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[00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast.
[00:02]
B
Guaranteed Human decluttering is everything. It clears your space, your mind, and it can give you shopping power. With Trashy. Just buy a trashy bag, fill it with anything you no longer need, then ship it free and earn rewards points instantly. Earn points even faster when you shop exclusive trashee deals and redeem them for gift cards to brands you love or even donate them to charity. It's never been easier to turn clutter into shopping power. Get started today at Trashy IO that's T R A S H I E I O what do you think makes the perfect snack?
[00:37]
C
Hmm.
[00:38]
D
It's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient. Could you be more specific? When it's cravenient.
[00:43]
C
Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made.
[00:45]
D
With real butter, available right down the.
[00:47]
E
Street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory.
[00:48]
D
Breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm. I'm seeing a pattern here. Well, yeah, we're talking about what I crave, which is anything from AM pm. What more could you want?
[00:57]
E
Stop by AMPM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience AM PM Much good stuff.
[01:06]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, a beautiful young mom of twins. Chilling post just before she and her two little twins, age 6 years old, are shot dead in the family mansion. This amidst a bitter, acrimonious, poisonous divorce. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us.
[01:32]
F
Charity Bialis, a dedicated mother of three, is determined to rebuild her life after divorce and protect her children. What she doesn't know is that the nightmare she's been trying to escape is only just beginning.
[01:45]
D
Before I go into the facts of how Charity, a licensed practical nurse with her own practice, was found dead, shot twice. And from what I can tell, and I've been on plenty of homicide cases, this is not a suicide murder. She is shot twice. We've been told, in the chest and the head. That was not a suicide. But get this, her two little twin children, 6 years old, also dead from gunshot wounds. That is the golden ticket right there. A boy and a girl, twins, three of them gunned down in their own home. There's another child. There's another child. His name is John Powell. He is Charity's oldest son. And joining us tonight, two very special guests, her son, John Powell, who is fighting for her in court as we go to air tonight and who many people consider to be Charity's soulmate, her father. Joining us, Randy Powell. Gentlemen, thank you for being with us tonight.
[03:07]
E
You're very welcome. Thank you.
[03:08]
A
Thanks for having us.
[03:10]
D
It really means a lot to both of you. Our deep, deep sympathies. And I know we can't make you feel any better, but at some point, please know there are thousands and thousands of people out there that are praying for you and your pain that you're going through.
[03:33]
A
Yes, ma'.
[03:34]
C
Am.
[03:34]
D
John, when did you learn and how did you learn your mother, Charity, had been killed?
[03:44]
A
I went to work, just a normal day. And before I got out of work, I was getting texts through Facebook and text message that something bad had happened. And nobody would tell me really what it was, but something bad had happened. And when I got home, I left work early. My grandfather told me that people was already telling him through Facebook and. And things that my mother and baby brother and sister had been killed.
[04:17]
D
So you find out through basically digital media and then start getting all these calls. When did law enforcement come and tell you they did?
[04:29]
A
They never did. We had to contact them and wait for a call back from them.
[04:34]
E
I had to reach out to a man. I went to school with the sheriff in a different county, and he got in touch with the coroner and the coroner told him it was okay to confirm to me that they were all dead and that my daughter was shot twice and the babies were shot through the chest. And that's how we found out.
[04:53]
D
Okay, I've just got to cut the chase. The husband, the doctor, how was he regarded in the community? I don't understand why law enforcement wouldn't come and tell you what happened.
[05:10]
E
Well, he had millions of dollars that he hid. Soon she filed a divorce and handed it out to anybody that was receptive of it. And I can't answer that question of why they wouldn't come and tell me. They told me that they didn't have time and that they didn't know how to get in touch with me was their excuse. They're sorry they didn't know how to get in touch with me.
[05:32]
D
Mr. Powell. Randy Powell, Charity's father. When Charity married Dr. Bielis Bielous, did she know he had another wife that died of a gunshot wound? Did she know that going into this?
[05:51]
E
Yes. Yes, ma', am, she did.
[05:53]
F
Bialis, a highly regarded doctor specializing in family and hospital medicine, was previously married to Shawna Jeanette Graham Bialis, a practical nurse who died in 2012 by a gunshot wound to the head at the age of 34. Her death was ruled self inflicted, but Shawna's family say the death scene never Made sense.
[06:12]
D
Okay, I've got so many directions I need to run down with that. But let me state right now that Dr. Bay Ellis is not named a suspect in this case. He is not named a person of interest. His lawyer has sent us a really long statement that says he had nothing to do with Charity's death. I'm sure they feel the same way about the first wife's gunshot wound. They also state that charity, Ms. Bialis, now dead with her two children, made false accusations against him in the past, and it was all a lie. But wait, hold on just a moment. Right there. I thought her husband, the doctor, pled guilty to domestic assault, strangling her, choking her.
[07:03]
A
Yes, he pled guilty. And the kids were there, and that's all on file.
[07:08]
D
Well, this says that I'm holding up a letter from them, a very lengthy letter, I might add, by Michael D. Pierce, who is the lawyer who says that Charity made false accusations against him. But you're telling me he pled guilty, isn't that right?
[07:25]
E
Correct, Sheridan?
[07:27]
A
Correct.
[07:28]
D
And again, the lawyer for Dr. Biella says he had nothing to do with Charity's death. Couple of questions. Lightning around to Doug Warner. First of all, the first wife, Shawna, was found dead by law enforcement after they responded to a welfare check request, is that right?
[07:49]
G
The exact circumstances, I'm not sure. I just know after the family could not reach her, then she was then discovered with at least one gunshot wound.
[07:59]
D
Okay, one gunshot wound. I wonder what caliber that was. Do you know where on her body she was shot, Doug Warner?
[08:09]
G
From that autopsy, it does say in the skull, in the head, in the 12 o' clock position.
[08:14]
D
So got it in the head, just like Charity. Okay, Lightning round. Lightning round. Okay, shot in the head. Where was her body found, Doug Warner?
[08:27]
H
In.
[08:28]
G
I believe it said in the bedroom. I'm not sure where in the bedroom, but again, I literally just got my hands on that autopsy report.
[08:34]
D
In the home. In the family home.
[08:37]
E
In the home.
[08:38]
D
At that time, Shawna had one child, a little girl. Is that correct?
[08:44]
G
Yes, that I'm aware of. Yes, that the family has told me.
[08:47]
F
About two or three years old, responding officers entered the home and found Shawna shot to death in their bedroom, according to the report. In the incident report, police also noted furniture and other items scattered around the home. According to the police report, Randall left work to return home due to Shawna threatening to kill herself. After four hours, Randall returned to work, only to find his wife dead a few hours later. Medical examiner determined it was suicide and the case was reexamined in 2021 when it appears that Randy Powell told police that Charity knew who did it.
[09:19]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News straight out to Joseph Scott Morgan. Joining us, professor, forensics, Jacksonville State University. He is the author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon. He is the star of a hit series, Body Bags with Joe Scott Morgan. But for my purposes, he has investigated over 10,000 death scenes. That's accident, suicide, natural causes, like heart attack, stroke, unexplained, and of course, homicide. Joe Scott, you know, my head's about to blow off right now. In my world. I look for similarities. And let me say again, the doctor who is married to Shawna in Charity says, I had nothing to do with this. He's not a person of interest. He's not a suspect. He hasn't been named. He hasn't been arrested. Both women look alike. Number one, both women are shot with a handgun. We believe if it had been a long gun like a shotgun, we'd know that by now. Both of them shot in the head. Both of them had minor children. In the current case, the children are six. In Shawna's case, the child is three. Both were in the middle of domestic turmoil. Let me say the marriage was blowing up. Both women were found at home, were shot in the home, and their bodies.
[10:49]
C
Found in the home, Seemingly, yes. I got to tell you, speaking to your previous guest, Doug, I'd love to see that autopsy report. I'd love to dig into that. I got to tell you, we look for similarities in things, don't we, Nancy? I want to know the status of that weapon from the initial event from this suicide. I want to know who owned it, and I also want to know the nature of the scene itself when compared to the current tragedy that we're speaking of. I want to know what kind of similarities existed there. Also, I would like to know if, in fact there were any signs of a struggle at the scene at either one of them. Because, you know, again, we're going down this road of thinking about similarities. Was there any kind of evidence that someone had raised a hand at some point in time, restrained somebody? Was there any chance that, you know, because you have to eliminate this idea that if they're saying that this is someone else that done it, we want to know if we can eliminate that and strike that off the list. However, I will say this, Nancy. Most of the time, as you well know, most people that wind up dead in a circumstance like this, you always have to look at those in the immediate intimate circle. And as an investigator, that's what I'm anxious to dig into.
[12:14]
D
You know, another similarity is that both women were autopsied by the same person.
[12:21]
C
Yep.
[12:21]
D
That's rare, isn't it?
[12:23]
C
Yeah, it is. If we're talking about the Fort Smith area, it's not. And if this individual that did this autopsy is a board certificate certified forensic pathologist, first off, so people understand the nature of the business, they're rare as hen's teeth. There's probably more neurosurgeons in this world than there are forensic pathologists nationwide. So the fact that you would have one in that area, who exactly would it be that. That would have done this post? What's their relationship in any way to the political sphere up there? I'd like to know, are there any other issues with them? And what specifically? You know, this is the medical community we're talking about, right, Nancy, that. That peels back another totally different layer here when you begin to think about that did this.
[13:13]
D
They've got one doctor, medical examiner, and the husband is also a doctor.
[13:19]
C
Yeah, yeah. And that's certainly something that we would. We would want to, you know, lean into and try to understand that if we think about, are there any kind of. Is there any kind of connective tissue between that individual and this individual? And look, this is just probative information.
[13:35]
D
That we mean, like, did they go to the same medical school? Did they go to the same undergrad? Did they go to the same country club? Did they run in the same circles, that whole thing?
[13:44]
C
Yeah, country club, primarily church, anything in that area. You know, the chances you're going to have these two that went to the same med school are kind of rare. But when you insert yourself into a community, particularly one the size of the Fort Smith area, you're going to have this connective tissue. Were they aware of one another on any level? So that's something I would certainly want to explore as an investigator.
[14:08]
D
Let me go back to our special guest and we've got an all star panel tonight. But I want to hear Charity's son John and her father, Randy, who I've described as her soul mate. As a matter of fact, he tells me that. But with John, who's sitting right there beside him. Charity insisted that he, Randy, her father, be guardian, legal guardian over John because of the tempestuous relationship that she had with Dr. Bay Ellis. In case anything happened to her, she wanted her father, the man she trusted the most in this world, to be guardian over her son. Got a question for you. John or Randy. Let me throw it to John first. Where in her mansion. And it was a mansion. Let's see a picture of where these, this family lived. Where in her mansion was her body found? Good gravy, that's big. Where was she found within the mansion, John?
[15:18]
A
So the authorities haven't told us exactly where the bodies was found, but we do know they were upstairs. And I do know that every bedroom in that house was upstairs. So that's all that I know. Now, upstairs is the only answer we.
[15:33]
E
Got from Sebastian County.
[15:35]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News. And that's where all the bedrooms are, correct?
[15:41]
C
Right?
[15:42]
E
Yes, ma'.
[15:42]
D
Am. And do you know, do you know, Doug Warner, what room in which they were found? And were the children, the two little six year old twins beside her or with her? How were the bodies found, Doug? What do you know, that is the.
[15:57]
G
Tough thing here that we've been doing this for, you know, three plus decades and it's been over a week now and we've got zero fountain of information out of the sheriff's office other than to kind of a resume of the work they've done. They put out nearly two dozen search warrants that they've included and brought in the US Or US Secret Service and Homeland Security. And I asked about that. That seems like a strange addition to this investigative unit. Along with state police, they said that's for kind of more of a deep dive forensics. They have not provided any information. In fact, they never even said it was her children that were found shot to death. They just said Charity Bialis and two children. It was not until we talked to the family that we confirmed it. It was those twins when children.
[16:43]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5 News, let me go quickly to a veteran trial lawyer on the other side of the fence from me, Greg Morse, veteran defense attorney who founded Morse Legal. He is the author of the Untested and you can find him@morselegal.com Morse, you know where I'm going now. I've got two other bricks in my wall. Both cases the victims were shot with a handgun. Both were found, we believe in the bedroom.
[17:16]
H
Well, you're, you're, you're talking about in federal court. 4 4b. Evidence substantially similar which can be introduced against a person.
[17:23]
D
Federal court Morse. This is going to be a state case.
[17:27]
H
Every state. Hold on. Every state has the same law. They just call it something different. Florida calls it Williams Rule. And these are general. All right, so Someone was shot with a handgun. Two people. Handguns are used in most crimes. There are women. Okay, that's a pretty common thing. 51% of the country is women. There's nothing specifically.
[17:52]
D
We're not married to Dr. Randy Bialis.
[17:55]
H
No, but you're asking for substantially, substantially similar under the law. I mean, this person could just tragically be unlucky. This could be coincidental for this person. We also have in Arkansas, it's the 11th highest suicide rate in America. So they're substantially similar while it is. You're right, this could be used. And if this, if the doctor is charged, they would maybe try to get this in. Even though there's a designation of suicide. However, these are generalities. Right now there's nothing that's linking it back. But one thing that is important I would like to know is have any shell casings or any type of fragments been found and have they been entered into the national database NIBIN and to see what type of hits come on those. Because that's a database that takes all fragments, whether someone is arrested or not, all shell casings that police find in responding to an event, and it's put into this national database. So you're right, there are similarities because this person was married. His first wife, suicide, second wife, suicide. They're women. A handgun. But you would need more specifics to get that in under substantially similar.
[19:08]
D
Hold on, nobody said suicide in Charity's death. In fact, she was shot in the head and the chest. Joe Scott Morgan, you're the death investigator. What if I listen to Morse? I've got to believe either her six year old child shot her and their sibling, or I have to believe she, charity, shot herself in the chest and went, yeah, that's not good enough. I'll now shoot myself in the head. That did not happen.
[19:35]
C
No, I think that that's, that's completely implausible. I would, going back to the rounds that were fired, I would like to know the nature of those and specifically the caliber of the weapon that's utilized. I want to know the status of this previously owned weapon. I want to know where it is, whose hands it is in at this moment in time. I want to know if there's any been any kind of recent purchases of firearms on the part of any of the parties involved in this case. I want to know if our victim here, this mother, I want to know if she's purchased a handgun recently or maybe she was gifted a handgun. I want to know all of that data so that it can completely be assessed Any rounds that perhaps were recovered from this first case that we, that we mentioned. I want to know what the status of that round is. I want to know, is there a ballistic match to that earlier weapon? And here's the big one. I want to know if that round from that earlier suicide could potentially match the ones involved in this questioned homicide at this moment in time.
[20:40]
D
Again, I want to stress we are not trying to put the husband in jail. I want the killer in jail. Dr. Bialis has not been named a suspect. He's not been named a person of interest. He has not been arrested. In fact, he asserts his innocence as we go to air tonight. He is presumed innocent under the law.
[21:07]
A
Listen, remember as a good Christian woman that loved her children and loved her family and friends more than anything, but she always put God first. And I'm grateful for that because I know where she is now.
[21:21]
F
And having December 3rd, Sebastian County Sheriff's welfare check on Charity Bialis at home. Bonanza police join. And failing to get a response from inside the mansion, two workers escort officers into the home. Officers locate the body of Charity Bialis and two children. All three have gunshot wounds.
[21:44]
D
Hey, this is Sarah.
[21:46]
B
Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m.
[21:48]
D
Right now and, well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy, but I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell.
[21:59]
C
Oatmeal.
[22:00]
D
So long, you strange soggy.
[22:03]
E
Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with K tree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM P M. Too much. Good stuff.
[22:14]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
[22:21]
F
Charity's courage and unwavering love for her children are tested when her estranged husband grows increasingly dangerous. Randall Bialis allegedly choked Charity in front of their young children, pleading guilty to third degree domestic battery.
[22:35]
D
Joining us on All Star panel. But I want to go back to Charity's first son. He is joining us tonight is John Powell. And joining us is who many people consider to be Charity's son, soulmate, her father. They were very close, practically connected, joined at the hip. So loving each other. To John, I keep. I've seen photos of you with her twins, the boy and the girl. There you are holding them. One thing that really was poignant to me, first of all, in a lot of the photos, I've spotted the same little outfits, the exact same outfits I got for my daughter. The one where she's playing in water that looks like one of Lucy's nightgowns. One of her favorite nightgowns she wore all the time. That one. That is the exact thing my daughter wore until she couldn't wear it anymore. In another photo, she's got on a little reddish colored velvet dress. And then there's a hello Kitty T shirt. The same. Yep, that's from Target. There's a hello Kitty. And in that photo right there, I see. And in a couple of others, I see where your mom would wear. Put on her lipstick before the photo. And then I see where your little sister said, mom, I want lipstick. And so she put lipstick on her baby girl. I'm just. She loved them so much. I want you to tell me about Charity as a mother, John.
[24:21]
C
She.
[24:22]
A
She was a very loving mother, without a doubt. She loved her. Her kids more than anything. She loved family. She always put God first. And she actually had a passion, if she was to be able to make it through this divorce case, to pursue spreading awareness for domestic violence and not only for small towns in the state of Arkansas, but try to make it known through the entire nation. But she really had a passion for that, and he loved her children more than anything.
[24:58]
D
And you know what's interesting, John Powell? Well, so many things, but women will put up with a lot to hold the family together. They'll put up with lying, cheating, drinking, whoring, gambling, drugs, the whole shebang because you try to hide it from your children. So they have this as best as you can. Give them a picture perfect childhood. Okay, tell me about your mom. Because she is gunned down dead in the middle of a contentious divorce proceeding. Why did your mom state she wanted a divorce from Dr. B. Ellis?
[25:52]
A
He was very abusive and it's on file. He pled guilty to choking her and in front of the children. She was very scared. And she would just beat down him mentally and she would, you know, physically. That's on file as well. But she was just trying to make it better for her children.
[26:12]
F
The murder of Charity and her twins comes one day after a final divorce hearing with ex husband Dr. Randall Bialis. Randy and Charity Bialis marry in 2015 and have the twins a son and daughter. In 2019. Charites files for divorce and full custody of the couple's twin son and daughter, as well as an order of protection. In the final divorce hearing, Dr. Randy B. Ellis is awarded joint custody of the children.
[26:37]
D
What is really interesting to me is that, of course, you heard the timing right there. This is one day, one day after a final divorce hearing between the two of them and some judge gives Dr. Bialis joint custody. That's even custody. 5050 to Dr. Bialis even though he has a domestic abuse conviction.
[27:09]
F
Listen, 10 years of marriage ends with Randy Bialis charged accused physical harm to his wife and mother of his children by choking her. Bialys carted a jail while Charity plans.
[27:19]
D
Divorce to Randy Powell. This is Charity's father who she trusted so much she wanted him to be legal guardian over her oldest son John, sitting right there in case anything ever happened to her. I'm confused about how a man, even though he is a well known and well liked medical doctor, how did he get joint custody when he pled guilty to domestic assault, domestic battery.
[27:55]
E
Millions of dollars can do wonders, I assume. I have no idea how any judge could give him any kind of custody.
[28:04]
F
After filing for divorce and custody, Charity finds herself treated unfairly. Estranged husband Randy Biala's domestic violence charges have yet to be adjudicated and Charity posting, I'm the victim, yet I've been treated like the problem. While the criminal, a local doctor, is being shielded by the very system that's supposed to protect us. And says she tried reaching out to prosecuting attorney, but he won't even accept a letter from me. Desperate to protect her family, Charity takes the brave step in filing for both divorce and a protective order against Randall. After the final divorce hearing, the unthinkable happens. Charity and her children are brutal, brutally killed.
[28:41]
D
Shortly before her death, Charity Bialis, mother, beloved member of her entire family, is found shot dead. One shot to the head, one shot to the chest, we have been told, although the autopsy has been kept secret. Along with her, her two children, twins, boy and girl, Ileana and Maverick. Just six years old, we are told, shot in the chest. Just before that, a cryptic post made ostensibly by Charity and it states, quote, if a woman's partner has ever strangled her even once, her risk of being murdered by that same partner with a gun shoots up 750% compared to a woman who has never been strangled. Shared by a Daily Press article. Straight out to Dr. Janie Lacey. Joining us, licensed psychotherapist, CEO of Life Counseling Solutions, author of how to Heal from a Toxic Relationship and host of the resilient professional podcast, Dr. Janie Lacey. Thank you for being with us. What can you tell me regarding the stats on women that have been strangled by their partner and lived at least through that incident?
[30:17]
B
You know, Nancy, strangulation is the single most important warning sign we have when a partner puts their hands around someone's neck. They're rehearsing murder. The research is clear. A woman who's been strangled by her partner and Charity shared that in her post, is 7 and a half times more likely to be killed by him. And that's not a red flag. That's a death sentence waiting to happen. And here's what people don't understand, Nancy, is you can strangle someone and leave no marks. And when victims report it, there's no bruising. So they're often not even believed. And it's not about anger in that moment. It's about showing her, I own your next breath, Nancy.
[30:57]
D
Dr. Janey, she stated in her very mysterious post prior to her murder that women that had been strangled and survived that strangulation, that they're 750% more likely to be killed, she says, by gunshot than women who have never endured a strangulation. 750% more likely. That's a lot.
[31:24]
B
That is a lot, Nancy, and that's exactly correct, is when a woman who gets strangled, it becomes 750%. Let's kind of think about that. More likely to be killed by him. And to me, that is not a red flag. That is a death sentence waiting to happen. And we know strangulation is the single most important warning sign that we have. And that is important for us to understand. When you strangle someone, you don't leave any. You don't leave any marks. You're telling that person, I can take your breath away at any moment. And we know that that person is not. We're dealing with someone capable of killing Nancy.
[32:06]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Let me go back to Charity's son, John, her oldest son, and her father, Randy. Joining us tonight, I'd like to ask you gentlemen about a document from the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit. Now, this document is sent to Eliana and Maverick Bialis in care of Charity, your mother daughter. It's from a caseworker, Alora Perry in Van Buren. And important. The date is this past summer, July 15, 2025. Name of the alleged victims, Eliana and Maverick Bialis. Those are the twins now dead. Shot dead. The name of the alleged offender is Randy Bialis, aka Dr. Bialis. It says the Arkansas State Police received allegations of child maltreatment involving the above. It was reported on 3-31-25. Based on a preponderance of evidence, the agency deems the allegation to be true. And Dr. Bialis name should be placed in the child maltreatment central registry. Let's put the Document up on the screen, it states that the type of maltreatment was abuse. Perrin. Abuse with or without physical injury for both children and abuse threat of harm to the boy. Maverick. Did Charity ever confide in either of you, Randy or John, why this complaint was filed and why the allegations were deemed by a preponderance of evidence to be true by the Arkansas. Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit. What happened?
[34:12]
E
They conveyed to her some of what had happened and she reached out to for help. And they had done a forensic interview with the children and that was the outcomes. About all I know to say I'm pretty well mentally and physically exhausted.
[34:28]
A
Once they figured out that Bialys wasn't going to be around them, then they were feeling better about telling my mother what had happened to.
[34:37]
D
Chris McDonough, joining me, Director of the Cold Case foundation, former homicide detective, over 300 homicides under his belt that he personally investigated. He is the star of the interview room on YouTube where I found him. We now have claims by the mom who posts a cryptic post about strangulation by an intimate partner. Is it semantics? Smothering by asphyxiation, such as with a pillow, smothering by hand or ligature. In both MOs, the victim is being deprived of error. What do you think about that, Chris?
[35:18]
I
You know, Nancy, the fact that two children were murdered, remember they were murdered here. And the fact that the manner of death potentially initially could have been strangulation or suffocation. The kids, from an investigative aspect, are really the linchpin to solving this particular crime, because you have two adults who are obviously having a domestic, but then you have two innocent lives potentially in their rooms upstairs in that house. And so now you now shift that type of weapon to a handgun, which is also very personal to somebody in connection to those children. And so I think that's where the forensics expertise of the Secret Service is going to come in here, because they're going to go back and they're going to try to pull ballistics, they're going to try digital evidence, etc. And they're going to try to make sense of that. So it's really not a who done it. It's more of why was it done?
[36:24]
A
My truck. In my name. I paid for it.
[36:29]
B
Give me that phone.
[36:34]
D
Give me your phone. I'm shutting it off.
[36:36]
A
Here comes the next one. What are you gonna do?
[36:40]
D
John Powell, we just showed a video of Dr. Bialis slashing your tires of your truck. What happened?
[36:46]
A
So I actually was trying to do good for myself and Become a lineman. I was applying to go to lineman school, and I had just gotten back from there across the state. And when I entered the house, Bialys started mouthing me and using profanity and being real negative toward me. And I didn't know really why or what, what was the cause for it, but it ended up being something about my phone and not texting back quick enough or just something that didn't make any sense to me. And he told my mom to grab a knife and go out there and start trying to stab my tires, and she couldn't do it. And then that's when you see him come behind with the knife as well and start stabbing every single one of them and taunting me with the knife with my baby brother in his arm. So I pulled out my phone. That's all I knew to do, video, because I didn't know what else to do. I knew he was a powerful man that has gotten away with things in the past that and, you know, he's done things to me that were not right. And I couldn't get on video. So I'm thankful I could get this one on video to show the world that something needs to be done.
[37:58]
D
What was your mom doing during all this? What was she saying?
[38:02]
A
Trying to get the phone, because he knew that if it was on video, that something could happen to him. But I don't think he was real worried about it, but he did know that the phones needed to be taken away.
[38:17]
D
Tell me about your little brother and sister, Maverick and Eliana.
[38:22]
A
They were very precious, and they were innocent. You know, my baby brother learned how to play chess in 45 minutes at 6 years old. Very, very smart. So was Eliana. She could paint and draw pictures like somebody 30 years old could do, you know, and she was 6 years old. They were very, very smart and talented and gifted. Just one of a kind.
[38:47]
D
As we go to air tonight, I want to stress that Dr. Bialis has not been charged. He has not been named a suspect. He has not been named a person of interest. In fact, he insists he is innocent. I got a question for you. Randy Powell. Who would get that house? It's valued at around $768,000. Would that since the children have been killed, who would that go to? In the event of Charity's death.
[39:22]
G
It.
[39:22]
E
Would go to John Powell. But Michael Pierce, the attorney for Bialis, the next day made a motion to dismiss the divorce so that it would all go back to Bialis. And we have a legal team fighting that as we speak.
[39:38]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News. Okay, explain that to me, John. You're fighting. Was it the day after her body was found? Dr. Bialis, correct?
[39:52]
E
Yes, ma'.
[39:52]
D
Am. What did he do regarding the divorce proceeding?
[39:56]
A
Missed the divorce. So everything will go back to Biallis. And that's what me and my legal team have been fighting to do is get control of my mom's body and try to get Eliana and Maverick if we can, and proceed with the divorce case. So all that will be through. Because it needs to be.
[40:14]
E
In the divorce decree, she was awarded half the property, her car and some money. They were to sell the house at auction and split the profits and her get her a car and some money. And he's trying to get it dismissed? I assume. So that doesn't happen.
[40:32]
D
So if the divorce were still pending, then everything would go to him.
[40:36]
C
Correct? Right.
[40:38]
D
Okay. Another thing. You mentioned you're trying to get her body. Where is her body?
[40:44]
E
Crime lab in Little Rock.
[40:46]
A
Yes, currently he's still in the crime lab at Little Rock.
[40:51]
D
Why hasn't there been a funeral?
[40:56]
A
They won't tell us.
[40:56]
E
They won't even tell us when or if. Or. How about releasing the body? We've heard nothing.
[41:02]
A
We know just as much as everyone else. I mean, it's just nothing. Yet.
[41:06]
D
We wait as justice unfolds. If you know or think you know anything about the brutal murder of Charity B. Alice or her young twins, Ileana and Maverick, please call Sebastian County Sheriff's 479-783-1051. As you know, Homeland Security and Secret Service has been called in on this investigation. 479-783-1051. We remember an American hero. Deputy Sheriff John Michael Melvin, Grant County Sheriff's Washington. Killed in the line of duty after serving 35 years. Leaving behind a broken hearted son. American hero, Deputy Sheriff John Michael Melvin. Nancy Grace, signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.

Summary6 min read

Podcast Summary: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode Title: MOM'S CHILLING POST BEFORE SHE & TWINS, 6, SHOT DEAD IN MANSION, BITTER DIVORCE
Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Nancy Grace
Guests:

John Powell (Charity’s eldest son)
Randy Powell (Charity’s father)
Doug Warner (journalist)
Joseph Scott Morgan (forensics expert)
Greg Morse (defense attorney)
Dr. Janie Lacey (psychotherapist)
Chris McDonough (former homicide detective)

Main Theme

This episode investigates the tragedy of Charity Bialis—a mother of three, including 6-year-old twins—who was shot and killed alongside the twins in their mansion amid a contentious, abusive divorce from Dr. Randall Bialis. Nancy Grace explores the surrounding circumstances, previous allegations against Dr. Bialis, the relevance of a chilling social media post by Charity before her death, systemic failings, and parallels with the suspicious death of his previous wife.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of the Murders and Communication Failures

How the Family Learned:
Charity’s son John recounts learning about the deaths via social media and texts. Law enforcement did not inform the family directly.
- Quote [04:28]:
  “They never did. We had to contact them and wait for a call back from them.” — John Powell
Law Enforcement Response:
Randy (Charity’s father) had to reach out to connections to get confirmation from the coroner.
- Quote [04:50]:
  “They told me that they didn’t have time and that they didn’t know how to get in touch with me was their excuse.” — Randy Powell

2. Parallel Death of Previous Wife, Shawna Bialis

Similarity in Circumstances:
- Both wives were practical nurses, mothers of young children, shot in the head in their homes while married to Dr. Bialis.
- Shawna’s death in 2012 was ruled suicide, but her family found the scene suspicious.
Autopsy & Investigation:
Both women autopsied by the same person, raising questions about systemic connections and thoroughness in the small medical and legal community.
- Quote [12:21]:
  “That’s rare, isn’t it?” — Nancy Grace

3. Timeline and Nature of Charity’s Death

Death Details:
- Charity shot twice (head and chest), twins shot in the chest.
- Crime occurred one day after a final divorce hearing in which Dr. Bialis, despite a history of abuse, was awarded joint custody.
- Location of bodies: Upstairs in the mansion; bedrooms all located upstairs.
Investigation Involvement:
- Federal agencies (Secret Service, Homeland Security) brought in for digital forensics and ballistics.
- Public and family frustrated with lack of transparency from local law enforcement.
- Quote [15:57]:
  “They have not provided any information…I asked about that. That seems like a strange addition to this investigative unit.” — Doug Warner

4. Abusive Relationship and Legal System Failings

Documented Abuse:
- Dr. Bialis pled guilty to choking Charity in front of their children; accusations found credible by state child welfare investigators.
Family Questioning Custody Ruling:
- Both John and Randy express disbelief that a convicted abuser could win joint custody.
- Quote [27:54]:
  “Millions of dollars can do wonders, I assume. I have no idea how any judge could give him any kind of custody.” — Randy Powell
Systemic Protection of Influential Abusers:
- Charity publicly complained she was treated as the problem, while Dr. Bialis was protected by the legal system.

5. Charity's Chilling Social Media Post

Foreboding Warning:
- Shortly before her death, Charity posted:
  “If a woman’s partner has ever strangled her even once, her risk of being murdered by that same partner with a gun shoots up 750% compared to a woman who has never been strangled.”
- Post underscores her fear for her own safety and that of her children.
Expert Validation:
- Dr. Janie Lacey explains the statistical and psychological significance of strangulation in intimate partner violence.
- Quote [30:17]:
  “Strangulation is the single most important warning sign we have…They're rehearsing murder.” — Dr. Janie Lacey

6. Evidence of Violence and Prior Threats

Video Evidence:
- John recorded Dr. Bialis stabbing his truck tires in a confrontation, underscoring an escalating pattern of aggression.
- Quote [36:45]:
  “He told my mom to grab a knife and go out there and start trying to stab my tires, and she couldn’t do it. And then that’s when you see him come behind with the knife as well…and taunting me…” — John Powell
Childhood Abuse Allegations:
- State caseworker concluded abuse allegations against Dr. Bialis were substantiated by forensic interviews with the twins.
- Quote [34:11]:
  “They conveyed to her some of what had happened and she reached out for help. And they had done a forensic interview … that was the outcome.” — Randy Powell

7. Forensic and Legal Complexities

Questions of Motive & Means:
- Experts debate the plausibility of suicide based on crime scene facts (multiple gunshots, involvement of children).
- Likewise, points raised on ballistics, possible links to first wife’s case, and ownership of the weapons used.
Legal Maneuvering Post-Death:
- Charity’s father and son allege Dr. Bialis moved to dismiss the divorce after the murders, aiming to claim the estate.
- Quote [39:51]:
  “The next day [after Charity’s death], he made a motion to dismiss the divorce so that it would all go back to Bialis.” — John Powell

8. Remembering the Victims

Humanizing Charity & the Twins:
- John shares personal memories: twins’ talents and intelligence, Charity’s deep, faith-based love for her children and her advocacy against domestic violence.
- Quote [24:22]:
  “She was a very loving mother… She really had a passion for spreading awareness for domestic violence.” — John Powell

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"She is shot twice…this is not a suicide murder."
— Nancy Grace [01:45]
“When you strangle someone, you don’t leave any marks. You’re telling that person, I can take your breath away at any moment.”
— Dr. Janie Lacey [31:24]
"Both women look alike. Number one, both women are shot with a handgun...Both were in the middle of domestic turmoil."
— Nancy Grace [09:19]
“If a woman’s partner has ever strangled her even once, her risk of being murdered by that same partner with a gun shoots up 750%.”
— Charity Bialis's shared post [28:41]
“He pled guilty to choking her in front of the children. She was very scared…She was just trying to make it better for her children.”
— John Powell [25:52]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:44 | How family learned of the murders | | 05:31 | Questions about Dr. Bialis’ prior marriage and previous wife’s suspicious death | | 09:19 | Comparison between Charity’s and Shawna’s deaths | | 12:14 | Rare overlap: same medical examiner for both Charity and Shawna | | 22:34 | John recounts mother’s devotion and failed system protections | | 24:21 | John describes Charity’s personality and advocacy goals | | 25:52 | Reason for divorce: history of abuse | | 28:41 | The chilling pre-murder social media post | | 30:17 | Dr. Janie Lacey on the lethal implications of strangulation | | 36:45 | John narrates the tire-slashing incident with Dr. Bialis | | 39:51 | Allegation of Dr. Bialis moving to dismiss divorce for estate inheritance |

Conclusion

Nancy Grace’s investigation unpacks a series of institutional failures, evidentiary controversies, and systemic bias favoring an influential abuser, culminating in the horrific killing of a mother and her children. The episode puts a stark spotlight on warning signs, the importance of taking victim statements seriously, and the deadly consequences when the legal system fails to protect survivors and their children.

If you have information related to the case, contact the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office at 479-783-1051.

Loading summary

Transcript129 lines

[00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast.
[00:02]
B
Guaranteed Human decluttering is everything. It clears your space, your mind, and it can give you shopping power. With Trashy. Just buy a trashy bag, fill it with anything you no longer need, then ship it free and earn rewards points instantly. Earn points even faster when you shop exclusive trashee deals and redeem them for gift cards to brands you love or even donate them to charity. It's never been easier to turn clutter into shopping power. Get started today at Trashy IO that's T R A S H I E I O what do you think makes the perfect snack?
[00:37]
C
Hmm.
[00:38]
D
It's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient. Could you be more specific? When it's cravenient.
[00:43]
C
Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made.
[00:45]
D
With real butter, available right down the.
[00:47]
E
Street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory.
[00:48]
D
Breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm. I'm seeing a pattern here. Well, yeah, we're talking about what I crave, which is anything from AM pm. What more could you want?
[00:57]
E
Stop by AMPM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience AM PM Much good stuff.
[01:06]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, a beautiful young mom of twins. Chilling post just before she and her two little twins, age 6 years old, are shot dead in the family mansion. This amidst a bitter, acrimonious, poisonous divorce. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us.
[01:32]
F
Charity Bialis, a dedicated mother of three, is determined to rebuild her life after divorce and protect her children. What she doesn't know is that the nightmare she's been trying to escape is only just beginning.
[01:45]
D
Before I go into the facts of how Charity, a licensed practical nurse with her own practice, was found dead, shot twice. And from what I can tell, and I've been on plenty of homicide cases, this is not a suicide murder. She is shot twice. We've been told, in the chest and the head. That was not a suicide. But get this, her two little twin children, 6 years old, also dead from gunshot wounds. That is the golden ticket right there. A boy and a girl, twins, three of them gunned down in their own home. There's another child. There's another child. His name is John Powell. He is Charity's oldest son. And joining us tonight, two very special guests, her son, John Powell, who is fighting for her in court as we go to air tonight and who many people consider to be Charity's soulmate, her father. Joining us, Randy Powell. Gentlemen, thank you for being with us tonight.
[03:07]
E
You're very welcome. Thank you.
[03:08]
A
Thanks for having us.
[03:10]
D
It really means a lot to both of you. Our deep, deep sympathies. And I know we can't make you feel any better, but at some point, please know there are thousands and thousands of people out there that are praying for you and your pain that you're going through.
[03:33]
A
Yes, ma'.
[03:34]
C
Am.
[03:34]
D
John, when did you learn and how did you learn your mother, Charity, had been killed?
[03:44]
A
I went to work, just a normal day. And before I got out of work, I was getting texts through Facebook and text message that something bad had happened. And nobody would tell me really what it was, but something bad had happened. And when I got home, I left work early. My grandfather told me that people was already telling him through Facebook and. And things that my mother and baby brother and sister had been killed.
[04:17]
D
So you find out through basically digital media and then start getting all these calls. When did law enforcement come and tell you they did?
[04:29]
A
They never did. We had to contact them and wait for a call back from them.
[04:34]
E
I had to reach out to a man. I went to school with the sheriff in a different county, and he got in touch with the coroner and the coroner told him it was okay to confirm to me that they were all dead and that my daughter was shot twice and the babies were shot through the chest. And that's how we found out.
[04:53]
D
Okay, I've just got to cut the chase. The husband, the doctor, how was he regarded in the community? I don't understand why law enforcement wouldn't come and tell you what happened.
[05:10]
E
Well, he had millions of dollars that he hid. Soon she filed a divorce and handed it out to anybody that was receptive of it. And I can't answer that question of why they wouldn't come and tell me. They told me that they didn't have time and that they didn't know how to get in touch with me was their excuse. They're sorry they didn't know how to get in touch with me.
[05:32]
D
Mr. Powell. Randy Powell, Charity's father. When Charity married Dr. Bielis Bielous, did she know he had another wife that died of a gunshot wound? Did she know that going into this?
[05:51]
E
Yes. Yes, ma', am, she did.
[05:53]
F
Bialis, a highly regarded doctor specializing in family and hospital medicine, was previously married to Shawna Jeanette Graham Bialis, a practical nurse who died in 2012 by a gunshot wound to the head at the age of 34. Her death was ruled self inflicted, but Shawna's family say the death scene never Made sense.
[06:12]
D
Okay, I've got so many directions I need to run down with that. But let me state right now that Dr. Bay Ellis is not named a suspect in this case. He is not named a person of interest. His lawyer has sent us a really long statement that says he had nothing to do with Charity's death. I'm sure they feel the same way about the first wife's gunshot wound. They also state that charity, Ms. Bialis, now dead with her two children, made false accusations against him in the past, and it was all a lie. But wait, hold on just a moment. Right there. I thought her husband, the doctor, pled guilty to domestic assault, strangling her, choking her.
[07:03]
A
Yes, he pled guilty. And the kids were there, and that's all on file.
[07:08]
D
Well, this says that I'm holding up a letter from them, a very lengthy letter, I might add, by Michael D. Pierce, who is the lawyer who says that Charity made false accusations against him. But you're telling me he pled guilty, isn't that right?
[07:25]
E
Correct, Sheridan?
[07:27]
A
Correct.
[07:28]
D
And again, the lawyer for Dr. Biella says he had nothing to do with Charity's death. Couple of questions. Lightning around to Doug Warner. First of all, the first wife, Shawna, was found dead by law enforcement after they responded to a welfare check request, is that right?
[07:49]
G
The exact circumstances, I'm not sure. I just know after the family could not reach her, then she was then discovered with at least one gunshot wound.
[07:59]
D
Okay, one gunshot wound. I wonder what caliber that was. Do you know where on her body she was shot, Doug Warner?
[08:09]
G
From that autopsy, it does say in the skull, in the head, in the 12 o' clock position.
[08:14]
D
So got it in the head, just like Charity. Okay, Lightning round. Lightning round. Okay, shot in the head. Where was her body found, Doug Warner?
[08:27]
H
In.
[08:28]
G
I believe it said in the bedroom. I'm not sure where in the bedroom, but again, I literally just got my hands on that autopsy report.
[08:34]
D
In the home. In the family home.
[08:37]
E
In the home.
[08:38]
D
At that time, Shawna had one child, a little girl. Is that correct?
[08:44]
G
Yes, that I'm aware of. Yes, that the family has told me.
[08:47]
F
About two or three years old, responding officers entered the home and found Shawna shot to death in their bedroom, according to the report. In the incident report, police also noted furniture and other items scattered around the home. According to the police report, Randall left work to return home due to Shawna threatening to kill herself. After four hours, Randall returned to work, only to find his wife dead a few hours later. Medical examiner determined it was suicide and the case was reexamined in 2021 when it appears that Randy Powell told police that Charity knew who did it.
[09:19]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News straight out to Joseph Scott Morgan. Joining us, professor, forensics, Jacksonville State University. He is the author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon. He is the star of a hit series, Body Bags with Joe Scott Morgan. But for my purposes, he has investigated over 10,000 death scenes. That's accident, suicide, natural causes, like heart attack, stroke, unexplained, and of course, homicide. Joe Scott, you know, my head's about to blow off right now. In my world. I look for similarities. And let me say again, the doctor who is married to Shawna in Charity says, I had nothing to do with this. He's not a person of interest. He's not a suspect. He hasn't been named. He hasn't been arrested. Both women look alike. Number one, both women are shot with a handgun. We believe if it had been a long gun like a shotgun, we'd know that by now. Both of them shot in the head. Both of them had minor children. In the current case, the children are six. In Shawna's case, the child is three. Both were in the middle of domestic turmoil. Let me say the marriage was blowing up. Both women were found at home, were shot in the home, and their bodies.
[10:49]
C
Found in the home, Seemingly, yes. I got to tell you, speaking to your previous guest, Doug, I'd love to see that autopsy report. I'd love to dig into that. I got to tell you, we look for similarities in things, don't we, Nancy? I want to know the status of that weapon from the initial event from this suicide. I want to know who owned it, and I also want to know the nature of the scene itself when compared to the current tragedy that we're speaking of. I want to know what kind of similarities existed there. Also, I would like to know if, in fact there were any signs of a struggle at the scene at either one of them. Because, you know, again, we're going down this road of thinking about similarities. Was there any kind of evidence that someone had raised a hand at some point in time, restrained somebody? Was there any chance that, you know, because you have to eliminate this idea that if they're saying that this is someone else that done it, we want to know if we can eliminate that and strike that off the list. However, I will say this, Nancy. Most of the time, as you well know, most people that wind up dead in a circumstance like this, you always have to look at those in the immediate intimate circle. And as an investigator, that's what I'm anxious to dig into.
[12:14]
D
You know, another similarity is that both women were autopsied by the same person.
[12:21]
C
Yep.
[12:21]
D
That's rare, isn't it?
[12:23]
C
Yeah, it is. If we're talking about the Fort Smith area, it's not. And if this individual that did this autopsy is a board certificate certified forensic pathologist, first off, so people understand the nature of the business, they're rare as hen's teeth. There's probably more neurosurgeons in this world than there are forensic pathologists nationwide. So the fact that you would have one in that area, who exactly would it be that. That would have done this post? What's their relationship in any way to the political sphere up there? I'd like to know, are there any other issues with them? And what specifically? You know, this is the medical community we're talking about, right, Nancy, that. That peels back another totally different layer here when you begin to think about that did this.
[13:13]
D
They've got one doctor, medical examiner, and the husband is also a doctor.
[13:19]
C
Yeah, yeah. And that's certainly something that we would. We would want to, you know, lean into and try to understand that if we think about, are there any kind of. Is there any kind of connective tissue between that individual and this individual? And look, this is just probative information.
[13:35]
D
That we mean, like, did they go to the same medical school? Did they go to the same undergrad? Did they go to the same country club? Did they run in the same circles, that whole thing?
[13:44]
C
Yeah, country club, primarily church, anything in that area. You know, the chances you're going to have these two that went to the same med school are kind of rare. But when you insert yourself into a community, particularly one the size of the Fort Smith area, you're going to have this connective tissue. Were they aware of one another on any level? So that's something I would certainly want to explore as an investigator.
[14:08]
D
Let me go back to our special guest and we've got an all star panel tonight. But I want to hear Charity's son John and her father, Randy, who I've described as her soul mate. As a matter of fact, he tells me that. But with John, who's sitting right there beside him. Charity insisted that he, Randy, her father, be guardian, legal guardian over John because of the tempestuous relationship that she had with Dr. Bay Ellis. In case anything happened to her, she wanted her father, the man she trusted the most in this world, to be guardian over her son. Got a question for you. John or Randy. Let me throw it to John first. Where in her mansion. And it was a mansion. Let's see a picture of where these, this family lived. Where in her mansion was her body found? Good gravy, that's big. Where was she found within the mansion, John?
[15:18]
A
So the authorities haven't told us exactly where the bodies was found, but we do know they were upstairs. And I do know that every bedroom in that house was upstairs. So that's all that I know. Now, upstairs is the only answer we.
[15:33]
E
Got from Sebastian County.
[15:35]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News. And that's where all the bedrooms are, correct?
[15:41]
C
Right?
[15:42]
E
Yes, ma'.
[15:42]
D
Am. And do you know, do you know, Doug Warner, what room in which they were found? And were the children, the two little six year old twins beside her or with her? How were the bodies found, Doug? What do you know, that is the.
[15:57]
G
Tough thing here that we've been doing this for, you know, three plus decades and it's been over a week now and we've got zero fountain of information out of the sheriff's office other than to kind of a resume of the work they've done. They put out nearly two dozen search warrants that they've included and brought in the US Or US Secret Service and Homeland Security. And I asked about that. That seems like a strange addition to this investigative unit. Along with state police, they said that's for kind of more of a deep dive forensics. They have not provided any information. In fact, they never even said it was her children that were found shot to death. They just said Charity Bialis and two children. It was not until we talked to the family that we confirmed it. It was those twins when children.
[16:43]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5 News, let me go quickly to a veteran trial lawyer on the other side of the fence from me, Greg Morse, veteran defense attorney who founded Morse Legal. He is the author of the Untested and you can find him@morselegal.com Morse, you know where I'm going now. I've got two other bricks in my wall. Both cases the victims were shot with a handgun. Both were found, we believe in the bedroom.
[17:16]
H
Well, you're, you're, you're talking about in federal court. 4 4b. Evidence substantially similar which can be introduced against a person.
[17:23]
D
Federal court Morse. This is going to be a state case.
[17:27]
H
Every state. Hold on. Every state has the same law. They just call it something different. Florida calls it Williams Rule. And these are general. All right, so Someone was shot with a handgun. Two people. Handguns are used in most crimes. There are women. Okay, that's a pretty common thing. 51% of the country is women. There's nothing specifically.
[17:52]
D
We're not married to Dr. Randy Bialis.
[17:55]
H
No, but you're asking for substantially, substantially similar under the law. I mean, this person could just tragically be unlucky. This could be coincidental for this person. We also have in Arkansas, it's the 11th highest suicide rate in America. So they're substantially similar while it is. You're right, this could be used. And if this, if the doctor is charged, they would maybe try to get this in. Even though there's a designation of suicide. However, these are generalities. Right now there's nothing that's linking it back. But one thing that is important I would like to know is have any shell casings or any type of fragments been found and have they been entered into the national database NIBIN and to see what type of hits come on those. Because that's a database that takes all fragments, whether someone is arrested or not, all shell casings that police find in responding to an event, and it's put into this national database. So you're right, there are similarities because this person was married. His first wife, suicide, second wife, suicide. They're women. A handgun. But you would need more specifics to get that in under substantially similar.
[19:08]
D
Hold on, nobody said suicide in Charity's death. In fact, she was shot in the head and the chest. Joe Scott Morgan, you're the death investigator. What if I listen to Morse? I've got to believe either her six year old child shot her and their sibling, or I have to believe she, charity, shot herself in the chest and went, yeah, that's not good enough. I'll now shoot myself in the head. That did not happen.
[19:35]
C
No, I think that that's, that's completely implausible. I would, going back to the rounds that were fired, I would like to know the nature of those and specifically the caliber of the weapon that's utilized. I want to know the status of this previously owned weapon. I want to know where it is, whose hands it is in at this moment in time. I want to know if there's any been any kind of recent purchases of firearms on the part of any of the parties involved in this case. I want to know if our victim here, this mother, I want to know if she's purchased a handgun recently or maybe she was gifted a handgun. I want to know all of that data so that it can completely be assessed Any rounds that perhaps were recovered from this first case that we, that we mentioned. I want to know what the status of that round is. I want to know, is there a ballistic match to that earlier weapon? And here's the big one. I want to know if that round from that earlier suicide could potentially match the ones involved in this questioned homicide at this moment in time.
[20:40]
D
Again, I want to stress we are not trying to put the husband in jail. I want the killer in jail. Dr. Bialis has not been named a suspect. He's not been named a person of interest. He has not been arrested. In fact, he asserts his innocence as we go to air tonight. He is presumed innocent under the law.
[21:07]
A
Listen, remember as a good Christian woman that loved her children and loved her family and friends more than anything, but she always put God first. And I'm grateful for that because I know where she is now.
[21:21]
F
And having December 3rd, Sebastian County Sheriff's welfare check on Charity Bialis at home. Bonanza police join. And failing to get a response from inside the mansion, two workers escort officers into the home. Officers locate the body of Charity Bialis and two children. All three have gunshot wounds.
[21:44]
D
Hey, this is Sarah.
[21:46]
B
Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m.
[21:48]
D
Right now and, well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy, but I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell.
[21:59]
C
Oatmeal.
[22:00]
D
So long, you strange soggy.
[22:03]
E
Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with K tree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM P M. Too much. Good stuff.
[22:14]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
[22:21]
F
Charity's courage and unwavering love for her children are tested when her estranged husband grows increasingly dangerous. Randall Bialis allegedly choked Charity in front of their young children, pleading guilty to third degree domestic battery.
[22:35]
D
Joining us on All Star panel. But I want to go back to Charity's first son. He is joining us tonight is John Powell. And joining us is who many people consider to be Charity's son, soulmate, her father. They were very close, practically connected, joined at the hip. So loving each other. To John, I keep. I've seen photos of you with her twins, the boy and the girl. There you are holding them. One thing that really was poignant to me, first of all, in a lot of the photos, I've spotted the same little outfits, the exact same outfits I got for my daughter. The one where she's playing in water that looks like one of Lucy's nightgowns. One of her favorite nightgowns she wore all the time. That one. That is the exact thing my daughter wore until she couldn't wear it anymore. In another photo, she's got on a little reddish colored velvet dress. And then there's a hello Kitty T shirt. The same. Yep, that's from Target. There's a hello Kitty. And in that photo right there, I see. And in a couple of others, I see where your mom would wear. Put on her lipstick before the photo. And then I see where your little sister said, mom, I want lipstick. And so she put lipstick on her baby girl. I'm just. She loved them so much. I want you to tell me about Charity as a mother, John.
[24:21]
C
She.
[24:22]
A
She was a very loving mother, without a doubt. She loved her. Her kids more than anything. She loved family. She always put God first. And she actually had a passion, if she was to be able to make it through this divorce case, to pursue spreading awareness for domestic violence and not only for small towns in the state of Arkansas, but try to make it known through the entire nation. But she really had a passion for that, and he loved her children more than anything.
[24:58]
D
And you know what's interesting, John Powell? Well, so many things, but women will put up with a lot to hold the family together. They'll put up with lying, cheating, drinking, whoring, gambling, drugs, the whole shebang because you try to hide it from your children. So they have this as best as you can. Give them a picture perfect childhood. Okay, tell me about your mom. Because she is gunned down dead in the middle of a contentious divorce proceeding. Why did your mom state she wanted a divorce from Dr. B. Ellis?
[25:52]
A
He was very abusive and it's on file. He pled guilty to choking her and in front of the children. She was very scared. And she would just beat down him mentally and she would, you know, physically. That's on file as well. But she was just trying to make it better for her children.
[26:12]
F
The murder of Charity and her twins comes one day after a final divorce hearing with ex husband Dr. Randall Bialis. Randy and Charity Bialis marry in 2015 and have the twins a son and daughter. In 2019. Charites files for divorce and full custody of the couple's twin son and daughter, as well as an order of protection. In the final divorce hearing, Dr. Randy B. Ellis is awarded joint custody of the children.
[26:37]
D
What is really interesting to me is that, of course, you heard the timing right there. This is one day, one day after a final divorce hearing between the two of them and some judge gives Dr. Bialis joint custody. That's even custody. 5050 to Dr. Bialis even though he has a domestic abuse conviction.
[27:09]
F
Listen, 10 years of marriage ends with Randy Bialis charged accused physical harm to his wife and mother of his children by choking her. Bialys carted a jail while Charity plans.
[27:19]
D
Divorce to Randy Powell. This is Charity's father who she trusted so much she wanted him to be legal guardian over her oldest son John, sitting right there in case anything ever happened to her. I'm confused about how a man, even though he is a well known and well liked medical doctor, how did he get joint custody when he pled guilty to domestic assault, domestic battery.
[27:55]
E
Millions of dollars can do wonders, I assume. I have no idea how any judge could give him any kind of custody.
[28:04]
F
After filing for divorce and custody, Charity finds herself treated unfairly. Estranged husband Randy Biala's domestic violence charges have yet to be adjudicated and Charity posting, I'm the victim, yet I've been treated like the problem. While the criminal, a local doctor, is being shielded by the very system that's supposed to protect us. And says she tried reaching out to prosecuting attorney, but he won't even accept a letter from me. Desperate to protect her family, Charity takes the brave step in filing for both divorce and a protective order against Randall. After the final divorce hearing, the unthinkable happens. Charity and her children are brutal, brutally killed.
[28:41]
D
Shortly before her death, Charity Bialis, mother, beloved member of her entire family, is found shot dead. One shot to the head, one shot to the chest, we have been told, although the autopsy has been kept secret. Along with her, her two children, twins, boy and girl, Ileana and Maverick. Just six years old, we are told, shot in the chest. Just before that, a cryptic post made ostensibly by Charity and it states, quote, if a woman's partner has ever strangled her even once, her risk of being murdered by that same partner with a gun shoots up 750% compared to a woman who has never been strangled. Shared by a Daily Press article. Straight out to Dr. Janie Lacey. Joining us, licensed psychotherapist, CEO of Life Counseling Solutions, author of how to Heal from a Toxic Relationship and host of the resilient professional podcast, Dr. Janie Lacey. Thank you for being with us. What can you tell me regarding the stats on women that have been strangled by their partner and lived at least through that incident?
[30:17]
B
You know, Nancy, strangulation is the single most important warning sign we have when a partner puts their hands around someone's neck. They're rehearsing murder. The research is clear. A woman who's been strangled by her partner and Charity shared that in her post, is 7 and a half times more likely to be killed by him. And that's not a red flag. That's a death sentence waiting to happen. And here's what people don't understand, Nancy, is you can strangle someone and leave no marks. And when victims report it, there's no bruising. So they're often not even believed. And it's not about anger in that moment. It's about showing her, I own your next breath, Nancy.
[30:57]
D
Dr. Janey, she stated in her very mysterious post prior to her murder that women that had been strangled and survived that strangulation, that they're 750% more likely to be killed, she says, by gunshot than women who have never endured a strangulation. 750% more likely. That's a lot.
[31:24]
B
That is a lot, Nancy, and that's exactly correct, is when a woman who gets strangled, it becomes 750%. Let's kind of think about that. More likely to be killed by him. And to me, that is not a red flag. That is a death sentence waiting to happen. And we know strangulation is the single most important warning sign that we have. And that is important for us to understand. When you strangle someone, you don't leave any. You don't leave any marks. You're telling that person, I can take your breath away at any moment. And we know that that person is not. We're dealing with someone capable of killing Nancy.
[32:06]
D
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Let me go back to Charity's son, John, her oldest son, and her father, Randy. Joining us tonight, I'd like to ask you gentlemen about a document from the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit. Now, this document is sent to Eliana and Maverick Bialis in care of Charity, your mother daughter. It's from a caseworker, Alora Perry in Van Buren. And important. The date is this past summer, July 15, 2025. Name of the alleged victims, Eliana and Maverick Bialis. Those are the twins now dead. Shot dead. The name of the alleged offender is Randy Bialis, aka Dr. Bialis. It says the Arkansas State Police received allegations of child maltreatment involving the above. It was reported on 3-31-25. Based on a preponderance of evidence, the agency deems the allegation to be true. And Dr. Bialis name should be placed in the child maltreatment central registry. Let's put the Document up on the screen, it states that the type of maltreatment was abuse. Perrin. Abuse with or without physical injury for both children and abuse threat of harm to the boy. Maverick. Did Charity ever confide in either of you, Randy or John, why this complaint was filed and why the allegations were deemed by a preponderance of evidence to be true by the Arkansas. Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit. What happened?
[34:12]
E
They conveyed to her some of what had happened and she reached out to for help. And they had done a forensic interview with the children and that was the outcomes. About all I know to say I'm pretty well mentally and physically exhausted.
[34:28]
A
Once they figured out that Bialys wasn't going to be around them, then they were feeling better about telling my mother what had happened to.
[34:37]
D
Chris McDonough, joining me, Director of the Cold Case foundation, former homicide detective, over 300 homicides under his belt that he personally investigated. He is the star of the interview room on YouTube where I found him. We now have claims by the mom who posts a cryptic post about strangulation by an intimate partner. Is it semantics? Smothering by asphyxiation, such as with a pillow, smothering by hand or ligature. In both MOs, the victim is being deprived of error. What do you think about that, Chris?
[35:18]
I
You know, Nancy, the fact that two children were murdered, remember they were murdered here. And the fact that the manner of death potentially initially could have been strangulation or suffocation. The kids, from an investigative aspect, are really the linchpin to solving this particular crime, because you have two adults who are obviously having a domestic, but then you have two innocent lives potentially in their rooms upstairs in that house. And so now you now shift that type of weapon to a handgun, which is also very personal to somebody in connection to those children. And so I think that's where the forensics expertise of the Secret Service is going to come in here, because they're going to go back and they're going to try to pull ballistics, they're going to try digital evidence, etc. And they're going to try to make sense of that. So it's really not a who done it. It's more of why was it done?
[36:24]
A
My truck. In my name. I paid for it.
[36:29]
B
Give me that phone.
[36:34]
D
Give me your phone. I'm shutting it off.
[36:36]
A
Here comes the next one. What are you gonna do?
[36:40]
D
John Powell, we just showed a video of Dr. Bialis slashing your tires of your truck. What happened?
[36:46]
A
So I actually was trying to do good for myself and Become a lineman. I was applying to go to lineman school, and I had just gotten back from there across the state. And when I entered the house, Bialys started mouthing me and using profanity and being real negative toward me. And I didn't know really why or what, what was the cause for it, but it ended up being something about my phone and not texting back quick enough or just something that didn't make any sense to me. And he told my mom to grab a knife and go out there and start trying to stab my tires, and she couldn't do it. And then that's when you see him come behind with the knife as well and start stabbing every single one of them and taunting me with the knife with my baby brother in his arm. So I pulled out my phone. That's all I knew to do, video, because I didn't know what else to do. I knew he was a powerful man that has gotten away with things in the past that and, you know, he's done things to me that were not right. And I couldn't get on video. So I'm thankful I could get this one on video to show the world that something needs to be done.
[37:58]
D
What was your mom doing during all this? What was she saying?
[38:02]
A
Trying to get the phone, because he knew that if it was on video, that something could happen to him. But I don't think he was real worried about it, but he did know that the phones needed to be taken away.
[38:17]
D
Tell me about your little brother and sister, Maverick and Eliana.
[38:22]
A
They were very precious, and they were innocent. You know, my baby brother learned how to play chess in 45 minutes at 6 years old. Very, very smart. So was Eliana. She could paint and draw pictures like somebody 30 years old could do, you know, and she was 6 years old. They were very, very smart and talented and gifted. Just one of a kind.
[38:47]
D
As we go to air tonight, I want to stress that Dr. Bialis has not been charged. He has not been named a suspect. He has not been named a person of interest. In fact, he insists he is innocent. I got a question for you. Randy Powell. Who would get that house? It's valued at around $768,000. Would that since the children have been killed, who would that go to? In the event of Charity's death.
[39:22]
G
It.
[39:22]
E
Would go to John Powell. But Michael Pierce, the attorney for Bialis, the next day made a motion to dismiss the divorce so that it would all go back to Bialis. And we have a legal team fighting that as we speak.
[39:38]
D
That photo of the mansion we got from our friends over at 5News. Okay, explain that to me, John. You're fighting. Was it the day after her body was found? Dr. Bialis, correct?
[39:52]
E
Yes, ma'.
[39:52]
D
Am. What did he do regarding the divorce proceeding?
[39:56]
A
Missed the divorce. So everything will go back to Biallis. And that's what me and my legal team have been fighting to do is get control of my mom's body and try to get Eliana and Maverick if we can, and proceed with the divorce case. So all that will be through. Because it needs to be.
[40:14]
E
In the divorce decree, she was awarded half the property, her car and some money. They were to sell the house at auction and split the profits and her get her a car and some money. And he's trying to get it dismissed? I assume. So that doesn't happen.
[40:32]
D
So if the divorce were still pending, then everything would go to him.
[40:36]
C
Correct? Right.
[40:38]
D
Okay. Another thing. You mentioned you're trying to get her body. Where is her body?
[40:44]
E
Crime lab in Little Rock.
[40:46]
A
Yes, currently he's still in the crime lab at Little Rock.
[40:51]
D
Why hasn't there been a funeral?
[40:56]
A
They won't tell us.
[40:56]
E
They won't even tell us when or if. Or. How about releasing the body? We've heard nothing.
[41:02]
A
We know just as much as everyone else. I mean, it's just nothing. Yet.
[41:06]
D
We wait as justice unfolds. If you know or think you know anything about the brutal murder of Charity B. Alice or her young twins, Ileana and Maverick, please call Sebastian County Sheriff's 479-783-1051. As you know, Homeland Security and Secret Service has been called in on this investigation. 479-783-1051. We remember an American hero. Deputy Sheriff John Michael Melvin, Grant County Sheriff's Washington. Killed in the line of duty after serving 35 years. Leaving behind a broken hearted son. American hero, Deputy Sheriff John Michael Melvin. Nancy Grace, signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.