Red Onion Randy - Life in a Supermax Prison

Randy brings on a guest using his real name to share his firsthand account of medical care at Buckingham Correctional Center. They break down how the neglect has affected his health, what he's been dealing with, and why it rises to the level of criminal medical negligence. A raw look at what happens when the system stops caring.

Randy breaks down how he's been using AI from inside prison, what it's already changed for him, and why state prisons should treat it as a rehabilitation tool instead of a threat.

Red Onion Randy recounts former NBA player Harvey Grant's visit to Buckingham prison on October 8, 2026. From Grant's friendship with Coach and the Coaching for Life program to an unforgettable moment with Little Reggie, Randy shares why the visit mattered.

Randy asks how to find balance after prison, and reflects on Grant's advice about discipline, purpose, mental health, and staying connected to people who care.

More from Red Onion Randy: https://ror.prisonaudio.com
Produced by Prison Audio: https://prisonaudio.com

Thumbnail: archival Harvey Grant photo from the Washington Wizards alumni collection (NBA.com...

Randy explains the four-month break from the microphone through the story of his friend Mike: heartbreak, financial pressure, setbacks, and the determination to keep moving forward.

In the second part, Randy continues with The Importance of Not Giving Up—reflecting on how Mike responded, why resilience matters, and how to face hard times without turning to self-destruction.

Two recordings, one complete episode. Recorded by Red Onion Randy from inside prison.

00:00 Show intro
00:18 Four Months of Silence (Mike's Story)
17:04 The Importance of Not Giving Up

More Red Onion Randy: https://ror.pr...

Randy dives into the recent upheavals at Buckingham Correctional, from unexpected lockdowns to the everyday drama that keeps life unpredictable behind bars. Honest stories and sharp observations from inside.

Randy opens up about the emotional and practical realities of starting a family while incarcerated. He shares the IVF process with his wife, the hope it brought during uncertain times, and what fatherhood truly means to him.

Randy returns to the airwaves starting September 10th with new episodes and updates from inside. Stay tuned for more powerful stories and honest conversations on Prison Audio.

Today on the podcast, Randy talks about the new tablets recently distributed at Buckingham Correctional Center. With access to this level of technology for the first time, Randy has plenty to say. Enjoy the episode.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
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An...

Getting old isn’t easy, especially in the Virginia Department of Corrections. Today on the podcast, Randy talks about what it feels like to be approaching 50 in prison.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An early copy of Randy’s upcoming co...

Today on the podcast Randy talks about why you should get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An early copy of Randy’s upcoming cookbook, “Ya Gonna Eat That?”, launching soon on Amazon

🎙️ Credits:
Founded by Mi...

Today on the podcast, Randy shares about two recent visitations he had with his wife.

In-person prison visitations are still new to Randy, and he talks about what it felt like to sit across from her, navigate the rules, and experience those moments together after so much time without physical presence. Randy reflects on the emotions, the small details that mattered, and how these visits are changing the way he moves through his time inside.

Today on the podcast, we’re releasing Part 3 of our series exploring the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).

This episode features Catherina “Cat” Voss, who is currently serving multiple life sentences at FCI Aliceville.

Cat speaks openly about what really goes on inside a women’s prison, the realities most people never hear about, the culture, the silence, and the impact PREA has behind the walls.

Special thanks to Cat for her honesty and courage in sharing today.

This week on the podcast is Part 2 of a three-episode series where Randy is joined by Kyle Hulbert, who is currently incarcerated with him at Buckingham Correctional Center.

In these episodes, Randy and Kyle go deep into a topic that comes to a lot of people’s minds when they think about prison, but almost no one really talks about it.

Well, now we’re really talking about it.

Special thanks to Kyle for being so open and honest about his experience inside.

You can find Kyle’s podcast here:
https://cheshi...

This week on the podcast, we’re starting a new three-episode series where Randy is joined by Kyle Hulbert, who is currently incarcerated with him at Buckingham Correctional Center.

In these episodes, Randy and Kyle go deep into a topic that comes to a lot of people’s minds when they think about prison, but almost no one really talks about it.

Well, now we’re really talking about it.

Special thanks to Kyle for being so open and honest about his experience inside.
You can find Kyle’s podcast here:
https://cheshire...

Quick update from Randy, apologies for the pause. No new episodes this month but we will be back and better in February.

We’re back with another video from the California Department of Corrections. Today on the podcast, Randy explains a video we recently received showing a nurse being assaulted in a women’s correctional center.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An early co...

Eric Estrada is currently incarcerated in California State Prison, Corcoran. He is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Eric made a dramatic change in his life in 2012 when he left his old lifestyle to focus on religion. Since then Eric has facilitated many programs inside the prison including his own podcast called Change-Talk.  

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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We’re back with another episode! If you’ve been following the show recently, you know we’ve just received some videos from the California Department of Corrections through a FOI request we completed last year. So if you’re listening on anything other than YouTube, make sure you check out the podcast on YouTube this week, especially so you can see the video Randy is talking about.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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Don’t...

We’re back with another episode. Today Randy is back by himself to discuss a petition that is currently online that he’s hoping you will sign.

In an unprecedented move, inmates and COs in Virginia are coming together to ask for the resignation of the people running the Virginia Department of Corrections.Will the newly elected governor of Virginia step in to make some changes, we’ll have to wait and see.

Here are the links to the petitions,
https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-resignation-of-chadwick-dotson-and-david-robinson?source_location=search

https://www.change.org/p/fire...

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Kyle “Razor” Hulbert, inmate #1165519, currently incarcerated at Buckingham Correctional Center.

In this episode, Kyle reads a remarkable piece he wrote titled “I Want to Give the World Nachos,” a story that blends vulnerability, imagination, and hard-won insight from behind the walls. His writing offers a rare window into the emotional landscape of long-term incarceration, told with honesty, self-reflection, and a surprising sense of humor.

You can explore more of Kyle’s work here:
🔗 Kyle’s Substack, Cheshire Madness
https://substack.com/@kylehulbert?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pa...

In this episode, Randy speaks with Celeste Blair, an artist, writer, and prison reform activist who was released from federal prison just over a month ago. Celeste shares her experiences and offers a woman’s perspective on the differences between federal and state prison.This is part two of a special series, In the Absence of Paint.You can find Celeste on Instagram @celestemblair or on YouTube at In the Absence of Paint.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

In this voicemail episode, Randy answers a question that was recently left by someone from Austin, Texas, who wants to know what it would be like for a 50-year-old man to go to prison.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

💥 Get More on Patreon:
Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An earl...

In this episode, Randy speaks with Celeste Blair, an artist, writer, and prison reform activist who was released from federal prison just over a month ago. Celeste shares her experiences and offers a woman’s perspective on the differences between federal and state prison.This is part one of a special series, In the Absence of Paint.You can find Celeste on Instagram @celestemblair or on YouTube at In the Absence of Paint.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

We’re back with the final installment of Cellie Adventures. If you haven’t listened to parts one and two yet, make sure you check those out first.In this episode, Randy gives an update on how life is going now that he’s lost his single-cell status.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An extended conversation about this episode betwe...

We’re back with part two of Cellie Adventures. The honeymoon phase is over, and now the real test begins. How is Randy going to react when the new cellie starts pushing his buttons? From cleaning habits to late-night noise, tensions rise fast, and Randy doesn’t hold back on how he really feels

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An ext...

We’re back with another episode. After more than 20 years, Randy has a cellie again. This week on the podcast he lets us know how things are going so far, and let’s just say things get dirty quick. This is part one of a three-part episode we’re calling Cellie Adventures.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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An extended conv...

We’re back with part two of “Scott’s Wild Story.” Last week, Scott revealed to Randy that he was caught up in a much larger conspiracy inside the prison. Stay tuned as the story continues, does Scott’s tale hold up, or is it just another wild yarn from behind the walls?

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conve...

Randy is back with another episode from behind the walls of the Virginia Department of Corrections. In this one, he recounts a wild tale a man named Scott told him recently. Was Scott’s story real or just talk? You’ll have to listen and judge for yourself.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conversation about this episode bet...

In this episode, Randy introduces You Ain’t Beyond Saving, a raw, unfiltered self-help memoir straight from the heart of a man who’s done decades in the darkest corners of the system. Half life story, half lifeline, this book is Randy’s personal message to anyone who’s ever felt lost, broken, or forgotten. The launch date is locked for October 14th on Amazon Print and Kindle.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

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Don’t...

Randy’s back with a raw one from deep inside the walls. In this episode, he breaks down the chaos erupting across the prison, knives getting snatched up, drugs turning up, cell phones getting found, and the whole compound getting tossed into lockdown after lockdown. It’s tension, paranoia, and survival 24/7. But in the middle of all that, Randy drops something major, after more than twenty years riding solo, he’s finally getting a new celly. He opens up about what that means for him, the nerves, the mindset, and how he’s adjusting to the biggest change in his living s...

In this one, Randy speaks his mind, raw and unfiltered, about the Virginia Parole Board. After decades behind bars, watching the system grind people down, he’s got a few things to say,and he’s not holding back. If you’ve ever wondered why so many deserving people get denied parole, or why the whole process feels rigged, Randy’s about to break it down for you from the inside. This ain’t no feel-good episode. It’s truth-telling time.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for...

We heard you loud and clear. Some of y’all been saying Randy’s too deep, too thoughtful, not enough wild prison stories. Fair. That’s not really what he’s about—but today, we’re bending the rules.

This episode is pure ear candy. Just a straight-up, jaw-dropping, no-you-didn’t kinda tale from the inside. A crazy prison story featuring Q, a dude Randy knows personally from the yard. No morals, no message, just raw storytelling the way you asked for it.

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serv...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

In this powerful episode, Randy sits down with Jesse Crosson, a motivational speaker, content creator, and the founder of the Second Chancer Foundation. After serving nearly two decades behind bars, Jesse turned his life around and is now dedicated to criminal justice reform, second chances, and giving hope to others who are still inside.

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An...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

In this episode of the podcast, Randy reflects on two stories that are currently in the news, one involving child abuse and the other a death at Wallens Ridge.

💥 Get More on Patreon:
Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An early copy of Randy’s upcomin...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

We’re back with another episode! We’ve been getting lots of voicemails and questions lately, so in this episode, Randy answers your questions.

💥 Get More on Patreon:
Don’t forget to visit our Patreon for exclusive content! You’ll get:
An extended conversation about this episode between Randy and his producer
All 155 episodes of the podcast, 100% commercial-free
An early copy of Randy’s upcoming cookbook, “Ya Gonna Eat That?”, lau...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

Skype—the phone system that Randy uses to record calls—was shut down in May. This week on the podcast, we’ll find out what the future holds for the Red Onion Randy Podcast and if we’ve found a solution to keep things going. This is the good news episode, so tune in to see what life is like in the Virginia DOC for Randy and what’s to come.

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The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

Due to the reccent state-wide lockdown, Randy wasn’t able to record anything new for you this week—but don’t worry, we’ve got something very special lined up.

I’m sure everyone knows the story of Joe Exotic from the 2019 Netflix show Tiger King. Joe is currently serving 22 years in a federal prison for a murder-for-hire plot against his rival, Carole Baskin. This week, we’ve got Joe on the Red Onion Ra...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

After more than a week on a Virginia-wide prison lockdown, Randy is back and recording again. In this episode, he breaks down what led to the statewide lockdown, how it affected daily life inside, and what it felt like to be cut off from the outside world. Raw, real, and straight from the source—this is life behind bars, unfiltered.

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The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

Today on the podcast, I wanted to share one of our Patreon-exclusive episodes with our regular audience.
If you haven’t joined us on Patreon yet—what are you waiting for? We’ve got exclusive episodes, All episodes 100% commercial free, behind-the-scenes content, a free copy of Randy’s prison cookbook, and early access to every episode a full week before anyone else gets it.

So if you’ve been thinking about supporting...

The Red Onion Randy Podcast, Featuring the life and times of Randall Via, currently serving 1,214 years in Virginia for capital murder and armed robbery.

Hey everyone — quick update:
Buckingham Correctional Center has been on lockdown, which means Randy hasn’t been able to use the phones or do video visits. He’s okay — he didn’t do anything wrong — but when the prison locks down, everything shuts down: calls, visits, movement. So unfortunately, we haven’t been able to record anything new with him.
But we didn’t want to leave you hanging.
So today we’ve got a spec...