Every Major Character Death in ‘Yellowstone,’ Explained

As John Dutton explained to his son Kayce in *Yellowstone*, the world they live in is brutal – ‘all the angels are gone, son. There’s only devils left.’ This harsh reality was unfolding as the Dutton family faced a war with the Malcom and Teal Beck families, and a wave of deadly violence was about to begin. Throughout the five seasons of the show, each death has been shocking and captivating for viewers, consistently raising the stakes and leaving fans stunned.

Deaths on *Yellowstone* are rarely underwhelming, from the controversial passing of Lee Dutton – which sparked outrage among fans directed at Thomas Rainwater – to satisfyingly poetic moments like the fate of Roarke Morris. While the deaths of those close to the Dutton family hit the hardest – the loss of Kayce and Monica’s baby being particularly heartbreaking – this article explores how each major character‘s death impacts both the storyline and the audience.

1. John Dutton IV

Losing a child is heartbreaking, but the death of John Dutton IV was particularly devastating. Monica only had an hour with the newborn, and young Tate was left with the difficult task of naming the baby.

If Monica Long had followed Kayce’s advice and waited for an ambulance, her baby might have survived. Sadly, the loss happened at a difficult time for the family, who were already facing challenges in their relationship. Despite John Dutton’s efforts to support them, Kayce and Monica were unable to overcome their grief.

2. Lee Dutton

Lee Dutton stood out as the one family member who got along with everyone, seemingly unbothered by the constant fighting between his siblings. He was particularly close to Kayce, and many believe his death could have been avoided if Thomas Rainwater and Robert Long had been more willing to compromise. Lee died in the first season while trying to retrieve the ranch’s cattle from the Reservation, as Rainwater attempted to claim them for the tribe. His death deeply affected the entire Dutton family and permanently damaged the relationship between the Duttons and the Reservation.

3. Evelyn Dutton

Evelyn Dutton, John’s wife and Beth’s mother, died before the main events of the story, but her death deeply affected the entire family. Though she was often tough on Beth, it was because she wanted her daughter to be strong and embrace the Dutton legacy. Beth was left to cope with the guilt of her mother’s death and had to grow up quickly without a mother’s guidance, all while navigating a relationship with her brother, Jamie, and their stern father, John.

4. Sarah Nguyen

Jaime betrayed the Dutton family by sharing their private information with journalist Sarah Nguyen, hoping to help his father win the election. He seemed rational and unlikely to commit violence, but he shockingly killed Sarah when he grabbed her neck. His request for Rip to help hide the body revealed a chilling capacity for cold-bloodedness, even surpassing John Dutton’s. This act instantly turned Jaime into a villain with no possibility of redemption.

5. Dirk Hurdstrom

Jimmy Hurdstrom is a lovable character on *Yellowstone*, even though he’s a bit clumsy. He only ended up at the ranch because his grandfather asked John Dutton to give him a job. It was devastating when Dirk was killed by drug dealers—he died because of a debt Jimmy owed. Watching Jimmy grieve the loss of his last family member was truly heartbreaking. However, this tragedy ultimately helped Jimmy become more self-reliant and find his inner strength, as he understood he could only depend on himself.

6. Garett Randall

Garett’s arrival on *Yellowstone* was a major surprise, and he played a key role in turning Jamie into someone truly villainous. Despite the Duttons loving and raising Jamie as family, Garett initially seemed determined to push his son to tear them apart.

He showed a complete disregard for Jaime’s feelings by asking him to be the one to end his life. While his actions against the Duttons had already caused significant harm, urging his son to commit murder truly turned Jaime into something monstrous, especially with Beth secretly recording his attempt to cover it up. Garett was consumed by bitterness, and even in death, he brought no resolution.

7. Roarke Morris

Rip Wheeler has been responsible for many brutal deaths at Yellowstone, but the murder of Roarke Morris stood out as particularly noteworthy – almost satisfying. Morris was a key threat to the Duttons, having bought the Cross Creek ranch and used the Morrow family to constantly harass them by trespassing. Rip killed Morris by putting a rattlesnake in a cooler and leaving it to bite him while he was fishing. It was one of Rip’s most efficient and clean kills.

8. Robert Long

Robert Long was Monica’s brother and a police officer working on the reservation. After the Dutton family got their cattle back and Lee Dutton was shot, Robert broke with protocol, claiming the reservation was entitled to keep the cattle – a completely unreasonable position.

Kayce killed his brother-in-law in self-defense and to get justice for Lee. Keeping the details of the death secret created a major strain on his marriage with Monica, almost resulting in divorce. Later, Robert’s wife, overwhelmed with grief, took her own life. Even after his death, Robert continued to cause problems for others, despite being responsible for his own fate.

9. The Beck Brothers

Teal and Malcolm Beck were the most formidable enemies the Dutton family ever faced. Their actions, including kidnapping Tate, were deliberately aimed at causing the Duttons immense pain. The crisis brought many characters together – like Dan Jenkins and Thomas Rainwater – and forced everyone in the valley to recognize they had more pressing concerns than their ongoing disputes. Teal’s death, when Kayce shot him, was a particularly satisfying moment, and John finished off Malcolm after rescuing his grandson, effectively eliminating the threat posed by these outlaws.

10. Samantha Long

Samantha was deeply affected by the conflict between the reservation and the Dutton family over the cattle dispute. Following Robert Long’s death, she struggled to raise her children alone without enough money. Her suicide devastated Monica, who was already grieving her brother. Seeing Samantha’s children left without any parents only intensified the hardship and despair felt by those living on the reservation.

11. Carter Meads

Meads, a white supremacist, was hired by the Beck brothers with his girlfriend to kidnap Tate. Kayce and Sheriff Haskell worked together after discovering Meads’ location. Given all the suffering the Beck brothers caused the Dutton family, many viewers anticipated John Dutton would deliver a more severe punishment, perhaps taking Meads to ‘The Train Station,’ but he allowed Kayce and the sheriff to arrest him through official legal channels. The arrest was straightforward, bringing a conclusive end to the Beck brothers’ storyline.

12. Dan Jenkins

Most viewers likely expected the death of John Dutton’s primary rival in the first season to be a satisfying moment, but Jenkins’ death was surprisingly upsetting. Despite winning a gunfight and seemingly surviving, the elderly man was ultimately killed by a third attacker.

He initially believed his alliance with Rainwater and the Beck brothers made him unbeatable, but he soon discovered they were even more ruthless than John Dutton. After John Dutton warned him earlier in the series – and after nearly being hanged – Jenkins surprisingly became a more sympathetic character for viewers.

13. Donnie Haskell

I have to say, the relationship between the sheriff and John Dutton was really compelling. Despite some friction at the beginning, they clearly had a deep respect for each other and consistently teamed up to protect their community in the Yellowstone River Valley. The diner shooting really highlighted this – Dutton stepped up as a true hero, and sadly, the sheriff was caught in the crossfire, a victim of the robbers. It was a heartbreaking moment, showcasing the dangers they all face.

Haskell’s death was particularly heartbreaking in *Yellowstone* – he died from his injuries while trying to speak to his daughter on the phone. John Dutton then stepped in to comfort her after she received the devastating news.

14. Emmet Walsh

John Dutton explained to Rip that Walsh had died peacefully on the trail, exactly as he’d always hoped. Walsh, knowing his time was near, had joined John and the ranch hands as they moved cattle through the valley. Though everyone, including Walsh’s wife, was saddened by his passing, John encouraged them not to grieve. This death occurred during a difficult time for John as governor, but surprisingly, it brought a sense of uplift to the ranch.

15. Chester “Chekers” Spears

I couldn’t believe what I witnessed! John Dutton really went after Chester Spears at the train station, staging this old-fashioned shootout to make him pay for everything he’d done to his family. It all came out at Rainwater’s casino – John revealed he knew who was behind the attacks on us, and Rainwater surprisingly turned Spears over to him. Spears admitted he was a cold-blooded killer, but John Dutton showed him what a *real* fighter looked like, taking him down in a straight-up brawl. It was intense, and honestly, it felt like John was finally taking back control.

16. Fred Myers

Myers was the first person brought to the train station in Yellowstone. Unlike John Dutton, who allowed Spears to explain himself, Rip immediately shot Myers while he pleaded for his life. It was a difficult scene to watch, but Myers had recently brutally attacked Jimmy back at the ranch, making him a dangerous man. This act firmly established Rip as the most ruthless enforcer on the ranch. Though Myers was a bully who likely didn’t deserve to die, Rip believed the harsh rules of Yellowstone needed to be upheld and felt no remorse.

17. Ray and Blake

Ray and Blake killed Dirk Hurdstrom after severely beating him, all because Jimmy wouldn’t make methamphetamine for them. This act of violence outraged everyone at Yellowstone Ranch, and the entire team, led by Rip, joined forces to avenge Dirk and Jimmy and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The original idea was to destroy the enemy completely, but Jimmy decided to fight them hand-to-hand first. The resulting explosion symbolically marked Jimmy’s acceptance into the cowboy lifestyle, and he was then treated as a full member of the bunkhouse crew.

18. Doctor Patrick Monteith

Dr. Monteith was the medical examiner in Bozeman and determined Robert Long’s death was a killing. While Long didn’t deserve pity since Kayce acted in self-defense, Monteith wouldn’t see it that way. Rip Wheeler then killed Monteith by strangling him in his lab and staging an explosion to hide the crime. Though this protected the Dutton family, many viewers felt Rip’s actions were wrong, as the doctor was simply doing his job despite his drug addiction.

19. Wade & Clint Morrow

I remember Wade Morrow – he used to work alongside John Dutton here on the Yellowstone, a good hand, or so it seemed. Then Roarke Morris got to him, using him to stir up trouble for the Duttons by deliberately moving the buffalo closer, knowing it could make the cattle sick. It escalated – Wade actually attacked John’s cowboys, and that was it. John had no choice but to order his men to hang him. It was awful, but even more chilling was what happened to Wade’s son, Clint. He tried to escape after his father’s death, but he hit a low-hanging branch while riding, fell off his horse, and… well, he hit his head on a rock and bled out. It felt like a dark kind of justice, honestly.

20. John Dutton III

In episode 9, ‘Desire Is All You Need,’ John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, was unexpectedly killed by a team hired by Sarah Atwood from Market Equities. Atwood attempted to make it look like a suicide, but viewers knew John was too strong to end his life that way. His death threw the ranch into chaos, leaving Beth and Kayce struggling to keep everything from falling apart.

Kevin Costner had been suggesting he might leave the show for some time, as he was busy with ‘Yellowstone’ and also working on his personal film, ‘Horizon: An American Saga’. However, the way his character left – dramatically, in a shootout – felt like a major loss for the series.

21. Sarah Atwood

This cunning financial professional believed she was untouchable, but her actions eventually caught up with her. In the eleventh episode, ‘Three Fifty-Three,’ Sarah was murdered at a traffic light – likely by the same people she’d hired to kill John. She’d been manipulating Jamie, turning him against his family, but when the police reopened the investigation into John’s death, she became a liability. Her sudden and violent death proved that no one is safe in this dangerous world.

22. Colby Mayfield

Colby’s death in Episode 12, ‘Counting Coup,’ was a heartbreaking moment for many viewers. The ranch hand, played by Denim Richards, bravely sacrificed himself to save Carter from a frightened horse. His selfless act left his friends, especially Teeter, devastated. Richards noted that Colby’s character developed beautifully, evolving from a reserved cowboy into someone willing to give his life for those he cared about. The scene served as a poignant reminder that even the most deserving characters don’t always get a happy ending.

23. Jamie Dutton

The season ended with a shocking confrontation as Jamie, the family outcast, finally faced Beth. In a brutal fight at his home, Beth stabbed Jamie, bringing their long-standing rivalry to a violent end. After seasons of Jamie’s increasingly villainous actions, particularly his alliance with Sarah and betrayal of John, his death felt like the inevitable conclusion, leaving Beth as the sole Dutton family member still standing strong.

2025-10-10 14:48