Randy Roth is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence for killing his third wife, Cynthia "Cindy" Baumgartner Roth, in 1991 by drowning her during a boating trip on Lake Sammamish, Washington. His case gained notoriety due to a pattern of suspicious deaths among his spouses, insurance fraud schemes, and a chilling "black widow" persona detailed in books like Ann Rule's A Rose for Her Grave.

Randy Roth's Marriages and Suspicious Deaths

Roth's life unfolded like a grim true crime saga across multiple marriages, each marked by tragedy and financial opportunism.

  • First wife (1970s) : Ended in divorce amid early signs of manipulation; no deaths but set the stage for his patterns.
  • Second wife, Janis "Jan" Miranda (1981) : Died in a mysterious hiking accident when she fell from a cliff near Greenwater, Washington. Roth collected $100,000 in life insurance, but suspicions arose due to inconsistencies—he'd taken out policies just months prior. He was never charged.
  • Third wife, Donna Clift (late 1980s) : Survived a dangerous rafting incident where Roth allegedly tried to drown her; she divorced him after recognizing red flags.
  • Fourth wife, Cynthia "Cindy" Baumgartner (1990) : A single mom of two boys, she drowned on July 8, 1991, when their raft flipped on the lake. Witnesses later contradicted Roth's story, saying the raft was stable. He stood to gain $290,000 in insurance plus survivor benefits.

Roth's brother David was also a convicted killer, adding a familial twist to the narrative—David strangled a teen in 1977.

Arrest, Trial, and Conviction

Investigators pieced together Roth's fraud history: fake injuries for disability claims, staged robberies, and job losses timed with payouts. Arrested in October 1991, his January-April 1992 trial exposed his callous demeanor—he partied days after Cindy's death and quickly listed their home for sale.

A jury convicted him of first-degree murder after just three hours of deliberation. Sentenced to 55 years (effectively life), he's at Washington State Penitentiary, where he reunited with David.

Current Status and Recent Buzz (as of 2026)

Roth remains incarcerated with no parole eligibility until at least 2041 (he's now in his late 70s). No major updates since his conviction, but true crime podcasts and YouTube recaps—like True Crime Campfire (finale Dec 2025) and True Crime and Cocktails (2023)—keep his story alive online. Forums speculate on uncharged killings, but evidence only stuck for Cindy.

TL;DR at Bottom: Randy Roth's a convicted wife-killer (Cindy, 1991) with a trail of suspicious spouse deaths and insurance scams; he's doing life in prison, story still fuels true crime chatter.

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