The Clovehitch Killer ending explained: Does Tyler kill his own father?

Directed by Duncan Skiles, The Clovehitch Killer is a thriller film that was initially released in 2018. The film follows a teenage boy who begins to suspect that his father may be connected to a serial killer from ten years ago.

The movie was inspired by the story of real-life serial killer Dennis Rader, aka the BTK killer, who was convicted of murdering ten people. As per Netflix, the synopsis of the film reads:

"A teenager's picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home."

At the end of the film, Tyler and Kassi confront his father Don with a gun when they find him with a tied-up woman. However, Don manages to knock Kassi out and grab the gun from Tyler. In a shocking move, he points the gun at his son and shoots. However, it turns out there are no bullets in the rifle.

Kassi regains consciousness and incapacitates Don by hitting his head with a lamp. In the end, it is revealed that the two dragged his body to a forest. When Don finally wakes up, he is faced with Tyler pointing a gun at him. It is implied that Tyler shoots and kills his father, but stages it to look like a suicide.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the 2018 film The Clovehitch Killer.

Who is the Clovehitch killer? True identity revealed

A still from 'The Clovehitch Killer' (Image via IMDb)

In the film, the Clovehitch killer was an infamous serial killer who took the lives of ten known female victims before disappearing a decade ago. The women were bound and strangled, highlighting the killer's signature method.

When a bondage photograph is found in Don's truck, Tyler begins to suspect that his father may have some information about the serial killer. However, after he finds bondage magazines and a Polaroid of a bound woman hidden in Don's shed, he begins to fear that Don himself might be the Clovehitch killer.

With the help of Kassi, a teenage girl and amateur Clovehitch historian, he finds designs for a BDSM dungeon in the shed. In the crawl space under his house, Tyler discovers a box with the photographs and driving licenses of the ten victims and an additional three other people. It leads him to believe that Don is indeed a serial killer from ten years ago.

Charlie Plummer as Tyler (Image via IMDb)

However, when confronted, Don explains that the real Clovehitch killer is Tyler's uncle Rudy. Feeling guilty about the murders, Rudy tried to take his own life but instead fell into a vegetative state after it failed.

Tyler accepts the explanation and then leaves for a scout leadership camp. His mother, Cindy, and sister, Susie, also leave to visit Cindy's mother for a few weeks. Now alone at home, it is revealed that Don was lying to Tyler. He was the Clovehitch killer all along.

How do Tyler and Kassi catch the Clovehitch Killer?

After Tyler leaves to go to a scout leadership camp, his sister and mother also leave the house for a few weeks. All alone, Don starts to crossdress and takes photographs of himself. He also stalks a woman and eventually breaks into her house. As he ties up the woman and starts taking pictures of her, Tyler appears in the house with a rifle.

It is revealed that Tyler never left for scout camp and has been secretly watching his father stalk the victim. Tyler confronts his father, aiming the gun at him. Don lies, saying that he and the woman are having an affair, and eventually persuades Tyler to hand over the gun. He also grabs and knocks Kassi out.

As Tyler reluctantly complies, Don suddenly turns the gun on Tyler and pulls the trigger, only to discover it is not loaded. In a bid to keep his secret hidden, Don tries to kill his son by strangling him. Fortunately, Kassi reawakens in the nick of time and knocks Don unconscious.

As she begins to dial 911, Tyler convinces her not to. Since the woman was tied up and bound, she never saw Don's face and could not identify him as her attacker. The scene then cuts to a few days later, when Don is declared missing by the police, culminating in his body being found and a funeral taking place.

How is Kassi connected to the Clovehitch Killer?

In the film, Kassi is introduced as a teenage outcast and amateur Clovehitch historian. After Tyler finds evidence linking his father to the murders from ten years ago, he befriends Kassi and seeks her help.

Though initially skeptical, Kassi decides to help Tyler out with the investigation. Through her help, they link the Polaroid Tyler found in Don's shed to a known Clovehitch victim. They also discover blueprints for a BDSM dungeon hidden in the shed, which leads Tyler to find a box full of the victims' photographs and driving licenses.

While it initially seemed like Kassi was helping Tyler out of curiosity, it turned out that she had her agenda. The Clovehitch killer was reported to have murdered ten women, but the truth was that three additional victims were not known.

In a flashback scene towards the end of the film, it is revealed that Kassi's mother was one of the victims who had been killed by the serial killer but was never linked to him. Thus, Kassi finally avenges her mother's tragic death when she helps Tyler kill Don and stage it to look like an accident.

The Clovehitch Killer is currently available to stream on Netflix US. It can also be watched on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.