Netflix's hit original Ozark is one of Netflix's most popular shows, and also one of its more violent entries. The Jason Bateman-led series is not afraid to drop characters in pretty upsetting ways, even characters that fans thought were untouchable. Of course, after Season 3 it's kind of known no one is untouchable, though that doesn't make the major deaths of the season any less painful.
Because there have been so many deaths in Ozark, and they've all been fairly relevant to the story, it feels apt to recap all the major deaths of the series thus far. Starting with Season 1, here are all the major characters who have died, and how it went down. Obviously, major Ozark spoilers ahead (through Season 4 Part 1).
Russ And Boyd Langmore (Season 1)
The Langmore brothers Russ and Boyd originally hatched a scheme with their niece Ruth to steal the Byrde's cartel cash stash for themselves. While Boyd didn't have much impact on the story overall, Russ' death has had a profound impact on Wyatt's arc in Ozark, and his secret sexual relationship with FBI agent Roy Petty impacted future events as well.
How Russ And Boyd Died On Ozark
When Ruth proved unreliable in her efforts to get Marty Byrde's cash location, Russ and Boyd decide to go over to the Blue Cat lodge and kill Marty and skip town. Ruth ends up turning on her uncles and, in a character-defining moment, rigged a dock to electrocute both men when they arrived at the Blue Cat Lodge.
Camino Del Rio (Season 1)
"Del" was the Byrde family's first handler when Marty first proposed the move to the Ozarks. He ultimately worked towards the interests of the Navarro cartel, and wasn't too concerned about doing whatever it took to ensure Marty delivered on his promise to launder drug money.
How Del Died On Ozark
After some trouble with the heroin-dealing Snell family, Del was brought to a negotiation that Marty believed would be mutually beneficial for both sides. Unfortunately for Del, he used the word "redneck" in front of the insane and easily irratated Darlene Snell who murdered the cartel cell leader without a second thought soon after. Del's death was covered up by the Byrdes and Snells, though inevitably the Snells had to kill their right hand Ash to repay the transgression.
Buddy Diker (Season 2)
Buddy was the Byrde family's terminally ill roommate when they moved to the Ozarks, and stayed with them until his death. Buddy came of use to the Byrdes on many occasions, most notably in connecting Marty to the Kansas City mafia and torching the Snell family's poppy fields.
How Buddy Died On Ozark
Despite Buddy's various perilous acts in Ozark, he ultimately died the way he believed he would. Buddy's "bum ticker" went out on him after he torched the Snells fields, which was probably for the best, considering what they would've done to him once they found out.
Roy Petty (Season 2)
Roy Petty was the first FBI agent charged with tracking the Byrde family as they carried out money laundering for the Navarro drug cartel. Petty sought to expose Marty and family's criminal activities, and resorted to whatever lengths it took in an effort to make that happen. As FBI characters later lament in Ozark, some of what he accomplished as head of the operation was outweighed by the numerous illegal activities he committed to achieve them.
How Roy Petty Died On Ozark
After trying to manipulate many who associated with the Byrde's, Roy Petty finally bit off more than he could chew with Cade Langmore. The FBI agent assumed his government status would allow him to mouth off to Cade without consequence, but instead it got him bludgeoned to death by Ruth's psychopathic father. Roy's death ultimately brought his ex FBI Agent Trevor onto the case.
Jacob Snell (Season 2)
The unofficial mayor of the area, Jacob Snell held dominion over the Missouri Ozarks with his heroin production business. With his wife Darlene at his side, the Snells entered an uneasy alliance with the Byrdes and the Navarro cartel. The deal was ultimately dissolved due to Darlene intentionally spiking their heroin supply, and it took a lot of doing on Jacob's part to prevent the Navarro cartel from killing her.
How Jacob Snell Died On Ozark
Jacob Snell ended up dying by Darlene's hand when his wife poisoned him with ground up cherry pits in his coffee. It was one of Ozark's most surprising deaths, made all the more surprising that the two still seemed very much in love and understanding of each other even after Jacob learned what Darlene had done.
Mason Young (Season 2)
A righteous preacher in Ozark Season 1, Mason Young learned the hard way what happens when rejecting an offer from dangerous people. His pregnant wife was brutally murdered by the Snells shortly after they delivered his son Zeke. The trauma from the event drove Mason from the Ozarks, only to become a homeless preacher on street corners.
How Mason Young Died On Ozark
Mason's son Zeke is taken by the state, which led him to blame the Byrdes for what happened. Mason kidnaps Wendy, and while Marty negotiated an impossible deal for Zeke to return to him, Mason was suspicious. His paranoia resulted in him trying to kill Marty and Wendy, which ultimately led Marty to accidentally shoot Mason through the neck. The Byrdes took custody of Zeke, but were forced to give custody to Darlene Snell later.
Cade Langmore (Season 2)
Ruth Langmore's father was mentioned in Ozark in Season 1, but didn't come into the story until Season 2. Ruth's father resented the father/daughter relationship Ruth had with Marty, and was generally a pain in everyone's side including Ruth.
How Cade Langmore Died On Ozark
Cade puts his hands on the Byrde's teenage daughter Charlotte, and that was just one step too far for Wendy. With the help of Helen Pierce, she orchestrated a hit on Cade, which resulted in him getting gunned down on his way out of The Ozarks. Ruth later learned Wendy had a hand in her father's death, and resented Wendy for not taking the same steps when she was almost killed by Frank Jr.
Ben Davis (Season 3)
Wendy Byrde's wild brother came in like a firecracker in Season 3 of Ozark, and it was obvious to many fans he wasn't long for the world. Ben said what was on his mind, which we all know is never good when there are paranoid cartel associates on just about every block in town.
How Ben Davis Died On Ozark
After being put in a state hospital to treat his bipolar disorder following an arrest, Ben was sprung from the facility by Ruth with the help of Darlene Snell. An unhinged Ben then went to Helen Pierce and revealed what she really did for a living to her teenage daughter. The Byrdes tried to protect Ben as best they could from the murderous Helen, but Wendy inevitably gave up his location to Helen's hitman Nelson when she realized he could endanger the entire family.
Helen Pierce (Season 3)
Once Del was gone, Helen Pierce stepped into the picture to be the effective point man for the interests of the Navarro Drug Cartel. Eventually, Helen entered more of a collaborative partnership with the Byrdes and was a part of the seemingly impossible casino deal that went through.
How Helen Pierce Died On Ozark
After she got her way and killed Ben, Helen began making moves in an effort to remove the Byrdes from the Navarro operation permanently. Unfortunately for her, Wendy's sacrifice of Ben mixed with Marty's promise to get the FBI to take down his rival made the Byrdes indispensable, and Helen not so much. She was killed shortly after she arrived at Omar Navarro's compound with Marty and Wendy, much to the surprise of the Byrdes.
Sheriff Nix (Season 4, Part 1)
Darlene Snell’s hold in the Ozarks was partly rooted in fear, though she also had the law on her side. With Sheriff Nix in her pocket, Darlene was able to avoid trouble with law enforcement, as well as occasionally use him as muscle in order to make life difficult for the Byrdes and others through legal means.
How Sheriff Nix Died On Ozark
The Byrdes managed to minimize Nix’s impact on their lives in Season 4, but that wasn’t enough for their new partner Javi Elizonndro. Javi had a chance encounter with the sheriff when Nix visited Helen Pierce’s estate, and killed him without a second thought.
Frank Cosgrove Sr. (Season 4, Part 1)
Frank Cosgrove Sr. came into Ozark as the head of the Kansas City mob, and quite a tough customer. Buddy, who knew Frank from his past, gave Marty an introduction, and he’s been in and out of the story ever since both as a friend and foe.
How Frank Died On Ozark
The Kansas City mob wasn’t much of a factor in the first half of Ozark Season 4, and with good reason. Darlene owed Frank Cosgrove Sr. a good deal of money, and because of that, they had no working relationship. Frank Sr. eventually got impatient and confronted Darlene Snell in her home, hoping to intimidate her into paying out her money. Darlene walked into the kitchen, and reappeared with a loaded shotgun and killed Frank before he even had a chance to react. It wasn’t a huge surprise to fans, though obviously Frank Sr. never saw it coming.
Darlene Snell (Season 4, Part 1)
Darlene Snell started off as the wild card wife behind the otherwise level-headed Jacob Snell, and then she killed him. Darlene then became a drug kingpin in the Ozarks, and not a very reasonable one at that. Darlene gave the Byrdes plenty to worry about throughout the series, even in the times where their interests aligned.
How Darlene Snell Died On Ozark
Who would’ve guessed Darlene Snell would die before the final batch of episodes? The murderous drug lord met her end when Javi arrived, hoping to eliminate all Navarro competition in the Ozark area. Darlene, like many this season, didn’t even have a chance to react. The bullet was in her gut before she even saw it coming. It seemed possible she might’ve survived due to the placement of the injury, though Ruth’s arrival to the house later suggested Darlene did indeed die.
Wyatt Langmore (Season 4, Part 1)
Ruth Langmore’s cousin was known as the brains of the family, and throughout the series, went a couple of different directions. Perhaps the most surprising twist came for Wyatt in Season 3, when Darlene Snell took him in as a lover. The two formed a real romance despite their age difference, and co-parented the little baby Zeke.
How Wyatt Langmore Died On Ozark
Wyatt Langmore wasn’t involved in any of Darlene’s antics really, but Javi couldn’t leave any loose ends. Therefore, Darlene’s husband and Ruth’s cousin took a bullet right between the eyes, and Javi walked out without another word. Unfortunately for Javi, that might’ve been a mistake as now Ruth Langmore is on a warpath to take him out.
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