Did Jamie kill Katie in Adolescence? Here's what we know

Netflix's new British crime drama miniseries, Adolescence, dropped on March 13, 2025. Created by the duo Stephen Graham and Philip Barantini, this series is based on the Miller family when their young teen Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for allegedly murdering his classmate Katie Leonard.

Directed by Philip Barantini, the four-episode miniseries is filmed in a continuous one shot. The first episode begins with the police barging into Jamie's room to arrest him for allegedly murdering his classmate Katie. Over the next few episodes, Jamie denies his involvement in the murder while the Millers try their best to get their son back. Things take a wild turn when Detective Investigator Luke Bascombe shows CCTV footage of Jamie brutally stabbing Katie to death at the end of Episode 1. Even though it was grainy footage, it showed the 13-year-old Jamie Miller stabbing his classmate Katie Leonard near the car park.

What followed was a thorough investigation that took DI Luke Bascome and DS Misha Frank to Bruntwood Academy, where they discovered the murder weapon, Ryan's knife, and some disturbing details about cyberbullying that might have motivated Jamie to murder Katie.

The series Adolescence carefully crafts the negative impact of social media on the lives of teenagers, from cyberbullying to false accusations that can result in something as brutal as murder.

But why did Jamie kill Katie? Was Jamie being bullied by his classmates? Did Jamie plead guilty?

Here's what we know about Netflix's British miniseries Adolescence.

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Why did Jamie kill Katie in Adolescence?

When Luke Bascombe and Misha Frank visited the Bruntwood Academy to gather evidence about Katie's murder, they discovered some disturbing secrets. As the detective duo investigated Katie and Jamie's social media messages and posts, they unraveled some details of their relationship.

With help from Bascombe's son Adam, they found out that Katie sent derogatory emojis to Jamie on social media. Adam revealed that Katie used those emojis to accuse Jamie of being an incel (involuntary celibate, a term used for frustrated misogynist men who struggle to find a romantic partner). The investigators also find the murder weapon, a knife belonging to Jamie's friend Ryan.

In Adolescence Episode 3, the series fast forwards to seven months when a psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), spoke with Jamie to understand his motive behind Katie's murder. Initially, Jamie did not seem to cooperate, however, with a series of questions, Briony detected Jamie's unmanageable anger issues and the motive for the murder.

In the interview, Jamie revealed Katie's topless photo was circulated on social media and to make her feel better, he asked Katie for a date. But Katie rejected his proposal and made fun of him by sending derogatory emojis that tagged him as an incel. Katie also commented on his social media posts tagging him as an incel. This angered young Jamie who decided to confront Katie in the parking lot. Unable to handle the online bullying and rejection, Jamie stabbed Katie multiple times, thus killing her.

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Jamie pleads guilty of murdering Katie: Adolescence

The final episode of Adolescence mainly portrayed how the devastating condition of the Millers after Jamie's arrest. Even though it was Eddie's birthday, the family did not seem happy. Eddie's plumbing truck was also vandalized in the morning, making him feel all the more awful. Even though the Millers tried to cheer him up, a call from Jamie disrupts the happiness.

Jamie wished his father Eddie a happy birthday and then revealed that he was going to plead guilty to murdering Katie Leonard. The Millers share an emotional moment as they blame themselves for Jamie's condition.

Read More: Adolescence: Release details, plot, cast, and more about Stephen Graham's one shot crime drama on Netflix

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