Father's Fury: Dad Sues Ex for Son's Road Rage Execution; Claims Her Middle Finger Doomed 6yo| Crime Alert 6AM 01.15.2026

Summary

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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace – Detailed Episode Summary

Episode Title: Father's Fury: Dad Sues Ex for Son's Road Rage Execution; Claims Her Middle Finger Doomed 6yo
Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Jennifer Gould (guest hosting for Nancy Grace)
Podcast: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

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Main Theme Overview

This episode delves into the harrowing aftermath of a 2021 road rage shooting in California, where a mother watched her six-year-old son die in her arms after an encounter on the freeway escalated to lethal violence. The tragedy has sparked a new wave of legal and emotional battles as the child’s father launches a wrongful death lawsuit against the boy’s mother, alleging her actions provoked the shooting. The episode also covers other recent high-profile crime stories, including a chilling family murder case in Arkansas and a violent altercation at a Texas gym.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Road Rage Tragedy and Civil Suit

Background of the Case

• On May 21, 2021, Joanna Clooney was driving her son, Aiden Leos, to kindergarten in Yorba Linda, California.
• After being cut off by a white Volkswagen on the 55 Freeway, Clooney retaliated by extending her middle finger at the occupants (00:59).
• Marcus Aries, the car’s passenger, responded by firing a gun into Clooney’s vehicle. The bullet struck and killed Aiden (01:20).

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

• Aiden’s father, Jose Leos Jr., has filed a wrongful death suit in Orange County Superior Court.
• The suit alleges that Clooney’s provocative gesture (“flipping the bird”) was the “catalyst” for the shooting and that her actions made the shooter’s retaliation “reasonably foreseeable” (00:03).
• Defendants include Joanna Clooney, shooter Marcus Aries and his girlfriend Winnie Lee, as well as Clooney’s own mother.

Criminal Outcomes

• Marcus Aries was convicted of second-degree murder in 2024 and sentenced to 40 years to life.
• Winnie Lee pleaded guilty to accessory charges and received a lighter sentence (01:20).

Civil Allegations Beyond Road Rage

• The lawsuit also accuses Clooney of “unjust enrichment,” claiming she kept around $500,000 raised through GoFundMe, originally intended for Aiden’s burial and parental support.

History of Family Violence

• The parents’ history is fraught; Clooney previously filed a restraining order against Leos in 2019 for domestic violence.
• Clooney has labeled the suit as “torture,” and her attorney condemned it as an “outrageous abuse of the system” (02:40).

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the mother’s regret:

  "She gave the middle finger to the vehicle, to the male passenger out of anger, something she would come to regret beyond comprehension."
  — Prosecutor in court during the gunman’s trial (00:59)

• On civil liability:

  "…insists Clooney bears civil responsibility for the, quote, 'reasonably foreseeable retaliation'..."
  — Jennifer Gould summarizing the father’s lawsuit (01:50)

• On the lawsuit’s impact:

  "Her attorney described the suit as a, quote, 'outrageous abuse of the system.'"
  — Jennifer Gould (02:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:03] – Announcement of the wrongful death lawsuit & details of the shooting
• [00:59] – Prosecutor’s trial statement on Clooney’s actions
• [01:20] – Detailed description of the shooting and aftermath
• [02:40] – Details of lawsuit accusations and past family violence
• [03:05] – Anticipation of the upcoming hearing

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2. Additional Crime Stories Covered

a. Arkansas Family Murder Case (06:20)

• A convicted wife-beating doctor, Dr. Randall Bialis, was granted sole control over the remains of his murdered six-year-old twins, separating them from their mother, Charity Bialis, who was laid to rest elsewhere.
• The triple homicide scene was discovered after a custody hearing in which Charity fought to keep her children away from her abusive ex-husband.
• Dr. Bialis was previously convicted of strangling Charity; he has not been named a suspect but has a suspicious family history, as his second wife also met a violent end in 2012.

• “There was nobody else in the world that had any reason to harm her or those babies.”
  — Randy Powell, Charity’s devastated father (07:29)

• Ominous details: personal family items were found discarded 15 miles fromDr. Bialis’ residence.
• Investigations continue with no suspects named as of the episode’s recording.

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b. Violent Incident at Texas 24 Hour Fitness (09:30)

• Erilyn Martinez, 24, threw a 25-pound weight plate at a woman she suspected was involved with her partner after spotting her at the gym.
• Alcohol was cited as a factor; Martinez was arrested for aggravated assault.

• “That’s a heavy metal meltdown. … It’s a weighted lesson in romance—when you try to crush the competition, the law will always do the heavy lifting.”
  — Jennifer Gould (09:55)

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Conclusion & Tone

The episode is delivered with a brisk, factual yet dramatic tone, emphasizing both the shocking details of each crime and the emotional devastation left in their wake. The wrongful death suit in the California road rage case is seized as a particularly wrenching example of family tragedy turning into an ongoing legal and personal nightmare. The episode spotlights complications at the intersection of criminal and civil law, domestic violence histories, and the ripple effect of trauma through families.

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Final Thoughts

Those listening to the episode will walk away with a clearer understanding of the legal and emotional complexities in high-profile crime stories, the ways previous family violence can reverberate in tragedy, and the controversy over civil liability in unpredictable moments of violence. Through direct quotes and sharp commentary, the episode highlights the difficult questions at the heart of contemporary crime and justice.

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For more crime updates or to follow ongoing developments, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the podcast.

Transcript

[A]

Crime alert Hourly update. Breaking crime news now.

[B]

I'm Jennifer Gould. A grieving California mother who watched her six year old son die in her arms after a road rage shooter targeted her car is now facing a fresh nightmare, a bombshell. Wrongful death lawsuit from the boy's own father. The lawsuit filed by Jose Leos Jr. In Orange County Superior Court slams Joanna Clooney's decision to flip the bird at a stranger on the 55 Freeway in Orange county was the catalyst that sparked the fatal gunshot. It names Clooney, shooter Marcus Aries, his then girlfriend Winnie Lee, and Clooney's own mother as defendants, alleging that if Clooney had not provoked the shooter, little Aiden Leos would still be alive today. Here's the prosecutor in court. During the gunman's trial, Ms. Clooney left.

[C]

The HOV lane and began to move over towards the right to get off the freeway. And she gave the middle finger to the vehicle, to the male passenger out of anger, something she would come to regret beyond comprehension.

[B]

The horror unfolded on May 21st of 2021 when Clooney was driving little Aiden to kindergarten in Yorba Linda. After being cut off by a white Volkswagen, Clooney extended her middle finger toward the vehicle. In response, passenger Marcus Ries pulled a Glock 17 and fired a single round. The bullet tore through the trunk and the back of little Aiden's booster seat, piercing the boy's liver, lung and heart. Clooney pulled over, held her dying son and called 911. Aiden was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital of Orange county less than an hour later. Aries was convicted of second degree murder in 2024 and sentenced to 40 years to life, while Lee pleaded guilty to accessory charges and received a lighter sentence. Despite these criminal convictions, the boy's father insists Cloon and bears civil responsibility for the, quote, reasonably foreseeable retaliation, end quote. Adding insult to unimaginable injury, the lawsuit also accuses Clooney of, quote, unjust enrichment, end quote, alleging she hoarded nearly $500,000 from a GoFundMe meant for Aiden's burial and parental support. Clooney, who previously filed a restraining order against Laos for domestic violence in 2019, has slammed the suit as torture. Her attorney described the suit as a, quote, outrageous abuse of the system, end quote. A hearing in Orange County Superior Court is expected in the coming weeks. More crime and justice news after this.

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[B]

A prominent Arkansas doctor, already a convicted wife beater, has been handed a final sickening victory after a judge gave him sole control over the remains of his six year old twins, leaving their murdered mom to be buried alone. Charity Bialis, 40, was laid to rest in Bonanza, Arkansas. Separated in death from the young son and daughter, she spent her final breaths trying to protect her eldest son. John Powell is now living a secondary nightmare, revealing that his mother's abusive ex husband has gone radio silent, refusing to even say if the kids have been buried or even cremated. The horror began on December 3rd when a wellness check at the family's $760,000 mansion uncovered a scene of pure carnage. Charity and her twins were found executed, each suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Charity's devastated dad Randy Powell spoke to knwanbc News.

[C]

There was nobody else in the world that had any reason to harm her or those babies.

[B]

The timing was bone chillingly precise. The bodies were discovered just 24 hours after a final bitter divorce hearing where Charity fought for sole custody to keep her kids away from Dr. Randall Bialis. Court records show the well connected family practitioner was convicted in October of 2025 for domestic battery after strangling Charity in front of the children. Before she was silenced, Charity posted a haunting public warning slamming a quote broken justice system, end quote that shielded her high profile abuser while treating her like a problem. Adding to the mystery, a dumpster diver discovered a bag of the family's most intimate treasures, including a gold necklace and engraved with the twins names on it and their school artwork, all discarded in the trash about 15 miles away from where the doctor lived. While the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office has served nearly 20 search warrants and is receiving help from the federal agencies, no suspects have been named. This is not the first time though, a woman close to the good doctor met a violent end. His second wife was found shot dead in 2012, a case that was briefly reopened in 2021 before stalling. In the meantime, the three deaths are still under investigation. Police have not named Randall as a suspect. And finally, talk about a high intensity interval from hell. Erilyn Martinez, 24, found herself in a massive plight of trouble and after allegedly turning a routine trip to a Texas 24 Hour Fitness into a full blown combat zone. Deputies say the domestic drama peaked on Lake Plaza Drive in Harris county when Martinez spotted a woman she recognized as her partner's side piece. His other interest if you will. The workout went from burn to battery when Martinez reportedly chucked a 25 pound weight plate directly at the victim's head. That's a heavy metal meltdown. Authorities hauled the hot headed hottie to the Harris County Jail where a judge noted that alcohol likely fueled the heavy hitting heist. Now barred from the gym and the booze, Martinez faces aggravated assault charges. It's a weighted lesson in romance when you try to crush the competition, the law will always do the heavy lifting. For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Jennifer Gould.

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