Who dunnit? Discuss your theory(ies) here!

[buckbuck]

I've been thinking Abby too, and to me it seemed that Cornell's expression when she saw the evidence that convinced her who it was didn't show satisfaction the way it might if it was an adult; she seemed more upset and troubled, as she might if the killer was revealed to be a child. (Or maybe I'm just projecting, lol).

[truthaboutluv]

No I agree with you about her expression. I thought the same and it further convinced me that it was likely Abby.

[sjohnson]

Not quite a speculation over whodunnit, but Ben can make any false confession he chooses to make seem reliable by producing corroborating evidence: The murder weapon. That will be hard for Cornell to get around if she wants to charge someone else. It would be ironic if Ben, who is a terrible detective, beat the professional at whodunnit, I think.

Edited April 29, 2015 by sjohnson

[Madding crowd]

After seeing Ben being unfairly persecuted and even tortured, I don't want to see him get sent to jail for Abby's crime. I would think at her age she would not get sent to jail but perhaps given some psychological help. I also find it hard to believe a child her age could plot out a murder and even have enough anger and strength to hit Tom. I will also throw something at my screen if Jess gets away with her rape accusation.

 

The most logical person at this point really is Jess. She seems way too calm and even happy. God forbid I would lose my child, but I would be a basket case, not going out to see the fireworks and having sex.

[Former Nun]

I posted in one of these sections on March 6 that I thought Abby killed her half-brother...but I thought it was an accident.  I've ruled out "accident" now.

[modo1013]

I agree with everyone who has posted that Abby is the killer.  The scenes with Ben, Abby, and Jess seemed to concentrate on the females.  Since we know Cornell was at the carnival watching, it would be logical that it is one of them.  I think Jess is just a red herring.  She is crazy, but, I don't think she killed her son.  Cornell did say that the killer was female.  So, they could pull a switch and have it be Natalie or Christy, which would be fine with me.  I'm not crazy about either one of them, especially the wife.  And I also agree that Christy may suspect that Abby did it and has been covering up.  In the earlier episodes, she did cover up some of Natalie's bad behavior from Ben.  So, it is very much in character for her to do it. 

 

What I really don't want to see is Ben take the rap for his kid.  That would make me pretty peeved.  From the previews, it appears that Cornell is not pleased with something that happens.  I'm really hoping it isn't that Ben convinces the law that he did it, when he didn't.  He is carrying enough guilt to do something like that.  I would hate that ending.  But, that would please the folks who can't stand Cornell and want her to fail at catching the killer.

[BubblingKettle]

I also agree that Abby is the killer.  I've always thought that she was too attached to her father (in a strange way). Many times, she has proven herself to be a snoop and aware of everyone's business. So, there's no doubt that she found out about her father's dalliances with Jess and was angry that her father was paying attention to Jess and Tom. At the country fair, she showed that her emotional reactions can be exaggerated (when she broke her phone). 

 

She did something to that boy and used the blue jacket somehow....maybe she put it on before carrying him somewhere?  I don't trust Ben's lazy, unkempt friend either. He pumps Ben for info, and he stirs up controversy every time.

[Blue Plastic]

What I really don't want to see is Ben take the rap for his kid.  That would make me pretty peeved.  From the previews, it appears that Cornell is not pleased with something that happens.  I'm really hoping it isn't that Ben convinces the law that he did it, when he didn't.  He is carrying enough guilt to do something like that.  I would hate that ending.  But, that would please the folks who can't stand Cornell and want her to fail at catching the killer.

I will be extremely hacked if that is the ending.  I hope if he tries to do this, Cornell will be able to get some solid evidence to prove that it wasn't him.  That would be rather ironic, after all the time she spent hounding him to confess because she was certain he was guilty.

 

I admit I started out not liking the character of Cornell very much, both because she showed up at Ben's door pretty much every 2 seconds and because of the extra harsh way Juliette Lewis started out playing her, almost as a caricature of an extra-grumpy, jaded detective from a movie, very one note.  I guess some of that was also because the show wasn't ready to let the audience see Cornell any other way.  But now I like her better and am rooting for her more because they have let us see that she is not crooked and does want to catch who really did it, not whoever is easiest.  So my roundabout way of saying I am rooting for Cornell not to let stupid Ben let the killer get away if it is one of his daughters.

[Former Nun]

I don't trust Ben's lazy, unkempt friend either.

 

Yeah, CoolWhipLite...he can't be there simply for the comedy--because he ain't that funny.  Is he some pathetic red herring?

 

And what if...what if Abby is not Ben's daughter...but the result of BitchWife's affair.   And then...even THEN, Ben takes the rap for her.

[LeGrandElephant]

I can totally see Ben confessing to safe Abby, and I think it's pretty likely he will, but logically, that's a pretty stupid move. At her age she has a good chance of getting some kind of treatment till she's 18 or 21, which she might actually need and benefit from. On the other hand if Ben confesses he goes to horrible adult prison forever or even has the possibility of the death penalty, and Abby is left untreated and with an even less stable home life, to possibly end up hurting someone else.

(They haven't said her exact age, have they? But the way everyone treats her she seems to be under 12.)

[chlban]

I can totally see Ben confessing to safe Abby, and I think it's pretty likely he will, but logically, that's a pretty stupid move. At her age she has a good chance of getting some kind of treatment till she's 18 or 21, which she might actually need and benefit from. On the other hand if Ben confesses he goes to horrible adult prison forever or even has the possibility of the death penalty, and Abby is left untreated and with an even less stable home life, to possibly end up hurting someone else.

(They haven't said her exact age, have they? But the way everyone treats her she seems to be under 12.)

There are some states, Colorado is one, where a child under 12 cannot be charged with murder.  Her age is the main reason I just don't buy that it will be the kid. Whether or not she could be prosecuted, as you stated, she would likely only be facing some type of required treatment until adulthood. Plus it's hard not to be a bit sympathetic to a child, even if she has done such a horrible thing, especially with her evil bitch mother. 

 

Cornell already said it was a woman's crime. So I am betting it's either bitch wife, or they are going to throw us a curve and finally bring Melissa Gilbert in again. Could even be the older daughter, although that would be pretty out of left field.

 

I just don't think it's going to be the younger one, but we'll see soon enough. I am actually looking forward to it.

[Former Nun]

Could there be a man who always felt he was a woman?

[LeGrandElephant]

I watched the last episode thinking it was the finale, so I was like oh ok, Jess did it. Once I realized there was one more episode, I don't think she did it, precisely because she was pointed at so strongly in the second to last episode. And they usually try to do a big twist instead of following up on whoever it seemed to be right before the finale.

I think they could plausibly write an ending where it was any of Jess, Abby, or Christy (or even Natalie). I'm basing my guess of it being Abby pretty much on the fact that this is TV and she's the only one no one ever suspected even for a second.

Oh and I also think it's stupid to say water is a woman's crime and be totally sure of that conclusion. Pointing the cops in that direction, sure, but making Cornell 100% sure it was a woman just based on that? That's stupid. People are individuals and statistical tendencies don't hold out in every case. (Especially if someone has heard that and is trying to throw off the cops!)

Edited May 1, 2015 by LeGrandElephant