Only Murders in the Building Season 4 premiered on August 27, 2024, on Hulu and Disney+, taking the beloved true-crime podcasting trio of Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora from the familiar halls of the Arconia to the glitzy sets of Los Angeles. The season, which concluded its 10-episode run on October 29, 2024, centers on the shocking murder of Sazz Pataki, Charles’s longtime friend and stunt double.

Combining a meta-commentary on Hollywood filmmaking with a classic "whodunit," Season 4 expanded the series' universe into the mysterious West Tower of the Arconia. The investigation leads to a web of stolen screenplays, secret residents, and a killer hiding in plain sight.

The Mystery of Sazz Pataki and the Hollywood Shift

Season 4 begins immediately after the Season 3 finale cliffhanger. Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) enters Charles’s dark kitchen to retrieve a bottle of wine and is shot through the window by a sniper. Her body is surreptitiously removed and disposed of in the building’s incinerator, leaving Charles (Steve Martin) confused by her sudden disappearance.

The narrative takes a sharp turn when the trio is whisked away to Los Angeles. Paramount Pictures executive Bev Melon (Molly Shannon) approaches them with a life-changing proposal: adapting their Only Murders in the Building podcast into a major motion picture. This introduces a "meta" layer to the season, as the trio meets the actors hired to play them: Eugene Levy (playing Charles), Zach Galifianakis (playing Oliver), and Eva Longoria (playing Mabel).

While the trio grapples with the surreal experience of seeing their lives commodified by Hollywood, the mystery of Sazz pulls them back to New York. The discovery of Sazz’s metallic joints in the incinerator confirms their worst fears. The central question of the season initially centers on whether Sazz was the intended target or if the sniper meant to kill Charles.

Exploring the Arconia West Tower and the Westies

One of the defining features of Season 4 is the exploration of the Arconia’s "West Tower." While the trio lives in the luxurious East Tower, the West Tower is filled with quirky, suspicious residents known as the "Westies." These residents live in rent-controlled apartments under a mysterious arrangement with a missing professor named Milton Dudenoff.

Key figures in the West Tower include:

  • Vince Fish (Richard Kind): A man with an eyepatch who suffers from "pink eye" and is fiercely protective of his community.
  • The Sauce Family: Inez, Alfonso, and Ana, who operate a hidden kitchen and seem to know everything that happens across the courtyard.
  • Rudy Thurber (Kumail Nanjiani): A fitness influencer who maintains a perpetual Christmas-themed apartment.

The investigation into the West Tower reveals a secret ham radio used by the residents to communicate and a pig found in Dudenoff’s bathtub. The trio suspects the Westies are involved in a conspiracy, but the truth is more complex: the residents were illegally subletting from Dudenoff to maintain their affordable housing, creating a motive for secrecy but not necessarily for murder.

The Meta-Narrative: A Podcast About a Movie About a Podcast

Season 4 leans heavily into Hollywood satire. The "Actors Trio"—Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria—shadow Charles, Oliver, and Mabel to study their behavior, leading to comedic friction. Oliver (Martin Short) struggles with his insecurities as Galifianakis questions his directorial relevance, while Mabel (Selena Gomez) deals with the existential crisis of being portrayed by a superstar like Longoria while she remains technically homeless.

This meta-theme culminates in Episode 6, titled "Blow-Up," which is shot entirely through the lenses of various cameras (documentary crews, security feeds, and hidden cameras). It highlights the show's willingness to experiment with format while emphasizing that someone is always watching the trio.

Detailed Episode Breakdown of Season 4

To understand the intricate path to finding Sazz's killer, one must look at the specific clues dropped throughout the ten episodes.

Episode 1: Once Upon a Time in the West

The season opens with the trio arriving in LA. While the Hollywood glamour is intoxicating, Charles receives strange texts from Sazz’s phone claiming she is doubling for Scott Bakula. By the end of the episode, the discovery of Sazz's ashes in the Arconia incinerator brings the trio back to reality.

Episode 2: Gates of Heaven

The investigation turns to the sniper's nest. The trio concludes the shot came from the West Tower. Charles is visited by Jan Bellows (Amy Ryan), who has escaped from prison to warn him about the danger he is in. The discovery of the "tap in" message written in Sazz's blood on the kitchen floor suggests Sazz was trying to communicate a final clue.

Episode 3: Two for the Road

The Hollywood actors join the investigation. The trio focuses on Rudy Thurber and the Sauce family. The episode explores the dynamic of how outsiders perceive the trio’s podcasting obsession, highlighting the thin line between justice and entertainment.

Episode 4: The Stunt Man

The trio visits a "stunt man bar" where they learn about Sazz’s life outside of being Charles’s double. They discover she wanted to open a stunt training facility called "Sazz’s Impact Academy." This episode humanizes Sazz, shifting her role from a punchline to a character with profound legacy goals.

Episode 5: Adaptation

Bev Melon becomes a suspect when she is found at the site of Sazz’s future academy. However, it is revealed she is just paranoid about the film’s production. The episode introduces the "Brothers Sisters," the eccentric twin directors of the Only Murders movie, whose artistic vision seems increasingly dark.

Episode 6: Blow-Up

A stylistic departure for the series, this episode uses found-footage and documentary techniques. The trio realizes that the threat is much closer than they thought. The death of Glen Stubbins (Paul Rudd’s new character), a stuntman who knew Sazz, adds another layer of tragedy to the case.

Episode 7: Valley of the Dolls

Terrified, the trio flees to Long Island to stay with Charles’s sister, Doreen (Melissa McCarthy). The episode serves as an emotional pressure cooker where the trio confronts their own relationship issues while being pursued by the actors and the mysterious killer.

Episode 8: Lifeboat

The trio confronts the Westies in a formal "showdown." The residents finally explain the Milton Dudenoff situation. They reveal that Dudenoff committed suicide and they hid his death to keep their apartments. While they are guilty of a housing scam, they are cleared of Sazz’s murder.

Episode 9: Escape from Planet Klongo

The investigation leads back to a film set from years ago. The trio discovers that Sazz had a protégé who felt betrayed by her. This protégé, a writer/stuntman, becomes the prime suspect as the trio realizes the screenplay for the Only Murders movie was actually written by Sazz, not the credited writer.

Episode 10: My Best Friend’s Wedding

The finale takes place during Oliver and Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) wedding. The killer is revealed to be Marshall P. Pope (Jin Ha), whose real name is Rex Bailey.

The Truth Revealed: Who Killed Sazz Pataki?

The mystery concludes with the revelation that Rex Bailey, posing as the screenwriter Marshall P. Pope, was the killer. Rex was a failed stuntman who Sazz took under her wing. During their time together, Rex stole a screenplay Sazz had written about her life and her friendship with Charles.

When Sazz discovered the theft and prepared to tell Charles (and the studio), Rex decided to eliminate her. He used his stunt training to navigate the Arconia’s infrastructure, specifically the "ledge" between the towers, allowing him to shoot from the West Tower and reach Charles's apartment in record time to dispose of the body.

In a tense finale, Mabel confronts Rex in her apartment. Rex is ultimately taken down, but not before the trio manages to record his confession for the podcast. The season ends with a celebratory mood as Oliver and Loretta marry, though Loretta soon leaves for a filming project in New Zealand.

The Shocking Finale Cliffhanger and Season 5 Setup

Just as the trio believes they can finally rest, Season 4 delivers one last gut punch. As they walk through the Arconia courtyard, they discover the body of Lester (Teddy Coluca), the building’s longtime and beloved doorman, in the fountain.

Before they can process this new tragedy, Sofia Caccimelio (Téa Leoni) approaches the trio. She asks for their help in finding her husband, Nicky "The Neck" Caccimelio, implying a connection to organized crime and suggesting that the Arconia’s secrets are far from exhausted. This sets the stage for Season 5, which is scheduled to premiere on September 9, 2025.

Summary of Season 4 Key Reveals

Season 4 is arguably the show's most ambitious season to date, successfully blending the personal grief of Charles with a scathing critique of the entertainment industry.

Key Mystery Element Explanation
The Victim Sazz Pataki (Charles's stunt double).
The Killer Rex Bailey (aka Marshall P. Pope).
The Motive To hide the theft of Sazz's screenplay for the Only Murders movie.
The Weapon A sniper rifle fired from the Dudenoff apartment in the West Tower.
The Cliffhanger The murder of Lester the doorman and the arrival of Sofia Caccimelio.

Conclusion

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 successfully reinvented the show’s formula by taking the trio to Los Angeles and introducing the concept of the "Actors Trio." By focusing on Sazz Pataki, the series deepened its emotional core, exploring what it means to be a "double" in both the professional and personal sense. The revelation of Rex Bailey as the killer tied the Hollywood aspirations of the characters to the dark reality of creative theft. With Lester’s death and the introduction of the Caccimelio crime family, the Arconia remains the most dangerous—and entertaining—address in New York City.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When did Only Murders in the Building Season 4 air?

Season 4 aired from August 27, 2024, to October 29, 2024, with new episodes released every Tuesday on Hulu.

Who is the killer in Only Murders in the Building Season 4?

The killer is Rex Bailey, who used the alias Marshall P. Pope. He was a protégé of Sazz Pataki who stole her movie script and murdered her to prevent the theft from being exposed.

Is Meryl Streep in Season 4?

Yes, Meryl Streep reprises her role as Loretta Durkin. She appears in several episodes, culminating in her wedding to Oliver Putnam in the season finale.

What happened to Lester the doorman?

In the final moments of Season 4, Lester is found dead in the Arconia courtyard fountain, serving as the central mystery for the upcoming Season 5.

When does Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building come out?

Season 5 is officially confirmed to premiere on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.