Shivangi Sinha
In the late 1980s, while Tom Randolph was acquitted in the case in which he had been charged with the murder of his second wife, Becky Gault, he was facing another serious allegation. While awaiting trial, he had tried to hire an undercover police officer to kill a man named Eric Tarantino. The latter had previously informed police about a plan in which Tom had allegedly attempted to hire him to kill Becky. His account became the basis for the homicide investigation into Tom in the first place. Netflix’s ‘The Widower: ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ features this aspect of the case and highlights how it later became important in Tom’s 2017 trial.
Eric Tarantino’s Statements in Becky Gault’s Case Led to Tom Randolph’s Arrest
In 1983, Tom Randolph married Becky Gault, who became his second wife. Reports indicate that it was around this time that he also became friends with Eric Tarantino. According to the clip presented in the documentary, Eric told the police that he was 19 when he first met Tom and looked up to him. They went fishing and hunting together. Eric said that one day, Tom allegedly kept hinting at wanting to kill his wife. He said that when he refused, his friend allegedly told him that he knew too much already, so it was a choice between him and her. Eric admitted that he felt he had to go along with the plan to protect himself. He claimed that the two of them would allegedly discuss and plan different ways to commit the crime.
However, Eric claimed that he had grown friendly with Becky and eventually told her about his suspicions before leaving. According to police reports, he said he was extremely scared and eventually left Clearfield, Utah, and went into hiding. When Becky died on November 7, 1986, her death was initially ruled a suicide. Eric came forward with his statement in 1988, which led to Tom’s arrest and his being charged with murder in connection with the case.
Eric Tarantino Does Not Prefer to be in Public These Days
While Tom Randolph was behind bars, he approached an undercover police officer and asked him to kill Eric Tarantino. In 1989, Tom was acquitted of the murder charge but pleaded guilty to felony witness tampering and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. In 2008, when detectives began investigating Sharon Randolph’s death, they met with Eric. He agreed to give them an account of the 1989 case and his relationship with Tom. In 2017, the prosecution used Eric’s prior allegations to establish a possible motive in the death of Mike Miller as well. However, it is unclear whether Eric himself was called to testify at the trial. He has largely kept a low profile and has remained out of the public eye since then.
Read More: Gayna Allmon: Where is Tom Randolph’s Fourth Wife Now?
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