While Tracker is a procedural drama, one mystery has loomed over Colter Shaw’s head since the beginning: the death of his father, Ashton. While it was likely that his father was pushed over a cliff, not fell, the truth never came to light. That is, until now. Finally, in the season two finale, Colter comes one step closer to understanding what happened that fateful day. The truth will reverberate throughout his life from this point. Not only has he discovered who the killer is, but he has also learned something devastating about a person he holds dear.
Tracker isn’t just another action-packed drama—it’s a layered narrative loaded with suspense, mystery, and emotional depth. And in Season 2, things just got crazy good. If you’ve been watching since day one, you probably screamed at your screen when the show finally looped back to that mystery. Yep, the one that’s been haunting Colter Shaw—and us—since the pilot. So, what’s the deal with Tracker Season 2’s shocking twist? Buckle up, because we’re diving deep into the heart of this long-running enigma.
It’s Not Who Killed Ashton, But Why That’s the Shocker. In season 2, episode 20, “Echo Ridge,” Colter finds himself back in his hometown of Echo Ridge, California, where his mother, Mary, still lives. In fact, she’s the one who called him because a local man named Bill has gone missing, and they are worried about him. Colter visits his mother, enjoys a few bites of pancakes, and some conversation before heading out to meet with the man’s sister to learn more.
There, he learns that a few months prior, a creepy man came into the restaurant with a scared-looking young boy. Bill tried to ask the boy if he needed help while the man went to the restroom, but the boy was too scared to talk. Bill got distracted, and the man and boy left when he wasn’t looking. Still, Bill couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that something was wrong, so he continued to look into it. He discovered the young boy had been missing. When he spotted the man in town, he recognized the person he was with, a local drug dealer named Ronnie Yates. Colter tracks down Ronnie, which leads him to the identification of the kidnapper, a freelance trucker named Carl Murphy who had been running drugs on occasion. Ronnie had no idea Carl was involved in child trafficking as well, and is disgusted by this revelation. Colter visits Carl’s trailer, but it’s empty. When looking out the window, he notices a wooden carved wolf on the windowsill. He flips it over and sees the signature “A. Shaw” on the bottom, confirming this was Colter’s dad’s, and he’s confused.
Colter eventually tracks down the killer and detains him with the help of a local friend named Paul. Colter shows the man the wooden figure and urges him to advise where he got it from and why it was in his trailer. He says he got it from his uncle, Otto Waldron. Colter goes to see Otto, who at first wants nothing to do with this young man when he mentions his nephew’s name. That kid is a lost cause. But when Colter reveals his identity, Otto is taken aback and invites him in. While there, Otto reveals how he knew Ashton. He was a linesman and was instructed by the town to set up powerlines by Ashton’s home in the wilderness. Desperate to live off the grid, Ashton did not want this. Otto stood up for him, helping keep the city off his back, and Ashton was grateful for his help. They sparked up a friendship. As he speaks, tears roll down Colter’s face. He tells Otto that Russell told him there was another man in the woods that night, and Colter now realizes that the other man was probably Otto.
He confirms it. Colter pulls out his gun, points it towards Otto, and asks him point-blank if he pushed his father. “I did,” he replies. But he says he didn’t work for the feds. Colter asks why he did it. “Because she asked for my help,” he declares. She? Who is she? Colter asks the question, though it’s clear from the anguish in his eyes that he already knows the answer. It was Mary, Otto reveals, who asked him to do it.
Tracker Season 2 didn’t just revisit an old mystery—it breathed fire into it. The tension, the emotion, the reveal—it’s all been worth the wait. This isn’t just a show about tracking people; it’s a show about tracking the truth, no matter how painful or dangerous that journey might be.
