The penultimate episode of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building continued the trend of brilliance established throughout the season, delivering one of the most significant plot twists yet. While the last episode appeared to pinpoint the killer as Sazz’s protege, this latest installment introduced an even bigger surprise.
This episode revealed a shocking twist: contrary to what Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez), and Oliver (Martin Short) initially believed, the real murderer was not Glen Stubbins (portrayed by Paul Rudd in his second appearance in the series). Instead, it was unveiled that the stunt double referenced earlier was none other than Rex Bailey—though the name may not be familiar, his face certainly is.
The conclusion of this episode hinted at revealing the killer’s identity, but considering the unpredictable nature of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building, it’s premature to declare this a certainty.
Let’s take a closer look at Rex Bailey’s character and unravel whether he is indeed the suspect the trio has been pursuing throughout the season.
*Warning: Major spoilers for episode 9 of Only Murders in the Building season 4 ahead.
Episode 9 of Only Murders in the Building season 4: Who was Sazz’s protege?
Previously, it was disclosed that Sazz (Jane Lynch) had experienced difficulties with her protege, who allegedly harassed her. This led viewers to believe that Glen Stubbins was the one in question.
However, in this episode, while attempting to contact the incapacitated Glen, the trio uncovered startling news. Glen was not Sazz’s original protege; he had stepped in to replace the initially cast stuntman who had been fired after a dramatic incident involving Ron Howard—featuring a humorous cameo by Howard himself, who revealed the details to Charles and Oliver.
The group soon learned that the stuntman previously mentioned was Rex Bailey, but they were initially unaware of his identity. During their outing with Howard, Oliver and Charles stumbled upon a photograph of Rex stored on Howard’s phone—part of a collection of individuals he had banned from his films.
Upon seeing the photograph, they discovered that Rex Bailey was, in fact, Marshall (Jin Ha), an aspiring writer who had seized the chance to work on a film set thanks to Sazz’s mentorship. The episode detailed how Marshall had trained under Sazz and appeared as a stuntman in one of Ron Howard’s films, where he was ignited on set.
The incident escalated when, in his eagerness to present Howard with his script, Marshall inadvertently scorched the director’s eyebrows due to being inadequately extinguished. This mishap resulted in his ban from further participation in Howard’s projects, which subsequently led to Glen replacing him—setting the stage for the shocking conclusion of the previous episode.
Is Marshall the true murderer?
As it stands, signs are increasingly pointing toward Marshall as the genuine murderer. Subtle clues peppered throughout this episode, particularly in flashbacks, suggest this theory. Notably, there was a pivotal moment when Glen Stubbins appeared to recognize Marshall after their encounter, a detail that could significantly impact the narrative.
This episode also hinted at a motive for Sazz’s murder. Mabel discovered a script emerging from Sazz’s beer carton titled Only Murders in the Building, with Sazz credited as the writer. This revelation implies that Marshall may have killed Sazz to seize her script, propelling his success as a writer in a major film with Paramount.
The finale of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building is poised to confirm Marshall’s guilt or innocence.
Is Glen Stubbins deceased?
The answer is yes—this marks the second time Paul Rudd’s character has met his demise in the series. Episode 9 depicted a shocking scene where someone sneaked into the hospital and strangled Glen with a pillow after he regained consciousness. Remarkably, Glen seemed to recognize his assailant.
By the close of the episode, it became clear that Marshall had indeed murdered Glen. However, it’s ambiguous whether this was a mere presumption or a legitimate flashback to the actual events.
Episode 10 of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building will likely resolve this mystery once and for all. In the meantime, fans can catch up on episode 9, available for streaming on Hulu.
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