I recently started watching How to Get Away With Murder, and I’m only in Episode 10. There is a murder mystery to solve, and in this piece of writing, I’ll share some unverifiable hypotheses I have about Lila Stangard’s murder. I say inaccurately because I believe I am being absurd.
For those who haven’t seen the series, I’ll beg you to quit reading because I’ll be ruthless with the spoilers.
For those who have seen the series, I humbly request that you do not make fun of me. I will sob.
I’m kidding, but read with the openness of a literature teacher reading an exam answer.
Synopsis
How To Get Away With Murder is a thriller series about a criminal defence lawyer and law professor, Annalise Keating, who teaches college studies. She becomes entangled in a murder investigation with five of her students, and it affects their life.
Who is Lila Stangard?
The news of a missing girl and the poster I saw in the first episode of How To Get Away With Murder will be my earliest memories of Lila Stangard. At first look, Lila doesn’t appear to be a character who will develop the plot, but as you watch more, you’ll notice that she actually is the plot.
Sorority member Lila Stangard vanished at the start of the series but was later found dead. She was Rebecca Stutter’s acquaintance and the girlfriend of Griffin O’Reilly.
It’s unclear how Lily passed away. It’s one of those cases where the murderer is almost certainly present and right in front of us, but it’s challenging to identify them since everyone is a suspect. Playing the guessing game while watching a thriller is my favorite part. To unlock the overflowing intelligence I’m going to release, I’ll take you on this journey of guesses.
Now, if you’ve watched the series and you’re familiar with the killer(s), this might be a fun read. Please don’t make fun of me because my theories are unfounded and based only on suppositions and inferences.
Likely Suspects
The series provides us with a list of main Suspects, but I have my own list — some reasonable, and some ridiculous even to me. However, as Annalise Keating said, ‘it’s usually the ones you least expect.’
One thing thrillers teach you is not to put your faith in anyone. Everyone is a suspect — including the one in search of the killer.
Here’s my list of Suspects:
- Sam Keating
- Griffin O’Reilly
- Rebecca Sutter
- Annalise Keating
- Bonnie
- Frank
Sam Keating
Sam has every circumstantial evidence pointed at him as Lila’s killer. Given that he is married to one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the city, it is difficult to imagine he is a killer.
However, there are indicators that he did it such as dating Lila, getting her pregnant, being in Philadelphia instead of Yale the night she was murdered, and lying.
The man is a liar.
He denied dating Lila at first, then claimed he was unaware of her pregnancy when, in reality, he had taken her to an abortion clinic. He continues saying he didn’t kill when he is caught, but I know it’s costly to believe a consistent liar.
My theory is the same as almost everyone else in the series. Sam Keating killed Lila to hide his infidelity after learning that she wouldn’t terminate the pregnancy. Let’s say he’s telling the truth and that he didn’t kill her, but what if he actually did it with someone else?
Griffin O’Reilly
A godly young guy named Griffin O’Reilly convinces his fiancée to enter into a virginity pact with him. What happens when he realizes his girlfriend broke their agreement, betraying him? He possibly becomes so angry that he murders her, either on purpose or accidentally.
It checks out in my brain.
Either that, or Griffin finds out who Lila’s been having an affair with, possibly on the night she was killed, and he and Sam joined hands. This one doesn’t make sense to me.
Rebecca Sutter
Rebecca shouldn’t be a suspect, in my opinion. But even so, I won’t rule anything out for her because it’s usually the ones you don’t expect. You could tell from flashbacks how close Rebecca and Lila were. If Rebecca ends up being our murderer, it was either an accident or she liked Griffin
Or, what if there’s something she’s hiding from us?
How did she get Lila’s phone?
Annalise Keating
One of the best attorneys in Philly, someone who can do anything to win a case, Annalise is actually my second suspect.
My hypothesis is that she was aware of her husband’s extramarital affairs and the pregnancy from the beginning. She is an enigmatic woman, and don’t forget that she teaches a course on “How to Get Away with Murder.”
She probably killed Lila because she was upset, and she’s probably not a good person.
Besides, she’s kind of the brain behind looking for evidence against her husband. What if she’s doing all of this to conceal her crime? In her class, she mentions introducing a new suspect to divert attention from the main suspect, what if everything has been her plan all along?
Bonnie
You should look for motives in order to identify a murderer. What could possibly motivate someone to murder? I’m sure there should be a reason — other than the fact that they’re psychopaths.
Bonnie is the all-knowing secretary who either likes or dislikes her employer’s husband and is devoted to her boss. On the whole, it’s difficult to tell if she liked Sam.
There’s this scene where Bonnie tells on Nate, Annalise’s boyfriend who was trying to get dirt on Sam, in order to get evidence from the D.A’s office. When Annalise finds out, Bonnie says it’s for her. Annalise tells her that they both knew who she did it for. Although it seemed like it, I truly have no idea whether Bonnie liked Sam.
Why would Donnie kill Lila?
Two reasons:
- to help her boss
- to help her boss’s husband
She presumably learned about the pregnancy and killed Lila to defend her boss, her boss’s husband, or both, in my opinion. Bonnie would most likely do anything for her boss and Sam.
Frank
I dislike Frank. I simply do. Perhaps it has to do with him being a jerk and misogynistic.
There isn’t much evidence to suggest that Frank is the murderer, but he is the errand boy, right? What if Annalise requested him to carry out her usual filthy work?
Or Sam, though I wouldn’t place my money on that.
Maybe Frank has a motive that is yet to be revealed.
I didn’t include the Keating Five (Michaela, Wes, Asher, Laurel, and Connor) because I don’t know how they would have a relationship with Lila enough to kill her.
I really can’t tell if you’re laughing at my lazy theories, or if you think I’m smart. I hope it’s the latter.
I like to organize my suspicions, and someone right this time.
