Netflix documentary explores the case of Thomas Randolph

The Netflix true crime documentary ‘The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ has become a global viewing phenomenon, detailing the case of Thomas Randolph, often referred to in the press as the ‘Black Widower’. The film follows a detective and a journalist investigating Randolph, a man who married six times and saw four of his wives die under suspicious circumstances.

A central focus of the investigation is the May 2008 death of Sharon Causse in Las Vegas. While Randolph initially claimed a masked intruder shot Causse and that he killed the assailant in self-defense, prosecutors argued he hired a handyman, Michael James Miller, to commit the murder for insurance money. Randolph subsequently killed Miller to eliminate the witness.

Randolph’s legal history includes a 2017 death sentence that was later overturned, leading to a 2023 conviction and a subsequent sentence ranging from sixty years to life in prison. The documentary, directed by Chris Smith, has received mixed critical reviews, with some praising its journalistic approach and others viewing it as standard true crime fare.