Warning! Contains spoilers for Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.
Summary
A plausiblePresumed Innocenttheory suggests that the least suspicious character might actually be the biggest suspect in the show’s central murder mystery. Since its opening episode,Presumed Innocenthas presented several intriguing clues and potential red herrings to keep viewers guessing about the identity of the main killer. While some of the clues have suggested that Jake Gyllenhaal’s Rusty Sabich cannot be innocent, others hint that his enemies, like Tommy Molto, might have plotted the murder to get him out of the way.
Some intriguing details fromPresumed Innocentepisode 7’s endingpoint at Kumagai’s direction. Meanwhile, many story developments make it hard not to wonder if Barbara or Eugenia might have killed Carolyn out of jealousy. Almost allPresumed Innocentcharactersseem morally skewed, except for one. However, a convincing theory does not even leave him out of the long list of potential suspects.
Presumed Innocent Spoilers: Who Killed Carolyn Polhemus & The Book’s Biggest Reveals
Reading Scott Turow’s original novel could solve the case of who killed Carolyn Polhemus in Jake Gyllenhaal’s new crime drama, Presumed Innocent.
According To A Presumed Innocent Theory, Raymond Could Be The Killer
Raymond Has Been The Show’s Most Likable Character
Since the beginning of the Apple TV+ show, Bill Camp’s Raymond has been one of the most likable characters. He seemingly loves his wife and stands up for his friend Rusty through thick and thin. However, as a theory suggests, Raymond’s goody-goody demeanor might be a big red herring. The way Carolyn was found tied up after her murder confirms that the killer knew several unpublicized details about the Bunny Davis case. Given how Raymond was the state attorney during the Bunny Davis murder case, he must have had access to all the information surrounding it.
Presumed Innocent’s episode 1 reveals that Raymond knew details about Carolyn that even Rusty was unaware of.
Flashbacks throughoutPresumed Innocent’s runtime have also walked viewers through Rusty and Tommy’s relationship with Carolyn. Some story developments have also revealed the details of her relationship with her other co-workers. However,the show has almost been completely silent about Raymond and Carolyn’s relationship, suggesting it could be the biggest missing piece in the overarching puzzle. Raymond also suspiciously kept asking Rusty not to consider other suspects in the show’s early episodes, as if he feared Rusty would find the truth.
Presumed Innocent’s episode 1 revealsthat Raymond knew details about Carolyn that even Rusty was unaware of. For instance, during Carolyn’s funeral, he points out that she had a son, while Rusty wonders whether he even knew her at all. As Raymond’s sudden collapse inPresumed Innocent’s episode 6 suggests, he has also been a little too anxious about the case, almost as if he was the killer.
Raymond’s Potential Reason For Killing Carolyn Explained
Raymond’s Desperation For Power Might Have Driven Him
As righteous as Raymond may seem, the Apple TV+ show’s initial episodes highlight how he has always been desperate to hold his position of power. When he learns about Rusty’s affair with Carolyn, he even gets aggressive and blames Rusty for his election loss instead of empathizing with him. This could mean thatRaymond killed Carolyn because she threatened his political aspirations. A flashback highlights that Carolyn knew about the second DNA sample that was found on Bunny Davis after her murder. Rusty believes that she kept this new revelation a secret.
Since the second DNA sample confirmed that Reynolds might have been falsely accused of killing Bunny Davis, Carolyn likely wanted to make the revelation surrounding the case public.
However, it is possible that Carolyn went to Raymond and told him about Kumagai’s mistake and her oversight in the Bunny Davis case. Since the second DNA sample confirmed that Reynolds might have been falsely accused of killing Bunny Davis, Carolyn likely wanted to make the revelation surrounding the case public. However, since Raymond aspired to remain in power, he realized that a mistake of this degree under his leadership would taint his reputation and jeopardize his political career. Therefore, before Carolyn could do anything, Raymond killed her.
He probably did not know about Rusty’s relationship with her, which would explain why he started blaming Rusty for his loss in the elections. He also likely agreed to represent Rusty in courtto shield himself from suspicion. Since Rusty is his best friend, he might also have been guilty of the fact that Rusty and his family are suffering because of him.
Is Presumed Innocent Based On A True Story?
Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent has been praised for its character development and plot, making many wonder whether it might be based on a true story.
Revealing Raymond As The Killer Would Significantly Deviate The Show From The Movie
Raymond Is Not The Killer In The Original Movie
In the 1990 Harrison FordPresumed Innocentmovie, Raymond, too, had a brief affair with Carolyn before her death. However, unlike the show’s version, he does not represent Rusty in court.The movie’s ending also confirms that Carolyn was murdered by Rusty’s wife, Barbara, and Raymond had nothing to do with the crime. Owing to this, if Apple TV+‘sPresumed Innocentreveals Raymond as the killer, the show would be significantly different from the movie and the Scott Turow book it is based on.
Presumed Innocent
An eight-episode limited series based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.
