The Office: Who Was The Scranton Strangler?

The mystery of the Scranton Strangler was solved on The Office, but that hasn’t stopped viewers from continuing to theorize the figure’s identity. Although there wasn’t much violence presented in the NBC sitcom, an active serial killer served as a threat for multiple seasons.

The Scranton Strangler was the nickname given to a killer on the loose in Scranton who was known to strangle his victims. He was first mentioned in The Office season 6 and remained a topic of the series until it came to a close in season 9. The Scranton Strangler would often be used as a running gag of the series and Dwight even dressed up as the serial killer for Halloween.

By the end of The Office, the Scranton Strangler was put behind bars but there was a notion that the man convicted wasn’t the real killer. This doubt led to a slew of theories that pointed at certain characters being the Scranton Strangler. Since the killer was never directly shown, there was an extra level of ambiguity surrounding his identity. Based on evidence throughout The Office, here’s every character that could have been the Scranton Strangler.

Toby Flenderson

The most popular name connected to the Scranton Strangler throughout The Office was Toby Flenderson. Not only did Toby have a direct connection to the serial killer, but many viewers thought he was a prime suspect. In season 7 episode “Viewing Party,” the cold open featured the employees watching a police chase in which the Scranton Strangler was trying to evade capture. Interestingly enough, the group watched the chase at Toby’s work station but he was one of the few employees not present.

Later that same season, Toby was forced to take a leave of absence because he was serving as a jury member on a high-profile case. Though he couldn’t directly confirm, it was revealed to be the Scranton Strangler’s case. Though Toby helped convict a man named George Howard Skub for the killings, he later shared doubts about the man’s involvement. Since Toby felt a large amount of guilt with the death sentence, some viewers thought that stemmed from the character’s conscience getting the best of him. If Toby was the Scranton Strangler, the thought of having an innocent man convicted for crimes he committed might have eaten away at him, resulting in his obsession with the case.

Toby’s guilt eventually got the best of him and in season 9, he visited Skub in jail. The man attacked Toby and tried to strangle him which led viewers to believe the correct suspect was convicted. On the other hand, what if Toby confessed to being the real killer and the innocent man lashed out on the person that helped send him away? It’s also important to note that some of the Scranton Strangler killings correlated with major milestones in Pam and Jim’s relationship, such as the birth of their daughter. Toby had a long-lasting crush on Pam and seeing her with another man could have been a motivation in his rage.

Creed Bratton

Another top suspect when it came to the Scranton Strangler’s true identity was Creed Bratton. The character served as an employee throughout the series but his background was a little murky. It was heavily hinted that “Creed Bratton” wasn’t the man’s real name. In fact, a deleted scene insinuated that he spent time in jail and killed a man to steal his identity. If a serial killer was terrorizing Scranton, the city should have kept an eye on this mysterious man.

When discussing the Scranton Strangler in season 6, Creed mentioned that he would defend himself by strangling the man back. To add more suspicion, he later asked Jim how long he could hold his breath as if he was fantasizing about a kill. It’s no secret that Creed had a violent past so his role as the Scranton Strangler wouldn’t have been out of the realm of possibility. He once arrived to work covered in blood so he seemed capable of anything.

Gabe Lewis

Gabe Lewis was introduced into The Office when Sabre took over Dunder Mifflin in season 6. He came to Scranton to serve as the Coordinating Director of Emerging Regions. Coincidentally enough, his introduction occurred around the same time that the Scranton Strangler started to become a topic of discussion. The killings continued while Gabe was in town and it would have been possible that an innocent man went down for Gabe’s crimes.

Though he’s one of the lesser likely suspects to have actually been a serial killer, Gabe had an affinity for very dark and disturbing imagery. He didn’t just like horror movies, but Gabe had an over-the-top fascination with the genre. At times, his love for terror rose a few red flags which Erin noticed while dating him for a brief time. Other than that, Gabe seemed harmless so he could have slid under the radar as a real suspect.

Mose Schrute

Mose, the strange cousin of Dwight Schrute, would be another unlikely suspect some fans believe he was capable of being the Scranton Strangler. The character was seen in all but two seasons of The Office but he was present during the Scranton Strangler’s reign of terror. In the season 8 episode “Tallahassee,” Dwight made a voice message for his son and said he would be the rightful heir to Schrute Farms. He also mentioned to his son that “you must kill Mose before he kills you” inferring that his cousin was capable of murder.

Mose was already presented as a very odd figure on The Office. He liked to sneak up on people and was a fast runner, proving that he could make a quick getaway. Living on a rural farm also gave him tools to hide or get rid of the bodies of his victims. The probability that Mose was the Scranton Strangler would have been slim but was an interesting theory to consider.

Next: The Office: Bryan Cranston Directed One Of The Show’s Best Episodes

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1746 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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