Happy Face Season 1 ending explained: Melissa uncovers the truth about Heather's killer

One of the most gripping crime shows, Happy Face Season 1 has finally come to an end with the disclosure of the person who murdered Heather Richmond. The show premiered in March 2025 and is about a woman called Melissa Reed.

Melissa lives a routine life as a makeup artist for a daytime TV show on the surface. Beneath the facade lies a secret. Her father is one of the world's most infamous serial killers, Keith Hunter Jesperson or the 'Happy Face Killer.'

Keith earned this nickname due to the smiley faces he used to sign his confession letters with in the 1990s. The man killed several innocent women, and ended up in prison.

The central plot in Happy Face begins when Melissa hears startling news: Her father, already convicted of multiple life terms for murdering eight women in various states, is eager to admit to a ninth murder. It is a crime no one knew he was involved in.

However, there is an eerie turn: Keith refuses to share any details unless he speaks to Melissa in person. This leads Melissa to again face the trauma she has been trying to forget and move on in her life.

At the same time, this new confession hints that someone else — an innocent man named Elijah — is sitting on death row for a crime he might not have committed. To find answers and who is the real killer, Melissa and Ivy Campbell, a producer from her talk show, begin to investigate the case.

Keep reading to explore how the drama unfolded and ended in Season 1.

---

Happy Face Season 1 ending explained: The real killer is finally exposed

All season long, the question of who murdered Heather Richmond hung over everyone's head and in the season finale, Melissa Reed discovers the heartbreaking answer.

With the help of Ivy, Melissa learns that her father, Keith Jesperson, made a false confession. Their lead? A high school letter jacket Heather wore in an old photograph has Cody O'Neill's number on it.

This takes the duo to Cody's dad, Carl O'Neill, who runs the local pub. A chilling find verifies their suspicions: Carl had used a portion of Heather's guitar as a tap handle for the bar, effectively concealing evidence in plain sight.

The truth comes out in Happy Face when Carl threatens Melissa at gunpoint. She secretly tapes his admission, which exposes that he cheated on Heather and murdered her in a fit of rage when she attempted to end the affair.

Carl's conscience gets the better of him, and he commits suicide shortly afterward. Consequently, Elijah who had been wrongly convicted of the crime, is eventually cleared. This serves not only to bring justice to Heather, but also tranquility to those who had lived with the burden of deception.

Also Read: Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light ending explained – Cromwell’s downfall and execution

---

Melissa’s last conversation with Happy Face ends their toxic ties

While Melissa is trying to find out the truth about who killed Heather, her father who is already in jail for killing several people, is in danger of facing his end. Melissa’s husband Ben had secretly planned to have Keith killed in prison.

However, just before that can happen, Keith has a heart attack and the plan can't be realised. This leads Melissa to meet her father at the hospital, but not to forgive him or make peace. She just wants to end their toxic father-daughter relationship for good and leave the past behind.

After learning the truth, Melissa calls out her father, or Happy Face, for pretending to be the killer of Heather Richmond only to gain all her attention and tie himself to her. Sadly, Keith Hunter Jesperson agrees with her daughter, and explains that he did this hoping it would make Melissa famous.

His daughter, however, sees through his manipulation and coldly tells him that being erased from her life is the punishment he deserves. After the conversation, Happy Face calls Ben and signals that he knew about the execution plan.

Now that Keith is alive and Ben's plan has failed, the serial killer hints that there might be consequences, the stage is set for more dangers and conflicts in the future.

---

Melissa's daughter finds her voice in the Happy Face Season 1 finale

Meanwhile, Melissa’s daughter Hazel faces her own emotional struggle. After being pulled into a controlling relationship with a boy named Josh, she finally stands up for herself. Thanks to the support from her mother.

After finally embracing her growth, Hazel calls Josh out in front of others and reclaims her independence and confidence. Meanwhile, Melissa begins to reimagine her life. With Heather’s case closed and her father cut off, she steps into a new role.

Melissa announces that she's leaving her job as a makeup artist and joining forces with Ivy to make true-crime content. This means that the woman will be able to channel her pain through a meaningful project.

However, not to forget Keith's call at the end, which hints that he might be planning something more sinister against him. Does this mean Keith's story is far from over? Well, only a potential Happy Face Season 2 can reveal the answer.

---

Also Read: Fire Country Season 3 finale ending explained: Leone family's survival remains unknown

Continue exploring SoapCentral for regular updates on TV series, films, and more!