Randolph
Detectives learned that Thomas had a history of manipulative and controlling behavior, often marrying quickly, taking out life insurance policies, and then moving on as soon as he couldn't extract more from the relationship.
His first wife, Kathryn Thomas, recounted a terrifying incident where Thomas threw a bowl of oatmeal at her in a rage, marking the beginning of his abusive tendencies. Leona Stapleton's brief marriage to Randolph ended in divorce, with her later dying under circumstances that, while not directly suspicious, added to the disturbing pattern. Gayna Allmon narrowly escaped a potentially fatal incident when Thomas's gun “accidentally” discharged near her, prompting her to leave him and go into hiding. Francis Randolph, tragically, died under mysterious circumstances after surgery, with Thomas benefiting financially from her death.
As the detectives' investigation into Thomas Randolph's past marriages deepened, it became evident that he had a consistent modus operandi: rapidly marrying women, obtaining substantial life insurance policies, and then manipulating or coercing others into committing murder on his behalf. The eerie parallels between the cases of his former wives painted a disturbing picture of a man driven by greed and a lack of empathy.
Despite the mounting evidence, Clark County prosecutors were initially hesitant to move forward with prosecuting Randolph for Sharon’s murder, due to the complexities of the case and the potential for Randolph to sway a jury. However, the relentless efforts of detectives and witnesses who survived their marriages to Thomas Randolph brought critical insights that would eventually contribute to building a case against him.
And this wouldn’t be Thomas Randolph’s first murder trial.
Kathryn, Beckie, Leona, Gayna, Frances, and Sharon
The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph - Coming to Investigation Discovery
On June 20, 2024, Investigation Discovery announced a new multipart documentary series on Thomas Randolph, also known as The Black Widower. The series will air on Investigation Discovery (ID) beginning on July 15, 2024.
Thomas Randolph is a bizarre, outlandish, flamboyant, and twisted individual, and when we crafted these episodes, it was challenging not to let him take center stage. Throughout our coverage of the case, we remained victim-centric, so the stories of the women and families affected by Tom Randolph don’t get lost amid what is a horrific and appalling story.
We plan to tune in to the documentary to see whether the producers unearth any other details about Thomas Randolph’s wives and any additional victims of his disturbing and abusive behavior. As with all our episodes, we strive to center the victims and highlight the importance of justice for their families. If you watch the documentary, please let us know your thoughts on the case and ID’s coverage.
Listen now to “A Twisted Nightmare” a four-part series on The Black Widower, Thomas Randolph, and his six wives:
A Twisted Nightmare - Part 1 - The Murder of Sharon Randolph
A Twisted Nightmare - Part 2 - Wives of the Black Widower
A Twisted Nightmare - Part 3 - The Murder of Beckie Gault
A Twisted Nightmare - Part 4 - The Trial: Nevada vs. Thomas Randolph
