A strange phone conversation that turned into something much more complicated was the beginning of Apple TV+’s “Criminal Record,” which caused June Lenker to start doubting the system she works for. She learns from the call that Errol Mathis, a guy, is unjustly incarcerated for the death of his fiancée Adelaide Burrowes.
Daniel Hegarty, her supervisor, shuts her down when she tries to assist Errol through the appropriate channels. But in the end, the reality is revealed. However, it still raises some concerns for Lenker.
Criminal Record Ending Explained
Lenker queries whether Hegarty’s account of the Adelaide murder inquiry is complete as he describes how he came to the conclusion that Errol was the murderer. She tells him about Mostapha Demir and how, although they had missed him during the investigation, Lenker eventually located him and used him to verify Errol’s alibi.
Sonya leaks the emergency caller’s tape, which garners support from the public for Errol’s release and the capture of the real murderer. Hegarty is forced to concede that someone on his team was negligent in following up on all the facts, which is why the true murderer was still at large, when Lenker uncovers yet another flaw in his investigation.
Adelaide Burrowes’s case was quickly concluded after her death, as her fiancé, Errol Mathis, was apprehended and found guilty of the crime. Errol’s admission was what ultimately turned the tide against him, but eventually the truth is revealed when an emergency caller says that Errol was set up to kill Adelaide and that her abusive boyfriend is the real killer.
She also says that her boyfriend is “protected,” which leads Lenker to believe that he is a police officer. But as time goes on, it becomes clear that it is one of the informants. Hegarty asserts that his investigation was flawless and that Errol was rightfully arrested; however, he soon discovers that Tony, if not himself, was the one who mishandled the inquiry.
At the time, fingerprints were taken at the site of the crime and compared to the database. To cross people off the list based on their alibis, they had to interview every person on the list. Stefan Ash, the landlord of the apartment Adelaide and Errol rented, was one of the names on the list.
This implied that he had full access to the apartment and a key. Ash ought to have been questioned, but since he was Tony’s informant, Tony chose to safeguard his assets rather than hand him up. He indicated that Ash had been examined and interviewed, crossing his name off the list.
After the real murderer was eliminated, Errol became the target of all suspicion, and he ultimately faced the consequences. Ash, however, felt even more unstoppable because of his police buddy’s protection. Because of his position as an informant, he believed that he could get away with murder.
For this reason, he was so bold as to continue abusing women, including his wife and Carla, and even admit his guilt in front of Carla regarding Adelaide’s death. Ash didn’t expect someone like Lenker, though; he imagined the police would never come for him.
Hegarty tries to correct the error as soon as he finds it, and Lenker chooses to monitor the probe closely since he anticipates Hegarty being evasive. It becomes evident that they need to check every one of Ash’s properties when Hegarty informs her that he owns numerous buildings. After a while, they locate him in one of those structures with Carla and her small boy, who is still traumatized from Ash’s actions.