The latest mystery drama on Netflix, ‘The Perfect Couple,’ centers around the Winbury family’s lavish wedding on Nantucket. The spectacle turns chaotic when Merritt Monaco, the maid of honor, is murdered the night before the wedding. Her body is discovered the following morning after it washes up on the beach. The whole incident takes place during the Fourth of July weekend, and everybody at the ceremony turns into a prime suspect.
SPOILERS AHEAD: Let’s uncover the details of this fascinating murder mystery!
Why Did Abby Winbury Kill Merritt Monaco?
In ‘The Perfect Couple,’ Merritt (Meghann Fahy), best friend of the bride Amelia (Eve Hewson), is killed by Abby Winbury (Dakota Fanning), the pregnant wife of the oldest Winbury sibling, Thomas. Abby was motivated by her financial desperation as she looked to ensure access to a trust fund, which was merely weeks away from releasing as soon as the youngest Wilbury, Will, turned 18.
The reason Abby was so desperate to get rid of Merritt was because she, Merritt, had an affair with Tag, the patriarch of the Winbury family, and was pregnant with his baby. She feared that the potential new child would reset the Winbury trust, making it inaccessible for a further 18 years. The threat of delay on top of it getting split four ways rather than three was not something she was willing to accept, because she needed to secure funds for an apartment she had an eye on and was getting more and more frustrated by her husband Thomas’s financial mismanagement.
While the reveal comes as a shock, it’s not surprising when you look back at the events that unfolded. Throughout the show, Abby gives off self-centered and entitled vibes, often focusing on material concerns like booking a hair appointment despite the tragedy of Merritt’s murder. Initially, though, it looked like she might have been covering for Thomas, especially when she was wiping down surfaces and obsessively cleaning glasses.
As for how she committed the crime, Abby took one of Karen’s, the mother of the bride, euthanasia pills and mixed them into a drink, which was later found in Merritt’s system. She lured Merritt to the beach, and when the pills started to affect her, she drowned her.
Every Character on The Perfect Couple Was a Suspect in Murder
The beauty of ‘The Perfect Couple’ lies in its ability to make us keep guessing who the killer might have been because each character has their own motive that makes complete sense. One of the prime suspects is Tag’s wife Greer, who supposedly hired a hitman to take out Merritt, but it turned out to be a red herring, and the “hitman” was actually her brother, Broderick.
Shooter Dival, Benji’s best friend, became a part of the suspicion after his fingerprints were found on Merritt’s phone as he attempted to flee upon making a mysterious $300k payment to Greer. The matriarch later confesses to her secret brother’s criminal activities and her past as an escort. The payment or rather a loan was actually to cover a debt due to her brother’s gambling issues.
Speaking of suspects, Greer’s husband Tag could have committed the crime, too, because of the affair and his desire to protect his marriage and reputation. He was also the last person to see her alive. However, he was not the killer.
It was also hinted that Thomas, known for bad temper and drinking problems, could be the killer because he wanted to avoid complications from Merritt and her affair with Tag. Moreover, he had access to a euthanasia pill, which was used in the murder. Thomas himself had an affair with Isabel, who had lent him $2.5 million, making her one of the suspects as well. While Thomas had a habit of stealing medications, his alibi (being with Isabel) was confirmed.
Likewise, Will was also a suspect because of his attraction to Merritt and his attempt to flee following the murder. He was found with an expensive bracelet she had received from Tag, which did him no favors when it came to police investigation. However, he was not revealed to be the killer.
The entire show was a suspenseful guessing game and viewers were led to believe different suspects at different episodes. Ultimately, the killer was revealed to be Abby Winbury.
