The Residence: Who killed A.B. Wynter? Details explored

Let's us get it off our chest right away: Lead detective Cordelia Cupp finally unmasked A.B. Wynter's killer in the finale.

'132 rooms, 157 suspects'- That was what Netflix's latest murder mystery, The Residence, started with. While it was difficult to narrow down the suspects, Cordelia finally deduced that it was Lilly Schumacher, the White House social secretary, who killed the Chief Usher during the Australian state dinner in the Yellow Oval room.

After Lilly brutally killed Wynter and concealed the murder weapon in the passageway, Bruce and Trippy Morgan subsequently moved his body, and he was finally found in the game room.

More on how and why Lilly Schumacher killed A.B. Wynter in The Residence in our story.

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How did Lilly Schumacher kill A.B. Wynter in The Residence?

While many 'interesting' people came under Cordelia's suspicion, it was finally revealed that Lilly Schumacher, the White House social secretary, murdered A.B. Wynter.

Many fans would not have seen it coming, because Lilly appeared to be this distzy, unaware character, and that is what made the big reveal shocking in The Residence finale.

By Episode 8, Lilly was hellbent on securing the passageway between the Yellow Oval room and the Treaty room to conceal her murder weapon. She did it in the guise of protecting the lead suspects, Elsyie and Bruce.

Lilly stole a toxic herbicide from Emily's gardening dish and mixed it in a glass with scotch to offer to Wynter as a form of peace treaty between the two. She called him into the Yellow Oval room and offered the scotch in the guise of a reconciliation, which Wynter cordially accepted. She then proceeded to bludgeon him with a clock, which she later hid in the concealed passageway.

Actor Giancarlo Esposito explained the scene to Netflix Tudum:

“A.B. accepts the drink because he’s cordial and appropriate. He did not expect at all that it could be laced. She’s presenting a peace offering. So he takes a drink with her — and that’s his undoing and his end. If he were still alive, he would be in shock that someone would do that.”

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Exploring Lilly's motives to kill A.B. Wynter in The Residence

While Lilly's reveal was shocking in The Residence finale, actress Molly Griggs discussed this revelation with Netflix Tudum:

“We played into how ridiculous she is — how foppish she can be and totally unaware of herself. It throws the scent off her because she’s so silly and entitled and bratty. You don’t think she would be capable of something so calculated and elaborate, or that she would have that kind of follow-through.”

The primary reason Lilly decides to kill Wynter in The Residence is because he was about to out her unprofessional behaviour to the Morgans. Not only was the Australian state dinner Lilly's fault, but she had been stealing money from the White House and using it to secure shady contacts.

A.B. Wynter, the perfect embodiment of the White House, had all of Lilly's unethical doings in his logs, which he was about to present to the Morgans. Thus, the social secretary killed him. In addition, Lilly had started to hate the White House to such an extent that she killed Wynter, the living embodiment of the house.

Also Read: The Residence was dropping hints all along—Here are the ones you probably missed

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