Mare of Easttown has revived an HBO crime formula we haven’t seen since True Detective’s premiere season. Much like Rustin Cohle and Martin Hart’s 17-year murder investigation, Mare of Easttown is a whodunit that unfolds incrementally. On top of that, it’s a character study following Kate Winslet’s titular detective as her life crumbles and community constantly reminds her that she peaked in high school. Back to the murder mystery: who killed Erin McMenamin? It’s a question viewers have been dissecting week after week by looking for clues, crossing off potential culprits, and yelling “it’s the Deacon!” at their television screens. Fresh off episode 5, “Illusions,” we’ve ranked the show’s prime suspects in preparation for the limited series’ final episodes. (WARNING: Spoilers if you’re not caught up on Mare of Easttown…duh)
Cover Photo: HBO
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Mare Suspects
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9. Freddie Hanlon
Beth’s brother Freddie is a wild card. To support his opioid addiction, he even pretends to be holding Katie captive to extort money from her mother, Dawn. This is not to say he killed Erin as he’d have no motive and is just too much of a mess to hide evidence etc. However, he might’ve seen something important to the investigation and is just too afraid to go to the cops.
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8. Katherine and Steve Hinchey
Erin’s ex-boyfriend Dylan doesn’t seem nice. His parents, Katherine and Steve, seem really nice; caring for and willing to adopt Erin’s baby even after finding out it isn’t Dylan’s. Why? Are they just that nice and caring? No. Not on HBO. Erin and the Hincheys always seemed to be at each other's throats about the child’s expenses and that might just be the tip of the iceberg.
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7. Deacon Mark Burton
Deacon Mark Burton was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a young girl at a former church and has repeatedly lied about knowing Erin. A week ago, he seemed like the prime suspect. Now, against all odds, the show has made him sympathetic? A wrongly accused Deacon who was too afraid to tell the cops about giving Erin a ride the night of her murder because of his history? At this point, he’s basically in the clear. It’s too much of a cliché to accuse the cloth.
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6. Frank Sheehan
Mare’s ex-husband denied knowing his former student, Erin, before saying he had a “feeling” she may have had some things going on at home. We then find out that he lied, not only did he know her but he was giving her rides and buying baby supplies, etc. Why lie about that? Like Dylan, his paternity test came back negative so he’s not the father of Erin’s baby. So, who is? It doesn’t seem like it’s Frank anymore but something doesn’t quite add up. It’s as if everyone is in on some sort of secret besides Mare.
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5. Father Dan Hastings
If it’s going to be any holy many, it’s going to be Father Dan (who’s also Mare’s cousin). It’d be a late-game twist to be sure as there's absolutely no reason to suspect him.
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4. Dylan Hinchey
Erin’s dickhead ex-boyfriend. Despite having more than a few motives, we let him off the hook after Erin’s father shot him in the back. However, in episode 5, we find out he’s burning Erin’s diaries? On top of that, he basically threatens his current girlfriend when she asks about it. Even if he didn’t kill her, Dylan definitely knows something and Erin's friend, Jess, is helping him by lying to the cops (and pocketing evidence?).
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3. Lori Ross
Lori is Mare’s best friend and has been ridiculously supportive throughout. Her husband, John (who appears to be having affairs), and his brother Billy, seem like better suspects but something is going on with her. In episode 5, she even seems to out Billy as a suspect. The Ross family has become more suspicious every episode and a shocking last-minute reveal with Lori at the center of it all isn’t off the table.
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2. Billy and/or John Ross
These two are cousins to Erin’s dad, Kenny. In episode 5, the Katie Bailey case is solved, meaning Erin’s murder is unrelated. Also, when Lori pressures Billy about the time Erin spent living with him, the dude damn near shit himself. Could he be the father? It’s worth noting that Mare couldn’t take her eyes off his beer bottle and may use it for a paternity test. Furthermore, Lori is throwing John out of the house for affairs, and their son, Ryan, is keeping a secret that is tearing him apart. Erin most likely got caught in the middle of the Ross family’s madness. She needed money for her baby’s ear surgery, and she may have confronted/blackmailed them to get it.
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1. Richard Ryan
The new-to-town novelist who hooks up with Mare and continues to court her. As the person completely outside of Mare’s Easttown circle, Richard is the creme de la crème of suspects. Is his interest in Mare, a detective, some kind of twisted game? He is a writer, after all, they’re a demented bunch. At this point, he’s become Mare of Easttown's butler, with or without a candlestick—the person we least suspect (more so than Father Dan). One does not simply cast Guy Pearce in a supporting, love interest role. Aside from Winslet, he's the biggest name on the call sheet...it's probably not him but this would be fun.
