Hello! After binge-reading all the available Twisted chapters (I haven’t seen the bonus scenes, only the main story), I believe that the killer may not be one person.
My main theory: the killer is a team
I believe twisted is setting up a partnership, possibly between characters from opposite social circles. Given how central the “popular vs nerd” dynamic is to the story, it would be incredibly ironic and honestly brilliant if the murder team mirrored the same structure as the investigative duo.
- The physical killer (a nerd character from the RUGSA counsel)
Reasons:
A. Atlas’s “nerds are invisible” line feels like foreshadowing
Atlas constantly emphasizes that nerds are invisible, ignored and underestimated. I don’t think that line is there by accident.
Being socially invisible would make someone the perfect physical killer because they could:
• Disappear or move around unnoticed
• Access and be in suspicious places without drawing attention
• Observe and follow victims
B. Jessica's library timeline
The first victim is seen in the library at the same time as Beck and Atlas were studying, and then is found dead about five minutes later.
If she left and was killed that quickly, the killer had to already be nearby and ready to follow her immediately.
If it had been a popular student hanging around that area, Beck likely would have noticed as she was trying not to be seen with Atlas/in the library.
C. Murder locations
The murder locations are:
• Near the library
• The school pool house
• The creepy camp
• An isolated rooftop
These are not spaces heavily associated with the popular crowd. They feel more like strategic, isolated, practical spaces that someone observant and less socially visible could exploit more easily.
D. Tarner’s “I didn’t recognize the voice” comment
When Tarner says he didn’t recognize the voice of the person with Julian, that’s incredibly important.
It strongly suggests the killer is not someone within Beck’s popular world.
E. The hammer/RUGSA counsel
Julian may have been killed using Link’s hammer, and the killer:
• Knew where it was.
• Took it.
• Used it.
• Returned it.
• Potentially set Atlas up to later be associated with it.
This suggests the killer may be someone from the RUGSA counsel, who could also have access to Atlas folder where he found the letter to meet at the school pool house.
F. The police “hitman” comment
If the investigator says the murders resemble a hitman’s work, this is massive. This implies the physical killer is strategic and highly intelligent.
Whoever is doing the actual killing likely isn’t reckless. They’re methodical.
And in Twisted's social structure, intelligence and invisibility = nerd-coded suspect becomes very plausible.
Plus, if the school funds withdrawal plot is related to the murder plot, this type of killer could easily hack or access the school system as we have seen Atlas do multiple times.
- The popular partner (blackmail and social manipulation)
This is where I think the second killer or accomplice comes in.
While the nerd handles physical execution, logistics and possibly hacking, I believe someone from Beck’s world handles the rest: blackmail, legal conver-ups, secrets...etc.
Reasons:
A. Beck’s phone number
The killer having Beck’s number could suggest proximity, nonetheless it depends on how the university works as it may be a system where everyone has everyone's phone numbers.
B. Beck’s condo
When texting her, the killers knows Beck’s position inside the condo. This suggests that either the killer was inside the condo as one of Beck's friends, is familiar with the condo's interior or needs to be very close to see her. This would be easier for someone familiar with her.
C. Scott and Alexander
Their paranoia and strange behavior could mean they’re being blackmailed. Alexander specifically seems to have been having communication with the killer.
I strongly believe this second person may be coercing both living characters and victims to place evidence or have Atlas and Beck in the places where they want in order to frame them.
D. The legal cover-up
It’s obvious that, behind the scenes, there’s some kind of legal cover-up preventing the police from investigating these cases as murders and instead classifying them as accidents. Only someone with enormous wealth and influence could pull that off. From my perspective, this student must come from a family with an extremely high social or political position. While a “nerdy” person could certainly have that kind of background, someone raised in such privilege would more likely display traits like arrogance, showing off or constantly drawing attention to themselves, more in line with a popular character.
- About the motives
At this point, the clearest motives seem to be: revenge for something we don’t fully know yet or social climbing by destroying others to rise.
If Ellie is leaning into irony and symmetry, this would honestly be one cool twist. Happy to hear more thoughts/additions to this theory or other theories that you may have in the comments! Thank you!