Only Murders in the Building kicked off season 5 with a three-episode debut. The season follows Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, as they investigate the death of their doorman, Lester. Although the death is ruled an accident, the appearance of a human finger leads the trio to believe that it was anything but.
Season 5 introduces a plethora of new characters, including ones played by Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, and Christoph Waltz, with many having the potential to be the season’s murderer. As the murder took place right outside The Arconia, the killer could easily be someone who lives in the building, but after finding a secret casino room in the basement, the show opens up a brand-new set of suspects. From tech billionaires to global pop stars, the show has set up many characters who could possibly be the killer in this season of Only Murders in the Building.
Here are 8 potential murder suspects in Only Murders in the Building season 5 so far.
Jay Pflug
Jay Pflug, played by Logan Lerman, is a billionaire who inherited a pharmaceutical company at a young age. In the third episode, he was revealed to have played at the casino the night of Lester’s murder. He also recently lost his finger, and although the trio perceived that the finger they found in episode 1 was his, the end of episode 4 revealed that it actually wasn’t his finger. Jay was also present with Nicky Caccimelio, who was likely murdered around the same time as Lester, during the casino night, making him a potential suspect in Lester’s death.
What Are the Billionaires Hiding?
Not only does Jay’s presence on Arconia grounds make him a likely suspect of the killing of Lester, but he is also clearly hiding what actually happened on the night of Lester’s death. In the fourth episode, it is revealed that once Charles, Oliver, and Mabel signed a contract for a podcast deal, they became unable to talk about Jay, as well as Bash Steed and Camila White, in their podcast as potential suspects. This act raises many red flags about his potential contribution to Lester’s death, putting him high up on the suspect list.
Bash Steed
Bash Steed, played by Christoph Waltz, is a tech billionaire who focuses on extending his life through AI assistance. Similar to Jay, it was also revealed that he was present in the underground casino on the night of Lester’s death. He also plans to sue Charles, Oliver, and Mabel for libel if his name is spoken as a potential suspect in the Lester case. Someone wouldn’t be so threatened by their name being spoken on their podcast unless they have something to hide, making Bash a likely suspect for the murder.
The Way Bash Uses a Cleaver Is Suspicious
Bash helps Charles make dinner when they officially meet for the first time, and uses a cleaver to cut up the food. A cleaver was found in Nicky’s body, making it the likely murder weapon. Because of this, Charles keeps an eye on how Bash uses the cleaver. Bash is extremely animated in the way he cuts the food with the cleaver, almost appearing like he had never used one before. Known for his theatrics and charisma, Bash cutting the food this way could be a good way to get Charles off his back. Especially since the show already revealed that Bash is a liar, faking how he uses a cleaver would make a lot of sense.
Camila White
Camila White, played by Renée Zellweger, is one of the three wealthiest people in the world due to her work in hospitality in New York City. Camila was also present with Jay and Bash at the casino during the night of Lester’s death, as well as being present with Nicky. Because she is likely in the exact same scenario as Jay and Bash, it makes her equally likely as a suspect of murder.
Jay, Bash, and Camila are Working Together
In episode 3, Jay, Bash, and Camila all attend a meet-up and dinner at Oliver’s to introduce themselves to the podcast trio while attempting to get their names off the suspect list. Each of the billionaires split up with Charles, Oliver, and Mabel and tell them the exact same story of what happened that night, which they believe almost instantly. It is later revealed that the three of them met up beforehand so they could all coordinate their story. Because the three of them likely lied about what happened the night of the murder, it puts them on the top of the suspect list.
Althea
Althea, played by Beanie Feldstein, is a global pop star who goes by the name “Thé.” She is also a childhood friend of Mabel, but the two were always envious of each other. Althea recently moved into the Arconia, close to the time of Lester’s death. While her whereabouts during the time of Lester’s death are currently unknown, the fact that she conveniently moved into the apartment building right around the time of another murder makes her a questionable person of interest.
Althea Could’ve Easily Been in the Casino During Lester’s Murder
The underground casino in the Arconia is mainly meant for wealthy people to attend and gamble their money. Because Althea is likely making tons of money due to her success as a pop star, it is extremely easy to see her being in attendance on the night of Lester’s murder. Althea being the murderer would also make sense as to why the billionaires are keeping their mouths shut about what happened that night, as Althea, if caught, would likely rope them into her schemes due to her likely major influence on the media.
Randall
Randall, played by Jermaine Fowler, is the new doorman who took over the position from Lester. Originally shadowing Lester for the job, he was immediately promoted due to Lester’s death. Randall acts as a mostly unknown character in the first couple of episodes, only appearing in a couple of brief scenes. Because he is a new character and there isn’t much to take away about him yet, he has to be viewed as a potential suspect.
Randall May Have Known About the Casino
Because Randall worked closely with Lester before his death, it is possible that he worked with him in the casino, which would put him near the crime scene. The fact that Randall worked with Lester, yet hadn’t said much about his whereabouts at the time of his death, is suspicious. Even though he has stated in many sequences that he is scared to take on the doorman position, there is a likely possibility that he is hiding something.
Mayor Tillman
Mayor Tillman, played by Keegan-Michael Key, plays the current mayor of New York City and one of the recent additions to the Only Murders in the Building cast. Only appearing in one episode of the season so far, he has already made an impression as the potential killer. His high status as mayor makes him a likely person to attend the underground casino nights at the Arconia, which would put him at the scene of the crime. While there is still a lot unknown about him, his mysterious nature easily makes him a potential suspect.
Mayor Tillman’s Thirst For Votes Gives Him the Perfect Motive
Mayor Tillman strangely attends Lester’s funeral, but it is later revealed that he did so in order to gain more votes for his upcoming election. Attending something like the funeral of a doorman he presumably “never met” shows that he is willing to go to lengths to maintain his campaign and win people’s votes. This attribute could mean that he killed Lester because he found out about something sketchy Tilman was doing to ensure an election victory. Knowing that killers always return to the scene of their crime, Mayor Tillman stands as an underrated suspect that more people should look out for.
The Caccimelio Brothers
The five Caccimelio brothers, Johnny, Tony, Vinny, Mikey, and Braden, were introduced in episode 1 of this season. Although they were initially portrayed as Italian mobsters in their first interaction with Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, they eventually reveal themselves to be up-and-coming actors. They have not made an appearance since their one sequence in episode 1, but the fact that the show is hiding them from the audience could mean that they are more than just the son of Nicky Caccimelio, but potential killers who were angry with Nicky’s role as a father.
Being Actors Is the Perfect Cover
The Caccimelio brothers brought a threatening presence when they were acting as Italian mobsters, making Charles, Oliver, and Mabel scared for their lives. Being actors would be the perfect cover-up for the brothers’ scheme, as they’ve shown that they can portray different types of people. Because the brothers are actors, they can easily mask who they truly are and no one would be able to tell the difference. According to the IMDb cast page, brothers Tony, Braden, and Johnny are set to appear in later episodes in the season, inferring that they may have a deeper role in the show than many anticipate.
Howard Morris
Howard Morris, played by Michael Cyril Creighton, is a hotel resident who has played a major role in nearly every season of Only Murders in the Building. Initially being the main suspect of Tim Kono’s murder, he has since evolved into a comic relief character and close friend of Charles, Oliver, and Mabel. Although it would be strange to see him betray the podcast trio so late in the series, it remains a possibility due to his vast knowledge of the hotel and his possible awareness of the underground casino.
Howard Hasn’t Seen Much Development Since the First Season
For a character that has stuck around for every season of the show, he hasn’t received much development. By making him a killer in season 5, it could spark a shocking twist that is unlike anything that the show has done so far while bringing newfound depth to his character. Michael Cyril Creighton delivers an excellent performance as Howard, displaying the friendship with Charles, Oliver, and Mabel beautifully while expressing some insane elements to his character. By giving Creighton a murderous role, it would allow him to stretch his acting ability while giving the show a twist that would shock audiences.
- Release Date
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August 31, 2021
- Network
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Hulu
- Showrunner
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John Hoffman
- Directors
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Jamie Babbit, John Hoffman, Cherien Dabis, Chris Koch, Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman, Adam Shankman, Don Scardino, Jesse Peretz, Jessica Yu, Jude Weng, Chris Teague
- Writers
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Ben Smith, Matteo Borghese, Rob Turbovsky, Kristin Newman, Madeleine George, J. J. Philbin, Ben Philippe, Kirker Butler, Jake Schnesel, Peter Swanson, Stephen Markley, Rachel Burger, Kenny Schwartz, Rick Wiener, Valentina Garza, Elaine Ko, Tess Morris, Kim Rosenstock, Sas Goldberg, Thembi Banks
