'True Detective' season 3: Is the killer really hiding in plain sight? 5 suspects who fit the bill

Although you may think that it is too early to spot the killer, here are the five people we think could have killed Will and kidnapped Julie Purcell. 

'True Detective' season 3 is turning out to be twisted in more ways than one and the clues to the killer appear to be hidden in three different timelines. Now the internet is crawling with many different theories of cover-ups and misinformation and although you may think that it is too early to spot the killer, here are the five people we think could have killed Will and kidnapped Julie Purcell. 

1.   Margaret 

 



 

 

The neighborhood's friendly lady is one of the top suspects on the case. She was one of the first few people to see the kids cycling away in episode 1. She smiled and waved at Will and Julie as they passed by her house as she held onto a Halloween decorative pumpkin. The investigation had earlier revealed that the kids met with their abductor on Halloween while they were trick-or-treating and that's where they got the DIY dolls. Now it may just be a coincidence since many homes in the town were celebrating Halloween but is it really also a coincidence that Margaret was friends with the children's mum, Lucy Purcell? Moreover, when Hays and West go on to question the family, Margaret implied that she didn't really think that Lucy was a good mother. She also implied that she thought that the kids weren't happy in their home - making us very suspicious about her involvement in the kidnapping and possible murder. Clearly, Margaret wasn't happy about Lucy and Tom's toxic lifestyle. 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'Campus Drivers' has taken over the world by storm days after its premiere
2026-11-07T11:01:02.000Z
Episode 2 sets Dexter and Charley up as a fake couple while they plan their first kill together
2026-11-07T08:59:35.000Z
The sequel arrives 19 years after the haunted hotel room film grossed $132 million worldwide
2026-11-07T07:35:40.000Z
'Sheriff Country' and 'Fire Country' crossover forces Mickey and Manny to work together
2026-11-07T06:52:03.000Z
The teaser names a Nevada town and an exact date in 1955, while production heads to New Mexico
2026-11-07T05:54:40.000Z
The sitcom takes over the Wednesday slot that ‘Scrubs’ leaves when its second season wraps
2026-11-07T05:16:08.000Z
‘Nobody Wants This’ gets Season 4 renewal just weeks after the latest season’s release
2026-11-07T04:24:15.000Z
‘High Potential’ Season 3 will return nearly 9 months after Season 2 finale with special Super Bowl episode
2026-11-07T03:49:27.000Z
Here's what we know as ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ new spin-off gets pushed to the 2027-28 season after a tax credit setback
2026-11-07T03:23:46.000Z
Amazon's two-part docuseries follows Melania Trump's preparations for her return to the White House and the moments after the inauguration.
2026-11-06T17:33:16.000Z