Where is Randy Roth now? His potential parole release

Randy Roth

In late July 1991, Randy Roth, his wife Cynthia, and her two sons went to Lake Sammamish, where serial killer Ted Bundy abducted two of his victims. The boys raced for the lake’s shallows, whose cool waters provided welcome relief from the scorching heat. 

Randy and Cynthia took off into deeper waters on an inflatable raft for a romantic excursion. Hours later, the couple returned: Roth paddled gingerly towards the swimming area; Cynthia lay dead on the raft. 

Randy said Cynthia had drowned after the raft capsized. However, the investigation into Cynthia’s death concluded that she was forcibly drowned by Randy. Randy Roth was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Cynthia’s murder. 

Randy Roth is incarcerated in a Washington prison and will be eligible for parole in 2029

Randy Roth is incarcerated at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center. He will be eligible for parole in 2029, 37 years after his sentencing. 

We have limited insight into Randy Roth’s life in prison. Reports show he was involved in the investigation into the murder of corrections officer Jayme Biendl by convicted rapist Byron Scherf. 

Randy’s behavior on the beach as emergency personnel tried unsuccessfully to revive Cynthia prompted investigators to look into his claims that an accident caused her death. 

Randy stood to gain $385,000 in a life insurance payout taken out on Cynthia. It was an open secret that Randy and Cynthia were miserable. Cynthia’s religious opposition to divorce was the only thing holding the marriage together. 

Investigators learned that Randy’s second wife, Janis, had died in circumstances eerily similar to Cynthia’s. Randy and Janis were on a supposedly romantic hike when she allegedly slipped and plunged to death. Conveniently for Randy, and as with Cynthia, there were no witnesses. 

Randy hastily cremated Cynthia’s body, like he’d done with Janis’. After Janis’ death, eight months after her marriage to Randy, he collected $100,000 on an insurance policy taken out on Janis. Randy’s contradictory stories about Janis’ death elicited suspicion, but the authorities didn’t have enough to arrest and charge him.

The prosecution pointed out the similarities between Janis and Cynthia’s death, painting Randy as a manipulator and murderer with a pattern of killing women for financial gain. 

A poem Cynthia had written about 44 things Randy hated about her – her ugly toes, the smell of her coffee – featured prominently in the trial. “Randy does not ‘love’ Cindy, Randy hates Cindy,” the poem read

More than 100 witnesses testified, describing Randy as a man whose character changed after seducing a target. Randy reportedly pressured women into taking out insurance policies and naming him the beneficiary. 

Senior deputy prosecutor Marilyn Brenneman painted Randy as a ‘cold-blooded and premeditated murderer who stalks prey not with a traditional weapon, but with a smile and marriage proposals’. The jury convicted Randy of first-degree murder after deliberating for 8.5 hours. 

“The evidence was… overwhelming, frankly,” Brenneman said. Randy’s appeals against his conviction and sentence failed.