Warning: Contains major spoilers for the Dutton Ranch Season 1 finale.
Dutton Ranch star Juan Pablo Raba has defended his character Joaquin after he apparently killed his brother Rob-Will (Jai Courtney) in the series finale, which aired on Friday, July 3, 2026. Raba teases that stunning revelations could come to light in Season 2, suggesting the murder may not have been committed by Joaquin.
The hit Paramount+ series follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and her husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they relocate from Montana to Texas after a catastrophic wildfire. Alongside their young ward Carter (Finn Little), they establish a new home on a 7,000-acre estate in Rio Paloma but quickly find themselves at odds with a neighbouring ranch. Their rivalry with 10 Petal Ranch owner Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) culminates in an explosive showdown where Carter is abducted and Joaquin is ordered to kill Rob-Will by his adoptive father Mariano (Raoul Max Trujillo) to regain control.
Raba Questions the Timeline of the Shooting
Speaking to Variety, Raba raised doubts about whether Joaquin actually pulled the trigger. He pointed out that the shooter is never shown on screen and that the timeline leaves little room for Joaquin to have acted. 'Let me ask you a question: Do you think Joaquin killed Rob-Will?' Raba asked. 'I mean, here's the deal, and I'm not being cheeky here. I don't think he did it!'
Raba elaborated on the scene's sequence: 'If you follow the timeline of the scene, you can check it out again, but Rob-Will says 'Bye' to Oreana. 15 or 20 seconds later, you hear a gunshot and there's no cut. So whoever did it, literally: Ding-dong, door opens, shoots the guy.' He questioned Joaquin's motive, noting he was sober and not under the influence, and asked why he would obey a father he likely despises. 'Are you telling me that Joaquin did that? He's not drunk. He's not drugged. And why? Because a guy, his dad, that honestly he has to hate in so many ways, asked? I think there's a lot of questions to be answered.'
Potential Redemption Arc for Joaquin
Raba's comments hint at a possible redemption storyline for Joaquin in Season 2, revealing deep-seated animosity towards his father Mariano. 'This guy's not a cowboy. This guy's not a killer. This guy, for Christ's sake, he's a college boy!' Raba said. 'He doesn't want to be like his father. He wants to be a Texan rancher. He could have made that call 20 years ago, but he didn't want to. So everything that starts happening to him is just so bizarre, and he's not acting like he can control things anymore. He's really scared.'
Fans must wait to discover how the saga unfolds in the next chapter, which Paramount confirmed last month is currently in development. Dutton Ranch is available to stream on Paramount+.
