Hell and Gone Murder Line: The Beallis Family [UPDATE]

guilty in a court of law. Nothing in the podcast is intended to state or imply that anyone who has not been convicted of a crime is guilty of any wrongdoing. Thanks for listening.

We covered this case back in February, and at first there were very few official answers, but this story got huge very fast. On March fourth, twenty twenty six, there was a shocking twist in this case when the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office announced that autopsies conducted by the Arkansas State Crime Lab found that Charity died by suicide and that the two children died by homicide. According to the Sheriff's office, the evidence reviewed so far did not point

to another person being responsible. Investigators now say Charity killed the children and then killed herself. I'm Catherine Townsend. Over the past eight years of making my true crime podcast, Helen Gone, I've learned that there is no such thing as a small town where murder never happens. I have received hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them,

their families, and their communities. If you have a case you'd like me and my team to look into, you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone Murder line at six seven eight seven four four six one four five. That's six seven eight seven four four six one four five, or you can send us a message on Instagram at Helen Gonepod This is Helen Gone murder line.

As soon as the bodies of Charity and the children were taken out of that house and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock and the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office started their investigation, the public narrative formed, and a lot of that public anger was focused on Randall by Alis and his and Charities increasingly public and very bitter divorce. On December second, the day before the bodies were found, Charity and Randall were battling in court

for custody of their children. The very next day, Charity and her six year old twins were dead. In the days and weeks that followed, family members of Charities started speaking to the media and online commentators, and thousands of social media users focused a lot of attention on Charity's allegations in court records that her estranged husband, doctor Randal Bellis, had been abusive. On February sixteenth, twenty twenty five, Charity

and Randall had gotten into a fight. Charity claimed that during that fight that Randal choked her in front of the children. In October of twenty twenty five, Randall pleaded guilty to third degree domestic battery related to this incident. Then, after the three bodies were found, the Sebastian County Sheriff's office did say publicly that Randal b Allis had not

been named as a suspect. Randall's attorney, Michael Pierce, stated that Randall denied any involvement in Charity in the children's deaths and said that Randall was co oper reading fully the law enforcement, but that didn't stop the public and a lot of Charity's family members from speaking out. Charity's father, Randy Powell, and her adult son John Powell, both publicly stated two reporters that they believe that Randall had been

abusive and controlling. John said that his mother had tried to escape Randall but was unable to get any help. They have also told multiple media sources that they suspect that Randall may have been involved in Charity and the children's deaths. These deaths shocked a lot of people, so I wanted to go back and look at the evidence.

Now that I've had some time to digest these documents, I have read through hundreds of pages of court transcripts, and I want to try to get past the headlines and see if the events leading up to when Charity and her children's bodies were found can shed any light

on what really happened. We did two episodes about this case back in February, and we did say in Part two that until the autopsies and crime scene findings were public, that murder's suicide had to be considered as one possible scenario. And to be honest, a lot of people wrote me angry messages about the fact that I even suggested that Charity could have killed her own children. A lot of people still seem to be uncomfortable about talking about women

who kill their children. It's much less common than men who kill family members. According to multiple studies, somewhere between ninety and ninety five percent of people classified as family annihilators are men. But it does happen, and that's what Sebastian County authorities say happened to Charity and her kids. But Charity's family does not accept that conclusion, and the public still does not have the full case file or

the autopsy reports. So today we're going to look at what has changed since Part one and Part two, the autopsy ruling, the evidence the Sheriff's officeer supports it, what happened to the remains of Charitying the Children, and where the investigation stands today. For those who haven't heard the first two episodes on Charity Bealis or who need a quick recap, Charity and Randal Bellis had been married for ten years. They married for the first time in twenty twelve,

and then they got divorced. Then they married for a second time on November one, twenty fifteen. Randal Beallis was a doctor at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. One of his colleagues who testified in court said that Randall had an excellent reputation, that he was a hard worker. Randal, Charity and the two kids appeared to be a perfect family, but behind the scenes there was chaos and there were

allegations of domestic violence, allegations that went both ways. We also talked about how after Charitying the Children's death, attention focused on the death of Randall's second wife, Shauna Graham, a thirty four year old licensed practical nurse. Shawn had died on January fifth, wealth from a gunshot wound to the head. Her death was ruled to suicide, and if you haven't listened.

get his phone back to call his lawyer. He wanted to stop divorce papers from being sent in the mail. The officer told him no, so, like Charity and Randall, Charity and Shauna had been on the brink of divorce. The report also contained evidence supporting suicide, including the fact that Shawna left a note, but the main evidence was video footage from that morning showing Shawna did go to Walmart and buy that ammunition, and police talked to the

employee who helped her that day. He told police that Shawna had been asking questions about the ammunition, about hollow point bullets, and which bullets would be best for home protection. While reviewing the police reports, we also found out something else. Charity's name came up during Shawna's investigation, according to police records we discussed in part one. In twenty twenty one, an officer was asked to review Shawna's case again after

receiving new information from the Bonanza Police Department. According to that report, Randy Powell, Charity's father, had told police that she Shawuna, had been killed by her husband and his current wife, meaning Randal and Charity. In that same review, an officer referred to some body camera footage from an incident involving Randal and Charity at their home now. During that incident, Charity's father, Randy Powell, reportedly told the officer that Charity had told him that she was the one

who shot Shawna. Randy Charity's dad also reportedly said Charity told him she was glad that officers had not dusted for prints on the wine glass that was found at the scene, because she claimed she had been drinking out of it. Neither Charity nor Randall were ever charged in connection with Shawna's death, and both of them denied any involvement. But after Charity in the children's bodies were found, that allegation about Charity making a statement in connection.

Charity and Randall's relationship continued to be votal. They divorced just a few months later in October of that same year, but they continued to see each other. In twenty thirteen, Charity stated in court that she pulled a gun on Randall during an argument and that he had done the same to her multiple times. They eventually reconciled in in November of twenty fifteen, they married for the second and final time.

from Randall and Charity. He filed that petition after an incident in May of twenty twenty where John alleged that both Charity and Randall slashed the tires on his truck that he had bought himself, and a family friend released a video of that incident that went viral. In that video, Randall can be seen slashing the tires of the truck with a knife, while Charity is in the background holding one of their young children and threatening to cut off

John's phone. The court granted John's petition, so John has described his mother Charity as loving and kind, but he has also acknowledged that he had serious conflict with Charity and Randall when he was a teenager, Charity's father, Randy.

he left her in unsafe situations. Until a few months before her death, she hadn't spoken to Randy, her dad, in ten years, according to the records, and they didn't start speaking again until after the domestic violence incident with Randall in February of twenty twenty five, when she separated from her husband. Charity's father, Randy, was in court the day of the divorce hearings, and he walked out after

Judge Shannon Blatt announced her ruling. And then on December eleventh, a week after Charity and the children's bodies were found, Judge Blatt's office reported that Randy called the court and told her assistant that she might as well pull the trigger herself, and Randy also claimed that the court had blood on its hands. The judge later reported that call

to the Fort Smith Police Department. Like everything else in this case, Charity's history with these family members is way more complicated than can ever be recapped in.

month or two into Charity's account. Randall claimed that he was generous, but that Charity overspent on cosmetic procedures and just stuff in general, and that because of that, he claimed he and Charity had agreed that she was not what he called a good steward of their money, But Randal said in general he believed he and Charity had

a great relationship. However, he said that in his eyes, something changed in twenty twenty four, after Charity gave up drinking and smoking pot and got more involved in her church. Randal claimed that while he believed Charity abstaining from these substances was in general against thing, he claimed that after that that Charity began to hate him and that their

physical relationship deteriorated. Now, this was Randall's testimony. It's only one side of the story, but it did seem to match some of what John told news reporters, at least the part about his mom rediscovering her faith. It also seemed to match some of her social media posts that showed Charity being very active in church and the year

before she and the children died. One thing that is not in dispute is that Charity and Randall got into a huge argument at home on February sixteenth, twenty twenty five. During that altercation, Charity claimed that Randal choked her in front of the children. In August of twenty twenty five, Charity commented on a local news story about domestic abuse and wrote that she was living this battle. She said that she was the victim, but that she felt treated

like the problem. She wrote that lives were at stake, including the lives of young children, and in October of twenty twenty five, Randall pleaded guilty to third degree domestic battery related to this incident. However, at that final custody hearing on December second, Randall had another version of events of what he claimed happened that day. He claimed that Charity was the instigator of the February fight and that he had just picked her up and put her on a bathroom counter to get out the.

to say things about him and alienated him from them. Meanwhile, Charity admitted she had pulled the kids out of school, but she said she did it because they were having medical issues and that quote they could not make it through a single full day without either having a migraine

or vomiting episodes end quote. She told the judge on December second, that her children, especially her son, would have an upset stomach around family holidays or on her birthday, times that she claimed coincided with their dad being around. Randal said that was absolutely false. Again, there are two sides to every story, but all of this came to a head on December second, twenty twenty five. The bottom line is things did not go well for Charity at

that hearing. After going through four different attorneys at that hearing, Charity chose to represent herself. Randall stated in court that he wanted access to his children, that he loved them very much, and that Charity was alienating them. Charity said the children were afraid of Randall. Randal denied that. He said Charity had lied to the children and coached them.

the February twenty twenty five domestic violence incident. We have already heard that Charity said Randall choked her and endangered the children, and that Randal ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor third degree domestic battery, but at the divorce hearing, Randal had an entirely different account of what he said happened that day. Randall claimed that Charity attacked him after he

took her phone. He admitted to pushing her up on the bathroom counter in an attempt to get away, but he said that Charity was the instigator of that argument. The court also heard about an older incident from twenty thirteen, where Charity admitted she had pulled a gun on Randal during a domestic argument. Charity also said, by the way that Randall had pulled guns on her in the past.

It's not surprising that Charity and Randall had completely different accounts of what was going on with the children, But it turns out there was another person in court that day who had witnessed the children being interviewed. He had his own views about what was really going on with Charity and Randall's children. An officer named Bobby Woodrum. Officer Woodrum testified that after the February incident, the children were brought in for forensic interviews with a therapist at a

place called Hamilton House. Officer Woodrum said he was watching those interviews through a two way mirror. He said while he was watching, he became concerned about the number of times that, he said, the kids told the interviewer that their mother had told them to say something thing. Officer Woodrom testified that he later told Randall's attorneys that he

believed that Charity had coached the children. He also said that the very next day, someone called the prosecutor's office and said that Officer Woodrum had been paid a million dollars by Randal Ballis and that the officer's conduct was unprofessional. Officer Woodrum testified that the part about him being paid

money by Randal b Allis was completely untrue. However, Officer Woodrom did state he was removed from the case not because of the phone call, he said, but because he had asked Charity a question about whether or not she told the children to say certain things, which he said

he and his supervisor had decided was inappropriate. Charity was representing herself at this point, so it was actually very awkward because she asked Officer Woodrom point blank if he believed that she had coached and manipulated her own children, and he told her yes, he did believe Charity had coached to manipulated her children. So in the end, Judge Blat had to weigh two very different versions of the same marriage. At the end of the hearing, she said

she had serious concerns about both parties. She mentioned Randall's domestic battery please, but also said she was considering Charity's gun incident, and crucially, she said she had not heard any credible evidence of domestic violence against the children. She stated she believed that Charity had credibility issues, and she said she found Randall to be more credible than Charity.

And on December second, Judge Blad ordered joint custody, meaning Charity would have the children for a week at a time, then Randall would have them for two weeks.

the bodies were found. Records from the Sheriff's office talked about these divorce transcripts in their statement when they said, quote an examination of the transcripts of the deposition of miss Billis in the divorce custody case and the final hearing on the case on twelve two, twenty twenty five, reveal that she wished to be reconciled to her estranged husband, which did not happen. End quote just a note here.

I have read the entire court transcript from December second, and I can't find anywhere where Charity said she wanted to reconcile with Randall on that day. I have seen references to her sending him messages wanting to get back

with him after the February fight. The sheriff said they reviewed the electronic evidence and determined that on December second, at around ten pm, Charity deactivated the home security system with her phone, which police said she he had exclusive access to, and that after she turned the alarm system off. No doors or windows to the home were open, according

to information provided by the alarm company. Police also said that they determined that Randall's tesla was quote nowhere near Charity's home on the night of December second, twenty twenty five, and that his phone did not ping any of the.

sifting through trash fifteen miles away in Fort Smith. This person found a garbage bag filled with Charity's belongings and what was described as intimate family keepsakes, including photos and a gold necklace engraved with the children's names.

the person responsible for the deaths of her children. The custody ruling changed the children's schedule in a major way, and according to the Sheriff's office, the evidence from the night of December second, the autopsy findings, the alarm system, the cell phone data, and the vehicle data points to

double homicide and suicide. One final thought here, I saw posting by a journalist someone I respect a lot actually, who was saying that she's talked to several people close to Charity and that not one of them believed that Charity was capable of harming her children. We talked to a source who felt differently. We talked to one of

Charity's church members. This person told us that while they believed that Charity loved and adored her children, that she was a great mom, that Charity believed that Randall was the devil. And this person felt that if Charity actually believed that Randal was going to take the children from her, it would have been possible for her to kill her children. Now, obviously this is one person's opinion and proves nothing, but it does, in my opinion, shed more light on the

fact that Charity was in a deep crisis. So if Charity believed she was protecting the children somehow, I don't think that her taking the children's lives and then her own life is as unbelievable as a lot of people commenting online seem to feel so. Now that investigators have announced their conclusion, what happens now The Sheriff's office has

said the investigation is still open, pending additional reports. I don't know when or if those documents will be released, but I do believe some of those things could help fill in some of the blanks around exactly what happened to Charity in her twins.

a production of School of Humans and iHeart podcasts. It's written and narrated by me Catherine Townsend and produced by Etily's Perez Special thanks to Amy Tubbs for her research assistance and Sarah Burns for legal review. Noah Camra mixed and scored this episode. Our theme song is by Ben Salek. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and LC Crowley. Listen to Helen Gone adfree by subscribing to the iHeart

True Crime Plus channel on Apple Podcasts. If you are interested in seeing documents and materials from the case, you can follow the show on Instagram at Helen Gone Pod or find me on Patreon at Catherine Townshend Investigates.