With just over two weeks till one of the biggest soap Whodunnits is solved, we can't stop thinking about who killed EastEnders’ Lucy Beale.
There are currently 14 suspects in the frame for her murder and so far there are conspiracy theories for pretty much all of them.
But the more we think about it (and trust us, that’s a lot), the more we think we’re onto something with our Jane and Peter Beale, and Abi and Max Branning theories. [DISCLAIMER: We don’t have psychic powers and reserve the right to change our minds at any point].
Here’s what we’ve found in our investigation…
More EastEnders news? Sure thing!
Theory 1
Either Jane did it or she’s helping Peter cover up the crime.
**Further evidence **
There were three voicemails on Lucy’s phone the night she died and none of them were from Jane or Peter (they were left by Ian and Cindy Beale and Lee Carter.) Was this because they spoke to her face-to-face just before she carked it?
Also Jane was uncharacteristically prickly when copper Emma probed Cindy in the pub about who sent her Lucy’s jewellery box. In fact, both she and Peter basically told Emma to eff off. Is it because they’ve got something to hide?
**Alibis **
It’s never been clear where Jane was on Good Friday (AKA the night Lucy met her maker). Yet when Lauren Branning needed someone to corroborate her story that she didn’t go to see Lucy, whaddya know, Jane reveals she was at Masood’s and she saw Lauren turn back. Our question to the jury is: why didn’t Jane say where she was before, HMM? And there’s more…
In Peter’s police statement, he said he was alone the night Lucy died (ie. there were no witnesses), and that he had rowed with Lucy and Ian and wondered how Ian "would cope being stuck with the rubbish twin”. Bitter, much? Look, we’re not saying Peter did his sister in, but there could've been an altercation that resulted in her death – and Jane could totally be covering it up.
Other stuff we’re reading into
It’s pretty weird that schoolboy Bobby Beale had a folder of cuttings on Lucy’s murder. Our explanation? It might've been Jane's and she was keeping tabs on the investigation.
Peter and Jane both scarpered after the murder (he ran off to New Zealand and she escaped to less sunny Birmingham), which is v fishy. Why wouldn’t they stick around at such an important time? Guilt?
The brilliant Jo Joyner AKA Tanya Branning is back for Jane and Ian’s wedding. If you’re going to confess to murder/your part in the crime, you’d want to do it to your best friend (who is an amazing actress), wouldn’t you?
Ben Hardy AKA Peter is leaving the show… so he must be the murderer or involved, right?
Theory 2
Abi did it and loyal dad Max is protecting her.
**Further evidence **
Abi and Max are each other’s alibis, which means they both could be lying for each other. Also, let's not forget that there are five whole minutes of Max’s time when he was ‘walking the dog’, which left Abi on her own and which no one witnessed.
At the Brannings and Beales’ gathering in the pub, Abi was noticeably missing. Later Emma rung someone and said, “It’s Emma, I’m glad I managed to get hold of you” – she knew the person well enough to have their number saved in her phone and for them to know her by her first name. Could she have been speaking to suspiciously absent Abi?
Wait there’s more
After her accident, Emma gave Abi and Max the* filthiest* look ever (Exhibit A). Why? Yes she might've had a headache but it was very out of character.
Also, later when she was bleeding from her ears (never a good sign), Emma angrily said to Max: “It wasn’t there… Y_ou know_ [what].” Whatever Emma had found out she clearly knew Max was involved and wasn't happy about it.
So, there we have it. Those are the current theories we’re working on, more updates to follow.
Fancy a flutter on who killed Lucy? If you bet £10 you get £20 of free bets back.Click here to have a go.
Here are all the EastEnders suspects
Who Killed Lucy Beale Suspects
Abi Branning
4/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Jane Beale
6/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Lauren Branning
20/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Peter Beale
14/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Bobby Beale
7/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Jay Brown
6/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Whitney Dean
22/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Cindy Beale (Williams)
10/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Denise Fox
14/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Aleks Shirovs
40/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Ian Beale
14/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Les Coker
6/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Lee Carter
25/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Ben Mitchell
20/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Nancy Carter
33/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Max Branning
16/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing
Nick Cotton
25/1Click here to bet!*Odds correct at time of publishing