It’s official: Coronation Street’s villain Joel Deering (played by Calum Lill) has been murdered.
In the October 14 episode of the ITV soap, Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) informed DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) and Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) that Joel’s body had been discovered. A post-mortem later confirmed he died from two heavy blows to the head.
Now that the police have declared it a murder case, there’s no shortage of suspects who might be involved – but who’s the culprit?
As resident soap detective, I’ve stepped into DS Swain’s role to review all the recent evidence and try to uncover who’s behind the crime! So, grab your notebooks because there’s a lot to dig into.
Who killed Joel Deering in Coronation Street? Full list of clues and suspects
Lisa Swain
In a dramatic twist, the primary suspect with the most evidence against them in this investigation is none other than Detective Sergeant Lisa Swain.
From the start, Lisa’s desire to bring Joel down has been no secret, with her taking extreme measures to try and make it happen.
Through her interactions with Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) last year, it became clear that Lisa feels strongly about violence against women – something Joel has been guilty of in relation to Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) and several other young women.
Despite her dedication to her job, Lisa risked it all this past summer in her mission to gather enough evidence to bring Joel down after his case fell apart. She admitted to Carla Connor (Alison King) that her actions could lead to suspension if exposed.
Her professionalism wavered after Joel’s initial release, as the CPS concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge him. Upon releasing him, Lisa made it clear he shouldn’t take her lightly.
“Mess with Dee-Dee or Lauren again, and prison won’t be the worst of your worries. And yes, that’s a threat,” she warned him. After Joel continued to harass Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) and Lauren, could Lisa have carried out her threat?
The situation intensified when it was revealed that Joel had also targeted Lisa’s daughter, Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin). Could this have driven Lisa beyond justice to seek revenge?
Upon discovering that Joel had sent Betsy threatening messages, Lisa was devastated. With Joel even threatening Betsy’s life, could Lisa have acted in defense of her daughter? She had previously mentioned being willing to die for her child.
After this, Lisa was removed from Joel’s case, having been told she was too emotionally involved. Still, she was determined to handle the investigation herself – could it be because she had something to hide?
The day after Joel’s murder, Lisa confessed to Carla that the case had become very personal due to Betsy’s involvement. She even said she’d have wanted to look Joel in the eyes in his final moments. But could she have done just that, determined to make him pay?
Furthermore, before the post-mortem, Lisa insisted Joel’s death was a suicide, while Dee-Dee argued it was out of character for him. Could Lisa have tried to disguise her involvement by making it seem like Joel had taken his own life? Her insistence on a specific outcome seemed unusual.
Earlier this year, Lisa confided to Carla that she had argued with her wife, Becky, about a case on the day Becky passed, never having the chance to tell her she was right. Since then, Lisa has thoroughly examined every case – something she didn’t appear keen to do with Joel. Could she know the truth and be hoping to escape punishment?
Adding to the suspicion, Lisa’s phone was off the night of Joel’s murder – perhaps to avoid tracking? She later told Dee-Dee it was broken, which could have happened in a struggle with Joel.
Lisa’s habit of taking risks for her job has also come to light. Recently, she revealed to Carla that she had chased someone through the precinct on the night of Joel’s death, later claiming she was struck by a car while chasing a handbag thief and unable to find Joel. Because Becky’s death was similar, she chose to hide the truth from Betsy.
Even her daughter suspects Lisa might have killed Joel, hinting she could be capable of it. Still, there’s also a chance Lisa is innocent but covering for someone else.
Betsy Swain
Betsy had plenty of reasons to want Joel dead, particularly after receiving recent threats from him – even confessing to Lisa that she was relieved he was gone.
Joel had manipulated Betsy into obtaining abortion pills, which he then gave to Lauren in an attempt to induce early labor and end their baby’s life. Thankfully, baby Frankie survived, though he has faced numerous health issues since birth.
When Betsy realized what Joel had done, she was horrified and confided in Lisa, leading to his arrest.
With Joel’s final messages threatening her life, could he have confronted Betsy, forcing her to act in self-defense? Or perhaps she killed him out of anger for involving her in his terrible scheme against Lauren.
And, given her history of turning to Lisa for support, could Betsy have confessed everything, leaving the Detective Sergeant caught in an impossible position?
Lauren Bolton
If anyone had a motive to kill Joel, it was Lauren.
Earlier this year, Joel attacked and traumatized Lauren after months of grooming. He even attempted to harm her unborn child, then placed the blame on her.
Joel’s continued harassment and manipulation left Lauren living in constant fear.
Could Lauren have finally reached her breaking point?
On the night of Joel’s murder, Lauren believed she’d seen someone in the garden and left a message for Lisa, saying she knew where Joel was. Although she later claimed it was a false alarm, could she have been hiding the truth?
Lauren had been sleeping on Max Turner’s (Paddy Bever) sofa that night, making it easy for her to slip out unnoticed for a confrontation with Joel. Later, when Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) asked about the sofa’s comfort, she claimed it was, though he disagreed. Was this a hint that she hadn’t really slept there at all?
Previously, Lauren expressed how terrified she was of Joel threatening her and baby Frankie – could she have been forced to defend herself if Joel had come after them?
Lauren has already fought back against Joel before, attacking him in the hospital during an earlier confrontation. Could things have escalated further this time?
She had certainly prepared to defend herself against him, as viewers saw when she took Lisa’s CS spray from her bag while Lisa was distracted.
There’s also the chance that Lauren knew where Joel was on the night of the murder; she had a tracking app connected to his phone. Though it showed ‘no signal’ earlier that day, what if it began working again, leading her straight to him?
When recounting the night of the murder to Kit, Lauren seemed understandably frustrated, recalling how she’d been expecting justice that day, only to be denied it when Joel didn’t appear in court. Did she decide to seek justice on her own?
Finally, when Kit remarked that she’d have to be “crazy” to have killed Joel herself, Lauren looked uncomfortable. Could he have struck a nerve?
Max Turner
Lauren wasn’t alone on the night of Joel’s death; she was staying with Max. They both noticed what appeared to be someone lurking in the garden, prompting Max to grab a knife to protect her.
Although a knife wasn’t the weapon that ultimately killed Joel, it’s clear that Max was ready to take drastic measures to ensure Lauren’s safety. Could he have left later that night to confront and kill Joel?
Dee-Dee Bailey
Viewers know that Dee-Dee also had access to Joel’s tracking app, which means she could have used it to track him down that night.
A flashback recently showed Dee-Dee confronting Joel while holding a crowbar—certainly suspicious, especially given that she was later seen rinsing blood off it in the sink.
However, we never saw her actually attack Joel, and she looked genuinely surprised by his presence. Was her original plan just to damage his car, only to be interrupted by his arrival?
Dee-Dee had plenty of reasons to want him gone, given Joel’s lies and manipulation—not to mention what he was secretly doing to Lauren. He even tried to sabotage her career out of spite.
The day Joel was killed, Dee-Dee was livid when he skipped his court appearance, saying if he was too scared to face court, he should be even more scared to face her.
It wasn’t her only threat that day. When Roy Cropper (David Neilson) shared that Joel might be a danger to himself, Lauren commented that she’d enjoy seeing him suffer, and Dee-Dee added she’d be first in line to help him. Was this just talk, or something more?
Dee-Dee has also blamed herself for allowing Joel into everyone’s lives. Could she have felt responsible for removing him, too?
The following day, Dee-Dee arrived home quite late. While this could be because Ed Bailey (Trevor Michael Georges) had asked her to stay with him and Michael Bailey (Ryan Russell) at No.3, it’s also possible she snuck out that night to confront Joel.
Adding to the mystery, she later experienced a dizzy spell. Given Joel’s injury, could she have fought him and been injured herself?
Later, Dee-Dee seemed anxious when the police swiftly located Joel’s car. Was she worried about evidence coming to light?
The only thing that casts doubt on Dee-Dee’s guilt is her insistence that Joel is still alive. Even when Lisa suggested it could have been suicide, Dee-Dee resisted, unable to accept that outcome.
But this could just be a trauma response. Perhaps she did kill him, yet clings to the idea he’s still out there.
In recent scenes, Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson) advised Dee-Dee not to tell Kit she hadn’t been sleeping, hinting that it could appear as a sign of guilt. Dee-Dee’s reaction made it clear she was uncomfortable with this thought—something worth noting.
Ed and Ronnie Bailey
Ed and Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan) have previously confronted Joel Deering, and it’s quite possible they did so again.
After witnessing a heated exchange between Joel and Dee-Dee in September, Ed and Ronnie followed him to the precinct and issued threats, with Ronnie pinning Joel against the wall.
Having seen how upset and angry Dee-Dee was over Joel missing court, could they have tracked him down again to finish what they started?
The day after their initial confrontation, Ronnie told Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) that Joel should be grateful to be alive, suggesting they were angry enough to consider harming him.
When Dee-Dee learned about their earlier encounter, she was anxious that they might have compromised the case against Joel.
However, Ed quickly reassured her that he would “make it okay” if things went awry. Given that Joel skipping court would certainly qualify as a problem, has Ed made good on his promise?
Additionally, Ronnie made it clear that Joel would get what was coming to him, and he has been eager to get updates from Kit and Lisa regarding the case—could he be trying to stay one step ahead?
In recent scenes, it was revealed that both Ed and Ronnie went to Joel’s flat with a crowbar on the night of his murder but were unable to locate him.
Ed told Dee-Dee they returned home immediately, but we can’t be sure of what they did once they split up. Is it possible that one of them is still hiding something?
There were also indications of a disturbance outside Joel’s flat that night, with a neighbor’s car being damaged by a red vehicle. It was later disclosed that Ronnie’s red car was in for repairs—has he been dishonest about what really happened?
Kit Green
DS Lisa Swain isn’t the only police officer under suspicion for Joel’s murder; Kit Green is also looking quite questionable.
The newcomer took over Joel’s case after Lisa was removed, but he hasn’t made much headway so far. Could he be intentionally stalling the investigation to prevent his colleagues from uncovering crucial evidence that could implicate him?
Actor Jacob Roberts recently stated that “Kit usually likes to take the law into his own hands in order to get justice,” adding that Kit is “gunning for Joel and wants to take him down.” Could this mean Kit took matters into his own hands and killed Joel himself?
When asked whether Kit has any idea who might have killed Joel, Jacob hinted, “I think he does know deep down…” Is this because he might be the one responsible?
Interestingly, on the night of Joel’s murder, Jenny Connor (Sally Ann Matthews) instructed Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan) not to lock the back door of the Rovers, as Kit had not yet returned home. What was he doing out so late?
In a recent exchange with Lisa, the two referenced the film The 39 Steps, which Kit identified as one of his favorites. In that film, a British spy is framed for murder by other spies before going on the run. Could Kit be taking a page from his favorite movie and planning to frame Lisa for Joel’s murder while being guilty himself?
Mason Radcliffe
Teen troublemaker Mason Radcliffe may not have had much interaction with Joel, but he was instrumental in encouraging Betsy to confide in her mother, Lisa, about the bruises on her arms a few months ago.
On the night of Joel’s murder, Mason was settling in for the evening at Speed Daal when he heard the front door open. It was Betsy, clearly frightened and worried that Joel was coming for her. With Mason having promised to protect her, could he have fulfilled that promise by killing Joel in self-defense? After all, he was found with a crowbar in his possession.
Although police tests on the crowbar showed no traces of Joel’s DNA, this doesn’t rule out the possibility that Mason cleaned it afterward, as Lisa noted.
Carla Connor
Carla Connor has been a suspect in several Coronation Street whodunnits before, so it’s only fitting to include her in the mix this time, especially as evidence against her is starting to pile up.
On the night of Joel’s murder, while Lisa reassured Carla not to be afraid, Carla responded that she wasn’t scared of Joel but rather of what she might do to him if they crossed paths. Could it be that they did cross paths, and Carla ended up delivering a fatal blow?
A recent flashback revealed that Carla witnessed something significant on the night of Joel’s death—could that have been Joel himself?
Like many others on this list, Carla has strong motives. Her best friend Roy has suffered immensely due to Joel’s silence about his crimes, prompting Carla to go to great lengths to help Roy get freed from prison. Recently, she has shown a propensity for violence in defense of Roy, even facing charges for assault after knocking a guy off his bike for disrespecting the café owner.
If she can resort to violence over mere comments, just imagine what she could do if confronted by Joel.
Roy Cropper
After everything he’s been through this year it would be quite ironic if Roy did finally kill someone. And if anyone were to face the wrath of Roy, we imagine it would be Joel…
It would certainly another big twist, which this storyline has been full of.
Gus Deering
Lastly, we can’t overlook Joel’s father, Gus. Coronation Street is known for its shocking twists, especially when it involves a parent committing murder against their child.
Viewers might recall the 2012 murder of Frank Foster, where many characters were suspected before the shocking reveal that his mother was the murderer, having discovered the truth about Frank’s assault on Carla.
Could Gus have turned against Joel after learning about the severity of his son’s crimes? Is it possible that Gus knows more about Joel’s death than he is admitting?
