Last month, the quiet town of Bonanza, Arkansas, was rocked by a tragedy that left neighbors and family stunned.
Charity Beallis, 40, was found dead alongside her six-year-old twins, Maverick and Eliana, in their $750,000 home.
The horror came less than a day after Charity finalized her divorce from her husband, Dr. Randall Beallis, 56, highlighting a family life already fraught with fear and abuse.
Her surviving son, John Powell, 24, recalls their final text exchange with a shudder.
In it, Charity shared both hope and anxiety — plans to start over, escape her husband’s control, and build a life free from fear.
But she also admitted she was terrified things wouldn’t end well if Beallis didn’t get his way.
A History of Abuse and Fear
The Beallis family’s story was complicated and painful.
Randall Beallis had previously pleaded guilty to domestic battery for strangling Charity in front of their children.
Charity had sought full custody of the twins and a protective order, citing his abusive behavior.
Despite her efforts, a judge awarded joint custody at the divorce hearing on December 2.
By the next day, Charity and her children were dead from gunshot wounds.
John Powell is certain his mother and siblings were murdered and believes suspicion should fall on his stepfather.
“She was always worried about something happening,” he says.
“She was fighting so hard to protect the kids.”
The Last Messages and Hopes for the Future
In the months before her death, Charity confided often about her fears.
Yet she also dreamed of a new life — somewhere safe, with a good job, where her children could grow up without fear, and where she could one day enjoy being a grandmother.
“She was going to move somewhere else, get a good job, and let the kids have a good life,” John recalls.
“Then she wanted to hopefully one day become a good grandmother and just enjoy the things any normal family would want.”
Photographs shared by Powell show smiling children in front of a Christmas tree, unaware that this would be their final holiday season.
A Complex and Ongoing Investigation
The Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation with support from the Arkansas State Police, the U.S. Secret Service, and Homeland Security.
Officials have yet to confirm whether Beallis is a suspect, and no arrests have been made.
Police activity has been extensive. On December 9, SCSO reported six search warrants had been served, with more in progress — signaling a complicated investigation.
Meanwhile, Beallis denies wrongdoing and is said to be cooperating with authorities.
Beallis’s Troubled Past
Records reveal a troubling pattern. In 2018, the Arkansas State Medical Board reprimanded Beallis for inappropriately prescribing opioids to Charity.
In 2021, he faced misdemeanor charges for slashing John Powell’s truck tires during a dispute, receiving a suspended sentence.
He later pleaded guilty to domestic battery for attacking Charity in front of their children, again receiving a suspended sentence.
Beallis’s medical license remains active, set to expire in 2027.
He has maintained that many of Charity’s accusations were false, citing passages from her self-published 2019 memoir, where she admitted exaggerating past incidents of self-defense.
Her family, however, says the memoir reflects a traumatic period and does not negate the abuse Charity endured later.
Unanswered Questions About Past Tragedies
Questions linger about Beallis’s past. His second wife, Shawna Beallis, died from an apparent gunshot wound in 2012, officially ruled a suicide.
Her family has long disputed that ruling.
The case was briefly reopened in 2021 but ultimately closed due to insufficient evidence.
Powell sees disturbing parallels between that death and his mother’s, intensifying his suspicion.
Personal Loss Compounded
Charity was buried on December 29, but the decision over her children’s remains left the family divided.
A judge ordered that the twins’ remains be released to Beallis, preventing John Powell from laying his mother and siblings to rest together.
He describes the situation as a final, punishing blow to a family already devastated by grief.
“It’s sickening,” Powell said. “The worst part is, I don’t even know if the kids have been buried or cremated, or where they may be.
I don’t know anything at the moment, because Randall has told me nothing.”
A Call for Awareness
Charity’s story is a stark reminder of the dangers of domestic abuse and the lasting fear it instills in victims and their families.
For anyone struggling with thoughts of self-harm or in need of support, help is available.
In the U.S., you can call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn