Miller Beck was the individual who killed Walt Longmire's wife, Martha.
Martha Longmire's death was not a straightforward crime, involving multiple layers of involvement rather than a single perpetrator acting alone. While Miller Beck was the one who directly carried out the murder, he was hired to do so, and other individuals had incidental roles in the tragic event.
The Perpetrator and Orchestration
The direct act of killing Martha Longmire was carried out by Miller Beck. He was specifically hired for this task, indicating a planned and calculated murder rather than a spontaneous act. The person responsible for hiring Beck was a go-between named David Ridges. Ridges played a crucial role in orchestrating the murder, serving as the link that set the fatal events in motion.
Incidental Involvement
While Walt Longmire harbored suspicions about various individuals, especially those connected to the Native American community he often interacted with, the full truth revealed a more complex web of minor involvement. Figures such as Malachi Strand and Jacob Nighthorse were indeed connected to Martha's death, but their involvement was not as direct killers or primary orchestrators. Instead, they were merely incidental players within a broader scheme orchestrated by David Ridges. Their roles were tangential, and they were not central to the actual planning or execution of the murder itself.
To summarize the key players and their roles in Martha Longmire's death:
| Role | Individual(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Killer | Miller Beck | The person who physically committed the murder. |
| Orchestrator/Hiring | David Ridges | The go-between who hired Miller Beck to kill Martha. |
| Incidental Players | Malachi Strand, Jacob Nighthorse | Individuals indirectly involved; their roles were minor and tangential to the main plan. |
This intricate network of direct action and incidental involvement highlights the complexities behind the murder of Walt Longmire's wife, a central mystery throughout the series.
