Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Episode 9 ending explained: Who stole the finger?

Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9, titled LESTR, premiered on October 21, 2025, on Hulu. The episode continues the suspense as podcasters Mabel, Charles, and Oliver investigate Lester and Nicky's mysterious deaths. With the Arconia dying, the characters face emotional and physical challenges and discover shocking secrets.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9. Reader’s discretion is required.

Nicky's grandmother (nonna) stole Charles's finger in Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9. This revelation raises new suspicions and motives. The trio now has to rethink their investigation. The episode ends with a focus on this mysterious act, following one last crucial clue.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9: Who was behind the finger theft?

Only Murders in the Building Season 5 (Image via YouTube/Hulu)

Nicky's grandmother, the nonna, stole Charles's finger. This bombshell revelation changes everything the gang knew about the suspects and raises new questions about Lester and Nicky's murderers. This action was not random, and the nonna's motives are unknown. It's still under wraps, why she stole the finger.

Why is Randall on the run?

When Mabel, Charles, and Oliver find Randall, the Arconia's doorman, on the bird cam footage from Lester's murder, the episode begins with a major conflict. Randall initially denies involvement, but the trio realizes he's lying. Randall runs away from them, creating a rare and comical building chase. Even though they try, Randall escapes, and the trio loses the building and their investigation.

What did Mabel and Detective Williams discover in the secret passage?

Mabel and Detective Williams share a drink in the underground casino, changing the investigation. They find a secret passageway in the building walls after noticing a strange footprint on the pristine carpet during their conversation. Nicky's body was found at a nearby dry cleaner's store. The secret entrance revives the investigation and reveals an unknown side to the Arconia. With this clue, the trio discovers that Randall never left the building and lied about being in Cuba on social media.

What did Robo-Lester’s recording reveal about Lester’s death?

Robo-Lester, the robotic doorman, provides crucial evidence to advance the investigation. Robo-Lester uses Lester's final recordings to reveal that Lester attacked Nicky to protect the Arconia because he thought she was a threat. Lester acted shockingly to protect the building and its residents. Randall likely hid the bloody elevator crank after Lester's death to honor his mentor and protect Lester's reputation. If Lester killed Nicky, who killed Lester?

Charles and Oliver say Goodbye to the Arconia

While the investigation continues, the penultimate episode looks into Charles and Oliver's emotional turmoil as they prepare to say goodbye to the Arconia. The building's closure forces the two to face their feelings about leaving home and each other.

Charles struggles to leave because he is so attached to the place and his friends. Oliver, however, feels abandoned and hurt that Charles no longer values their friendship. They talk until they realize their discomfort is due to their inability to part ways. Charles convinces Oliver to keep a doorknob from the Arconia as a memento.

What does the finger theft reveal about Nonna?

As Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9 nears its conclusion, Mabel, Charles, and Oliver are given a new lead. Howard from Arconia notices a scuff mark near Mabel's fridge, which everyone assumed was Robo-Lester's. Howard quickly notices that the scuff marks match those of a specific mobility scooter, which he remembers from his mother's old scooter.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 episode 9 is available to stream on Hulu.

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Rajan is an Entertainment Writer at Sportskeeda with previous experience of 6 years in writing about the genre. While he has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Application, it was his passion for the domain that led him to pursue a career in the field. He firmly believes that research is key when reporting on any topic, and glances through a wide array of articles to produce informative and accurate content.

Rajan admires Robert Downey Jr., Bob Dylan, and John Mayer since he feels they are the best at their trade. He is passionate about music and has had the opportunity to interact with popular Bollywood music directors A. R. Rahman, Pritam and Vishal-Sekhar.

If he could go back in time, he would jump at the opportunity to be part of Coldplay's hit track, 'A Sky Full of Stars.'

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Edited by Rajan Bhattacharya