Gracepoint’s Suspect List: Who’s the Real Killer?

The new series, Gracepoint, based on the British crime drama Broadchurch, took America by storm. Gracepoint gives audiences the chance to see and understand the unique dynamic of a small town and the relationships between its residents. This is magnified when the murder of a twelve-year-old boy incites chaos among these people. This murder and how it is handled is completely different from the faceless crimes people are more used to in bigger cities. In Gracepoint the horrible truth is that no matter who the killer is, you can bet everyone knows them. This breeds fear and incites suspicion of our fellow man in a way that is wholly unique to this kind of isolated community.

David Tennant has brilliantly reprised his role from the original show, masterfully capturing his audience’s attention. Gracepoint provides us with a unique perspective of the differences that are inherent in the justice system in a small town versus a larger city. Through Ellie Miller, the detective working under Carver, we get a feel for the complexities that go along with trying to enforce the law objectively in a small close-knit town. In a scenario like the one on Gracepoint one can’t help but begin to view things subjectively rather than objectively. This is a place where everyone knows each other; every face you see in the street is likely a friend if not at least an acquaintance. How can you find the killer when it is definitely someone you know, and could be someone you are close to? Ellie (Anna Gunn) beautifully portrays this painful emotional dilemma.

On the other hand, with Emmet Carver, we are forced to see the bigger, more objective picture of the crime. He helps the audience to take a step back from the emotion Ellie provides, and forces us to look at the facts about each suspect objectively. He also forces the audience as well as Ellie to confront the fact that the killer is most likely someone they know very well, and have trusted for years. Despite this unfortunate fact, however, Emmet continuously reminds Ellie and the audience that no matter who the killer is, in order to bring justice to Danny, they must push emotions aside and stay objective.

It reminds me a bit of the game CLUE. The crime is even more terrifying because the killer is someone you know, and you are trapped in a confined space with them. This can cause people to become extremely suspicious of everyone and paranoid. To emphasize this point, Gracepoint cleverly paired the show with the phrase “suspect everyone.” They even went so far as to create a website (www.suspecteveryone.com) where people can vote on who they think the killer is as the show progresses. Gracepoint invites the audience to assume the role of detective and help solve the case. As I’ve become quite a fan of the show, I thought it would be fun to play the detective and share my own thoughts on who I think killed Danny Solano. For each character i’ll include the percentage of people who have voted them as the most likely killer. Go through each character with me, and see if you agree with my assessment. Alright, here we go!

Tom Miller (Danny’s classmate, Ellie’s son) (18%)

Here is a reminder of all the Tom’s activity, suspicious and not according to www.suspecteveryone.com:

• Skated Danny’s route the night of his death so the police could time it.
• Gave Beth a hug when she asked for one. She said she missed Danny’s hugs.
• Dean told Ellie and Carver he never saw Tom and Danny together.
• Looked in Ellie’s work bag and found the photo of Pierson along with the cell number. Used the information to locate Pierson’s address on his computer.
• Told Carver the last time he saw Danny was nearly three weeks prior, after school the day before the Miller family left for vacation.
• Said Danny stopped caring about baseball.
• Told Carver Danny did not say he was worried about anything and the two of them did not argue.
• After interview, asked Joe if he was done with the police, and why it had to be Ellie on the case.
• Told Carver Danny said Mark hit him “maybe twice,” possibly when Danny quit the soccer team Mark coached. Said that Danny said his Dad got into bad moods sometimes.
• Shouted about Danny during a nightmare. Asked his parents what he shouted. They only heard “Danny” clearly. He asked again about having to talk to the police and if it could be with Ellie when he did. She asked if he had anything to tell her, he said no.
• When told about Danny’s death, asked whether police would want to talk to him. Once alone, deleted text messages from Danny and deleted everything on his computer’s hard drive.

I certainly would keep my eye on this one.He’s been acting very strangely ever since Danny’s death, especially behind closed doors. I don’t necessarily think he killed Danny. But I’d bet my teeth that he knows who did, and, if not who, then certain facts that might lead police to finding out who. The only reason I don’t think he outright killed him is because I don’t think he could have carried off something like that all by himself. He’s too small to have been able to carry Danny the distance the killer did. I also don’t know that, if it had just been him, Danny wouldn’t have been able to overpower him and save himself. So, I’ve struck Tom off my list of possible killers, but I’m keeping an eye on him. That’s for sure.

Paul Coates (local priest) (16%)

Activity:

• There is a straight view from the rectory to the Solanos’ street. Carver noted this would be easy access to Danny.
• Encouraged Beth to let him have the memorial service for Danny. Said it would likely get a lot of attention.
• Told the police they should help protect Jack Reinhold.
• Was standing in the church doorway in the middle of the night while Ellie and Beth were talking.
• No alibi for the night Danny was killed. Told Ellie and Carver he was in the rectory alone trying to write a sermon. Also said he has terrible insomnia, so he sometimes gets up and wanders around. Paul said he did not remember going outside the night Danny died.
• Grew up in Gracepoint, left after high school, and has been back for the past 2-3 years.
• Had Tom and Danny in his Sunday school. Priests don’t normally teach Sunday school, but Paul said it allowed him to personally bring his faith to the community’s kids.
• Privately prayed, “May Your wisdom save me from false choices; in Your straight path may I not stumble…”
• Sermon centered on shaming those in Gracepoint who have turned against each other and those who have caused their neighbors to do the same.
• Beth told Paul what Raymond said. Paul confronted Raymond and told him to leave the Solanos alone. Paul insisted to Raymond that he is the one they can turn to if they need someone. Raymond said he is glad Beth has Paul as he knows how close she and Paul used to be.
• Sat in his room staring at a picture of him and Beth at a graduation together.
• Mark told Beth that Paul was trying to get between them.
• Comforted Beth. Grabbed her hand.
• Suggested holding Memorial Service for Danny in lieu of the funeral they couldn’t have.
• Was upset that he did not think of starting a condolence book for Danny.
• Beth told Paul she is pregnant. Said that she had not told anyone else, including her family.
• Beth’s mother asked him to reach out to Beth because he had “always been so good for her.”
• Made a statement of support for the Solano family and town of Gracepoint on the news, after which Mark told him to stay away from the Solano family.

Now Father Coates, to me, seems like a more plausible suspect. He’s getting quite a bit of business over at his church since Danny’s death, and that has to be a plus for him. However, is that necessarily a reason for murder. No, it’s not. The problem I have with Coates is that I can think of no motive for him killing Danny. He clearly has a thing for Beth Solano, but what does that have to do with her son? Wouldn’t he have been more likely to kill Mark Solano? I just don’t see a reason for him, which is why I’ve pretty much struck him off my list of suspects.

Raymond Connelly (psychic, phone engineer) (2%)

Activity:

• When he heard about the burning boat, felt his prediction was confirmed.
• Reemphasized that Danny was killed by someone he knew, but police revealed to Beth that Raymond declared bankruptcy twice and had prior convictions for theft and conspiracy to commit fraud.
• After being turned away from the Solano house by the police, Raymond sat in his car, beat on his steering wheel, and screamed.
• Paul confronted Raymond and told him to leave the Solanos alone. Paul insisted that he is the one they can turn to if they need someone. Raymond said he is glad Beth has Paul as he knows how close she and Paul used to be.
• Followed Beth to a bench when she left her house and tried to give her a message “from Danny.” When she fled angrily, left note at her house to call him to get Danny’s message. She called him and he came over.
• Told Beth he has a spirit guide who tells him things about dead people (most of which turn out to be true). Said Danny wanted Beth to know he’s OK and is not in pain, and that he was on a boat. Said Danny wants Beth to stop looking for his killer, because Danny knew the person well and doesn’t want Beth to be upset.
• Was working on the phone lines in the police station. While there, looked at case evidence and documents on one of the desks. Was caught snooping by Ellie.
• Told Carver and Ellie he gets messages from the deceased, and that Danny was telling him there was water involved with the case. Said Danny was telling him that he was in a boat before he died. Had no concrete evidence of this, and had never met Danny or the Solano family.
• Agreed to give DNA and fingerprints to police for elimination purposes.
• Told Carver: “She says she forgives you. About the pendant.”

Raymond Connelly is an odd character. He just sort of popped up in the story. As he’s not from Gracepoint, and I definitely think the killer has to be one of the townspeople, I don’t think he’s Danny’s killer. It wouldn’t make sense for the show to make an outsider the killer in a story so focused on the suspicion that falls on everyone in a town after someone is murdered. He would be an easy person to blame, but I have to state that I am pretty sure he’s innocent.

Joe Miller (Ellie’s husband) (15%)

Activity:

• First met Ellie at work. He was a paramedic and she worked for the police.
• Currently is a stay-at-home dad.
• Suggested Ellie invite Carver to dinner.
• Asked Tom if he wanted to talk about “it,” as they hadn’t really had a chance to. Ellie interrupted before Tom could respond.

Joe Miller I’m actually a little more stumped by. Yes, he’s Ellie’s husband, so I would hate for him to be the killer. However, part of what makes me suspicious of him is that he’s so mysterious. We barely know anything about him and half of the show is over. I’m also suspicious of him because he’s Tom’s father, and so far I haven’t seen anyone else Tom speaks to. If Tom knows something, I’m guessing so does his father. And if Tom wasn’t big enough to pull off the murder, maybe his father was. We also know that it was someone close to Danny that murdered him. Well, who better than his friend’s Dad then? I’m definitely keeping an eye on this guy.

Mark Solano (Danny’s father) (13%)

Activity:

• Prints were on Danny’s flip phone, but he did touch it when Jack brought it to the Solano house.
• Beth told him she is pregnant. He said he wanted to keep it.
• When Jack was being threatened by an angry mob, Mark told the mob to go home and told Jack to leave Gracepoint.
• Burning boat was not Mark’s boat. His was still in the marina under close watch.
• Attacked a reporter taking pictures through the window of the Solano house and smashed his camera.
• Was upset to find out Paul had put a picture of Danny up by the church. Told Beth he wanted nothing to do with Paul, who was trying to get between them.
• Found out about Dean and Chloe’s relationship and told Beth.
• Had a dream about Danny soaking wet and crying in his bedroom closet. Woke up crying.
• Went in the bathroom to text Vince: Need help. I was with you Thursday night.
• Told police he had been confused because of everything going on, and that the job he said was Thursday night was actually Wednesday and that he was fixing a boiler. Said he went out with Vince Thursday.
• Told police he did a job at the Harvey Ridge Hut a couple weeks prior (fixing a burst pipe). Offered to get paperwork as proof, but said he’s not very organized. Said he got the call and key from Susan and did job alone. Susan said she never gave him keys and a pipe had never burst up there.
• Owned a boat. Police found blood in it. Told the police the blood was Danny’s, but was from when he went out fishing with Danny and Chloe a couple weeks prior and Danny cut his foot on a hook.
• Vince caught lying about being with Mark Thursday. When Mark refused to say where he really was, he was arrested for obstructing the investigation.
• Plumbing van had red stains in it, along with a large hunting rifle.
• Tom told police that Danny said Mark hit Danny.
• Arrest on Mark’s record for a bar fight ten years prior. No charges pressed.
• Family Liaison Officer reported that Mark confronted Paul.
• Gemma told police Mark was with her Thursday night, having sex. Mark was released. Said he did not tell police because did not want gossip to get out and hurt his family. Said it was the first time he ever cheated. Asked police not to tell Beth.
• Beth asked him if he killed Danny. Mark reacted with hurt and shock, and left the house.
• Felt Danny’s death was in some way a punishment for his infidelity and told Gemma their affair was a mistake. She kissed him, then told him to go home.
• Gave DNA and fingerprints to police for elimination purposes.
• Along with Beth, made a list of people who might have killed Danny. List was entirely made up of their friends.
• After seeing Paul’s statement on TV, Mark found him, shoved him, and told him to stay away from his family.
• His fingerprints were the only set besides Danny’s found in the Harvey Ridge hut (by the sink).
• EVENTS OF THURSDAY NIGHT
• Thursday at 10:32pm: Security camera at clifftop lookout captured image of Mark’s station wagon in the parking lot nearby. Mark was standing next to it. Carver said he appeared to be waiting for someone. Was not out on a job Thursday night. Power outage stopped the camera footage from 10:38pm to 2:10am (knocked out power on every street South of Main Street).
• When Carver asked again, said that he was out on a job on Thursday starting at 9pm. When caught in his lie, reacted defensively, but then told Carver he was actually out with a friend. Friend picked him up at the parking lot and dropped him back later. He got home around 4am. Said he did not remember his friend’s name and Beth was asleep when he got home.
• Ellie reported that Thursday night, Mark was out on an emergency plumbing call and got home around 3am. When Beth asked, Mark repeated that he was working.
• Per Beth, he “always” checked on Danny before going to bed, but he did not do so on Thursday night.
• EVENTS OF FRIDAY
• Asleep in bed early Friday morning.
• Asked to see body to confirm it was Danny. Once there, he apologized to Danny for not being able to protect him.
• Said that Danny didn’t kill himself.

Now, as far as I’m concerned, yes there were a lot of fishy things behind Mark’s story initially, but now that they’ve come to light and he has an official alibi, I don’t believe he’s a suspect anymore. I think we heard enough about Mark the first few episodes. I’m pretty certain that he’s not Danny’s killer.

Vince Novik (Mark’s plumbing apprentice) (9%)

Activity:

• Rounded up a lynch mob and went to Jack’s house. Mark told them to go home.
• Clogged his own sink to keep Mark busy, then offered to cook for the Solano family. Mark tried to give him $60, but Vince said he’d rather talk about a real promotion after everything had calmed down.
• Witnessed Jack attack Owen. Later told Mark what he saw and heard.
• Susan told Vince they needed to talk and work “this” out. Vince said he wanted nothing to do with her.
• Has a skateboard and longboard shop as a side business.
• When Tom visited Vince to get his skateboard fixed, Vince asked him if Ellie has solved the case and if she knew where Tom was. When Tom said no to both questions, Vince shut the shop door.
• After a text from Mark asking for help, told police he was with Mark Thursday night. Said they met at the lookout and had beers and food at Harpoon’s Bar & Grill. Said he got home around 1am (though didn’t really check time).
• His mother told Ellie he was with her Thursday night and only left to get her cough medicine around 10pm. She has dementia but Ellie said she seemed pretty clear on that.
• Plumbing van had red stains in it, along with a large rifle.
• Late picking Mark up for work Friday morning in plumbing van, which he had been borrowing.

As with Paul Coates, I don’t see a motive for Vincent to have killed Danny. He certainly seems unhappy with Mark quite a lot of the time, but I can’t see that driving him to commit murder. Then again he doesn’t really have a solid alibi, as his mother has dementia. The red stains on the van and the rifle are also a cause for suspicion. His act of pulling together a mob to attack Jack Reinhold could also be seen as a way to divert attention from himself. So, he is definitely a person to watch, but again, I can’t figure out a motive for him.

Susan Wright (resident) (9%)

Activity:

• Kathy told Ellie that Susan threatened her.
• Suggested Tom come by her trailer and walk her dog sometime after he stopped to pet it. When he told her his name, she realized he was Ellie’s son.
• Watched as Owen discovered his Dad’s boat was missing.
• Asked about a job at the Inn. Noted that Carver was staying there. Gemma said nothing was available, but gave Susan an application.
• Gemma told Kathy that when she processed Susan’s job application, the social security number was associated with the name Ruth Erlick.
• When Susan was confronted by Kathy about her other name, she threatened Kathy. Susan said she knew men who would rape her if she didn’t stop asking questions.
• Told Carver she had never seen Pierson in her life.
• When Carver confronted her over lying about Mark fixing the pipe in the Harvey Ridge Hut, she replied, “Did I?”
• Told Vince he was coming to dinner with her, and that they needed to talk and work “this” out. He said he wanted nothing to do with her.
• Bought a live chicken for dinner and broke its neck to kill it. Laid out dinner with flowers and wine in her trailer. When no one showed up by 8:25pm, gave the other plate to her dog.
• Told Ellie and Carver, “You oughta find who you’re looking for. Don’t want another kid dead.”
• Told police that contrary to what Mark said, there was no burst pipe in the Harvey Ridge Hut. Said she and Park Service are the only ones with keys, and she last cleaned the hut ten days prior.
• Carver saw Susan walking her dog on the cliffs when he was walking near the crime scene.
• Had keys to the Harvey Ridge hut because she cleans it. Carver asked for the keys and she lent them to him.
• A skateboard was locked in a closet in her trailer. Her dog barked at it.
• Out walking her dog Friday morning.
• Stood watching at crime scene with her dog.

I think that Susan Wright with her strange ways, and her rather off-putting attitude is ripe for suspicion. Suspicion surrounds her like a fog. But, is it suspicion for Danny’s murder? That I’m not sure of. She certainly has the aggression to carry out such an act, as we saw in her dealings with Kathy. However, she wasn’t especially close to Danny, and as I’ve said with other people, I don’t see any motive for her to have killed him. I could possibly understand, however, if it was an accident that she was trying to cover up. She certainly is an odd bird. But, then again you need one of those in every television show and town. My verdict is that she’s not the killer, just a strange old woman who probably has a lot of other facts about her life hidden.

Emmett Carver (Lead Detective) (3%)

Activity:

• Assured Ellie that Rosemont was different – a big mistake was made. He said they will not let the Solanos down.
• Propositioned Gemma. She refused.
• Divorced. Used to live in Rosemont near ex-wife’s family. Has one daughter, who is 17 and lives with her mother.
• Called daughter Julianne and left her a message.
• Collapsed at the Inn. Gemma found him and he was taken to the hospital. Begged Gemma not to tell anyone so he could stay on the case. Cut his head in the fall, but lied to Ellie about how it happened.
• Almost passed out when chasing Dean.
• Got pills delivered to him at the Inn.
• Called someone named Julianne and listened to the voicemail greeting (young, female voice). Hung up without leaving a message.
• Theorized Danny’s body was moved by boat, which would leave no tracks.
• His doctor told him he had to avoid all stress and pressure if doesn’t want to die. Carver refused to give up the case, saying it is “penance.”
• Renee accused him of being at fault for the Rosemont case falling apart. The young girl, Nina, died and her mother doesn’t have justice because of Carver.
• Thought the $500 in Danny’s room was linked to the drugs, which in turn played a role in Danny’s death.
• Hugo brought Carver piece of paper with a telephone number (707-555-0109) that Evidence Control found in the lining of Danny’s sweatshirt. Carver was furious they didn’t find it earlier.
• Walked the cliffs near the crime scene, tracing Danny’s route to the observation point.
• Was rude towards Renee, who he remembered from Rosemont.
• Appeared to have some sort of attack (near collapse) at work. Gave himself an injection, which seemed to help.
• Picture of a little girl wearing a pendant in Carver’s wallet.
• Took pills in his hotel room.
• Renee said he fumbled the Rosemont investigation, which revolved around three young girls who had disappeared, after which he basically vanished himself.
• Raymond told him, “She says she forgives you. About the pendant.”
• Recently moved to work in the Gracepoint Police department. Lead detective on Danny’s case.
• Got a call about beach crime scene Friday morning.
• Muttered “Don’t do this to me” upon seeing Danny’s body.
• Initially believed Danny’s death to be result of abduction. Security camera footage later suggested otherwise.
• The Gracepoint Police Chief suggested Carver leave Danny’s case due to whatever happened in Rosemont. Carver said he was exonerated in Rosemont.

Honestly, I don’t even know why Emmett Carver is included on the list of suspects for this show. I don’t buy for a minute that he could possibly be the killer. That’s all I have to say.

Jack Reinhold (wildlife recorder/group) (2%)

Activity:

• Prints were on Danny’s flip phone, but he did claim to have found it.
• Ellie said she thought Jack was too old to have moved the body down the coast, even with a boat. Carver suggested he may have had an accomplice.
• Per Owen’s research, Jack pled guilty to the statutory rape charge. Had no alibi for the night of Danny’s death. Had close ties to Danny through the Wildlife Club and had Danny’s flip phone in his possession. However, there was no sexual element to Danny’s death.
• Told Carver he never hurt a single child, including Danny.
• Told Carver that Ellie should tell Owen “he’d better watch his self.”
• Dean told Owen and Renee that when Dean was in Wildlife Club as a kid, Jack was always putting his arm around the boys, especially when in their bathing suits. Dean recalled four or five times Jack put a hand on him, and handed over the numbers of three friends who could support his story.
• Owen told Renee, Chloe, and Dean that Jack never put his hands on him when he was in Wildlife Club. He refused to report on any more of Jack’s story.
• Told the police he was a piano teacher and the girl he was said to have raped was his student. He loved her. There were no boys involved, and they had a mutual attraction and relationship. She was only one month shy of 17, the legal age, but her father found out and called the cops. Jack served two years. He later married her – she was eighteen, and he was forty.
• Told Mark about the relationship with his student. They had a son together, but he died at nine years old in a car accident and the grief tore Jack and his wife apart. Afterwards, he came to Gracepoint to make a new start.
• Ran the Wildlife Club because he missed his son.
• Someone vandalized Jack’s shop, breaking the window and spray painting “pedophile” on the dock outside.
• Unable to cope with the accusations and attention, Jack drowned himself in the sea.
• Owen discovered Jack was in prison for a conviction of sex with a minor before he came to Gracepoint.
• Jack told the police that his previous conviction had nothing to do with Danny, and he was not a sex offender. Said the trial was a farce. Came to Gracepoint to get away from all of that. Per Jack, there have been no complaints during his 20 years in Gracepoint.
• Not on the sex offender registry because his conviction occurred before the registry existed.
• Said he last saw Danny for his shift at the Wildlife Club, a full day before his body was found. Said he was “in on his own” reading a book the night Danny died.
• Owen confronted Jack, who freaked out and grabbed Owen by the collar.
• Brought Danny’s missing flip phone to Mark and Beth, saying he found it in one of the kayaks. Insisted that he did not hurt Danny.
• Ellie learned there was a similar case about the death of a child on the cliffs at Cannon Beach in Oregon 15 years ago. At the time, Jack was living in Arch Cape, 5 miles away.
• Had a box of photos, including one of him and Danny. Burned some of the photos, including that one.
• Confirmed to Carver that Pierson was the backpacker he saw talking with Danny.
• Told Renee he doesn’t talk to the press.
• Told police he saw Danny with a young backpacker a couple weeks before at around 7:30am on the cliff by Osprey Point. The two were talking, and Danny appeared interested. Jack only saw them from a distance, but the man was medium height with a bandana, hiker boots, and big pack. Carver reported that no one else within view of Osprey Point saw the backpacker.
• Told Beth that Danny did not show up for Wildlife Club Friday morning.
• The kids in Wildlife Club took turns going out with Jack to record wildlife sightings.
• Told police that he assumed Danny was sick when he was not at Wildlife Club. Said Danny had never missed a morning before.
• When asked, said he is not married.

I put Jack Reinhold under the same category as Susan Wright, one of those strange people that live in a town that everyone wants to blame. I don’t for one minute think the he actually killed Danny, though, especially after last week’s episode. I think he loved those kids too much to have killed one of them. They’ve become his replacement for his dead son. After learning that information, I would definitely say he has no motive for killing Danny. Sadly, it doesn’t exactly matter if he’s exonerated now, since he killed himself. That was definitely a painful moment in the show for me. I really felt for him, and his death feels as tragic as Danny’s. Nope, I don’t think he killed Danny Solano.

Beth Solano (Danny’s mother) (2%)

Activity:

• Told Mark she is pregnant.
• Confronted Gemma about the affair. She told her never to come near her family again.
• Said she hated the baby growing inside of her. She said Danny should be the one growing.
• Woke Ellie up in the middle of the night to ask her about Mark. Told Ellie she saw Mark with Gemma. Ellie said to talk to him. Ellie and Beth noticed Paul standing in the church doorway.
• Decided to tell Renee her story for an article.
• Ran track in high school, planned for college but then got pregnant with Chloe.
• Asked Tom for a hug. Said she missed Danny’s hugs.
• Told Mark she knew about his affair with Gemma.
• Told Mark she wanted a memorial service for Danny. Mark disagreed.
• Told Ellie she met Pierson three weeks prior when he came into the Visitor’s Center during her Wednesday shift. He smelled like propane and asked about campgrounds in the area and hunting permits. He struck her as civil but strange. He noticed the picture of Danny and Chloe on her desk and asked if they were her kids, then said she had a beautiful family.
• Confirmed to police that Mark told her he was working Thursday night.
• Told Chloe she should not say anything in front of their Family Liaison Officer as he is “their spy.” Told her that if necessary, they must “lock it down” and only trust each other. She implied that they might even have to exclude Mark.
• Asked Mark if he killed Danny. He reacted with hurt and shock, and left the house.
• Saw Mark and Gemma kissing near the Inn.
• Confirmed to police that Mark told her he was working Thursday night.
• Gave DNA and fingerprints for elimination purposes.
• Along with Mark, made a list of people who might have killed Danny. List was entirely made up of their friends
• Told Paul she is pregnant. Said that she had not told anyone else, including her family.
• Asleep in bed early Friday morning.
• Left home Friday morning to go to Danny’s Field Day at school. Learned he did not show up.
• When she heard about body on beach, went there and realized it was Danny.
• Ellie reported that Thursday night, Beth and Chloe watched TV and did not leave the house until morning. Beth said she checked on Danny just before 9pm – he was in bed reading.

Here is another person that I can’t really believe was listed as a suspect on the website. I have no doubt in my mind that Beth Solano is not Danny’s killer. She’s shown absolutely no signs at all, and seems truly bereaved by his passing.

Dean Iverson (Chloe’s boyfriend) (2%)

Activity:

• Accused Jack of pedophiliac behavior when Dean was in the Wildlife Club.
• Per Chloe, is a good guy and is getting his GED while working at his uncle’s restaurant at night and on the docks during the day.
• Chloe told the police Dean got the drugs for her as a favor, although he didn’t want to.
• Has been with Chloe for four months.
• Will turn 18 in August. Has plans to go to college. Grew up in Gracepoint.
• Fled Ellie and Carver when they came to the docks to question him about the drugs. They chased him down. Said he was running because he didn’t want to talk to them.
• Said he hardly knew Danny. Said the drugs were not connected to the $500 in Danny’s room.
• Got the drugs from a fellow dock worker, Mickey Felton. Said he only did it once, for Chloe.
• Felton confirmed he sold Dean cocaine once. He said Danny came with Dean to get the cocaine, and the two of them were fighting.
• Told Carver and Ellie he didn’t fight with Danny a lot. Said Danny was always lonely and would ask him to hang out. When Dean was driving to get the cocaine, he saw Danny on the highway and picked him up to give him a ride home. When he stopped for gas, Danny stole a crossword book and pen. Dean was angry and telling Danny not to steal when Felton saw them.
• Gas station security tape confirmed Dean’s story about the theft. Uncle confirmed he was working in the restaurant Thursday night.
• Released after story and alibi were confirmed. Refused to give DNA & fingerprints. Angrily accused the police of being racist.
• Got the cocaine for Chloe, who didn’t give him up to the police.
• Went with Chloe to beach crime scene to leave stuffed chimp toy.

As Dean has a pretty strong alibi for the night of the murder, I’m going to say he’s not the killer.

Owen Burke (reporter, Ellie’s nephew) (2%)

Activity:

• Renee convinced Owen to co-write a story about Jack, but someone at the Globe rewrote the final piece, skewing how Jack was portrayed.
• Told Renee, Chloe, and Dean that Jack never put his hands on him when he was in Wildlife Club. Refused to report on any more of Jack’s story.
• Tried to get back some of the furniture that was repossessed from his mother, but could not afford it.
• His father’s boat was missing from the marina. Owen reported the theft to the police. Hugo said the boat was a likely match for the burned boat.
• Slept with Renee.
• Found out that before coming to Gracepoint, Jack was in prison for a conviction of sex with a minor. Owen confronted Jack, who freaked out and grabbed Owen by the collar.
• Was upset that Renee did not tell him about her exclusive with Beth, which he saw for the first time in the SF Globe.
• Told Ellie his Mom missed her support group and cleaned out his bank account.
• Renee went to Owen’s apartment to see if he was ok. She ended up coming in to drink with him.
• Bank account had overdraft of $1011.
• Renee said if he helped her out, she would share bylines with him and make sure he got paid.
• Headed over to check out beach crime scene when heard about it Friday morning.
• Saw Chloe and Dean leaving stuffed chimp at beach and guessed victim was Danny. Got Ellie to imply that was correct and sent out message from Gracepoint Journal social media account identifying Danny.

Owen has definitely made some bad decisions during his time on this television show, but I don’t think that makes him a killer. I would agree with the majority on this one. I don’t think Owen could have killed Danny. I’m almost positive in fact that he’s innocent, despite his father’s boat turning up missing from the dockyard.

Chloe Solano (Danny’s sister) (1%)

Activity:

• Overheard Beth tell Mark about the pregnancy. She told Mark she wanted Beth to keep it.
• She was upset about the low press coverage around Danny’s case.
• Told Ellie that Dean got the cocaine for her.
• Has been with Dean for four months.
• Told Mark she knew about him and Gemma. She figured it out from the way they acted together.
• Texted Gemma asking her to come forward with alibi for Mark if she knew where he was.
• Carver told her she had one day to tell him who gave her the cocaine.
• Gave DNA and fingerprints to police for elimination purposes.
• CSI found small bag of cocaine under floorboard in her room. Chloe asked Ellie not to tell her parents. Said Gemma gave it to her and Danny had nothing to do with it.
• Said she didn’t know anything about the money found taped to Danny’s bed.
• Dean got the cocaine for Chloe to give to Gemma.
• Was at home with her parents Friday morning.
• Ellie reported that Thursday night, Beth and Chloe watched TV and did not leave the house until morning.
• After hearing about Danny’s death, went to crime scene at beach with Dean. Left stuffed chimp toy there.
• After hearing about Danny’s death, went to crime scene at beach with Dean. Left stuffed chimp toy there.

As Chloe was with her mother on the night of Danny’s death, and I definitely don’t think Beth is the killer, I’d have to say that Chloe is also not under suspicion in my books of being the killer. I would give her the same defense as I gave her mother. I just don’t think she would be capable of doing the deed.

Ellie Miller ( 2^nd detective) (1%)

Activity:

• Sara told Ellie she saw something the night of Danny’s murder, but that Ellie would have to lend her $1000 to find out what it was. Ellie refused.
• Hugo asked Ellie out for a drink. She reminded him that she is happily married and declined.
• Ellie told Carver they had to solve the case, because she couldn’t let the Solanos down.
• First met Joe at work. He was a paramedic and she worked for the police.
• Decided to release Pierson’s photo to the park service.
• Invited Carver to dinner after Joe suggested it.
• Told Carver she did not believe the Solanos would hurt Danny.
• Friday: First day back at work after vacation. Learned that Carver was given position she was promised.
• Got called about beach crime scene Friday morning and headed there.
• Said her son Tom was best friends with Danny.
• Accidentally implied the victim was Danny when talking with Owen.
• Confirmed that Danny owned a cell phone (he would text her son Tom).

If the writers really wanted to screw with the audience, they would make Ellie the killer. I have a hard time believing she is, what with her being a detective on the case, but it would make for good drama. Do you think it could be her? I personally don’t. She seems too genuine to me. We know too much about her for her to hide something this huge. She’s practically an open book when it comes to her emotions and her thoughts about the case.

Gemma Fisher (Crestview Inn owner) (1%)

Activity:

• Beth confronted Gemma about her affair with Mark. She told her never to come near her family again.
• Carver propositioned Gemma. She refused.
• When she processed Susan’s job application, the social security number was associated with the name Ruth Erlick.
• Found Carver when he collapsed at the Inn and went to hospital with him. He begged her not to tell anyone so he could stay on the case.
• Told Carver she takes antidepressants.
• Told police Mark was with her Thursday night, having sex.
• Mark felt Danny’s death was in some way a punishment for his infidelity and told her their affair was a mistake. She kissed him, then told him to go home.
• Inn was suffering from cancellations as a result of Danny’s murder.
• Told Ellie she initially asked Chloe for cocaine to give to a couple of tourists staying at the Inn. The couple left before the cocaine arrived, so Gemma gave it back to Chloe. Chloe told Gemma she got the drugs from a male friend, who was not a dealer but knew where to find it.
• Agreed to give DNA and fingerprints to police for elimination purposes.

As Gemma Fisher has a pretty solid alibi for the night of the murder, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say she’s not the killer.

Hugo Garcia (CSI on case) (1%)

Activity:

• CSI found three cigarette butts around Danny’s body. Hugo told Carver and Ellie that they hadn’t washed away, so were dropped on the beach Friday morning. All the same brand, high tar content.
• Reported to Ellie that Owen’s father’s boat was a likely match for the burned boat.
• Asked Ellie out for a drink. She reminded him that she is happily married and declined.
• Reported that the found boat was doused in gasoline and that strands of hair matching Danny’s were found in its wood grain.
• Brought Carver piece of paper with a telephone number (707-555-0109) that Evidence Control found in the lining of Danny’s sweatshirt. Carver was furious they didn’t find it earlier.
• With team, found $500 in cash taped under Danny’s bed and bag of cocaine in Chloe’s room under a floorboard.
• With team, found a tiny smudge of blood with a match for Danny’s fingerprint by the door of the Harvey Ridge hut and kid’s size 6 sneaker prints outside. Only other footprints were from dog walkers and CSI team. Whole place was scrubbed clean, and CSI concluded it was the murder site.
• Concluded that Danny did not fall or jump from cliff based on evidence on cliff beach. Rockfall around body was faked. Suspected someone wanted to make it look like an accident and that Danny was never on cliff.

Hugo is another person listed as a suspect that kind of baffles me. It doesn’t appear that he even knew Danny. So, where’s the motive for him? Nowhere. He’s definitely not Danny’s killer.

Kathy Eaton (Gracepoint Journal editor) (1%)

Activity:

• Told Ellie that Susan threatened her.
• Told Ellie that when the Solano family was ready to talk, they should come to the Gracepoint Journal.
• Not happy about Owen’s relationship with Renee.
• Found out from Gemma that Susan had another name. When Susan was confronted by Kathy, she threatened Kathy with rape if she kept asking questions.
• Started a condolence book for Danny.
• Would not let Renee set up a work station in her newsroom.
• Made Owen apologize to police about releasing Danny’s name on social media. Declared the Journal would cooperate with police moving forward.

Kathy is yet another person who I am almost positive didn’t kill Danny. She doesn’t seem to have been incredibly close with him or his family, unless you count Owen, and therefore has no motive. I’d say it’s safe to rule her out.

Lars Pierson (backpacker) (1%)

Activity:

• Police were checking campgrounds a hundred miles in each direction and park service put up photos, but no one had seen Pierson.
• Ellie released Pierson’s photo to the park service.
• He is an Afghan war veteran who left service with a general discharge.
• Lives in a cabin outside Palmerton, but has not been seen by neighbors in over a month. County Sheriff would not allow the Gracepoint police to search the cabin without a court order. Judge didn’t think they had reasonable cause.
• His cell number was written on the paper found in Danny’s jacket.
• Jack confirmed Pierson is the backpacker he saw talking with Danny.
• Beth told Ellie she met Pierson three weeks prior when he came into the Visitor’s Center during her Wednesday shift. He smelled like propane and asked about campgrounds in the area and hunting permits. He struck her as civil but strange. He noticed the picture of Danny and Chloe on her desk and asked if they were her kids, then said she had a beautiful family.
• Renewed a prescription for Risperidone, an anti-psychotic, eight months prior.

Here is a mysterious figure that I’m sure the police would love to blame for Danny’s murder. However, as I said before it doesn’t make sense on a television show so focused on someone close to Danny being the killer to make the killer someone from out of town. It just doesn’t have the kind of drama attached to it. I’m of the notion that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. His outsider status is what makes Ellie want him to be the murderer. I highly doubt it, though.

Renee Clemons (San Francisco Globe journalist) (1%)

Activity:

• Convinced Owen to co-write a story about Jack, but someone at the Globe rewrote the final piece, skewing how Jack was portrayed.
• Slept with Owen.
• Got an exclusive with Beth Solano. Owen was upset she did not tell him about it. He saw it for the first time in the SF Globe.
• Saw Ellie comforting Owen about his mom.
• Went to Owen’s apartment to see if he was ok. Ended up coming in to drink with him.
• Said if Owen helped her out, would share bylines with him and make sure he gets paid.
• Accused Carter of being at fault for the Rosemont case falling apart. The young girl, Nina, died and her mother doesn’t have justice because of Carver
• When trying to talk her way into a work station in the Gracepoint Journal newsroom, lied and said she knew Kathy’s previous editor. Kathy still refused her the desk.
• Was on the Rosemont case and said Carver fumbled the investigation, which revolved around three young girls who disappeared.
• Gave Chloe back Danny’s stuffed chimp from the beach. Said she did not want it to get stolen. Gave Chloe her number and said to call whenever she or the family wanted to talk.
• Went to report on Danny’s murder against her editor’s instructions.

I think we can all agree that Renee isn’t the killer. She wasn’t even in the same town the night of the murder. Case closed.

Sarah Burke (Owen’s mother) (0%)

Activity:

• Told Ellie she saw something the night of Danny’s murder, but that Ellie would have to lend her $1000 to find out what it was. Ellie refused.

Sarah Burke appears to know something about the murder that she won’t tell Ellie. However, I don’t think she’s Danny’s murderer. Killing Danny would simply take too much work for her. She’s essentially too lazy to have killed Danny.

Source: www.suspecteveryone.com

So, those are my thoughts on each of the suspects. What are yours? Sound off below…

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