Who killed Bronte in Netflix’s The Survivors? Details explored
Netflix's The Survivors is an Australian crime mystery drama miniseries that premiered on June 6, 2025. The show centers on Kieran Elliott, who returns to his coastal hometown of Evelyn Bay with his family after 15 years. The town's tragic and mysterious past continues to haunt its residents—and Kieran, upon his return.
Bronte Laidler was an art student and waitress whose interest in true crime cases led her to visit Evelyn Bay in search of the truth behind Gabby Birch's disappearance years ago. The incident that reopened old wounds for the residents of the Tasmanian town was Bronte's death, which was revealed to be a murder.
The finale of The Survivors lifted the curtain on the identity of Bronte's murderer. When Kieran and his seemingly innocent friend, Sean Gilroy, went to the caves to verify crucial information about Gabby's disappearance, Sean confessed to having killed both Gabby and Bronte.
After admitting the horrifying crimes he had committed, Sean got scared of the consequences and tried to kill Kieran too. However, police had already been tipped and reached the location in time to save Kieran from Sean's clutches.
Why did Sean Gilroy kill Bronte Laidler in The Survivors?
Created by Tony Ayres, The Survivors is based on Jane Harper's 2020 novel of the same name. 15 years before Bronte's murder, a storm hit Evelyn Bay and claimed the lives of Kieran's brother, Finn Elliott, and Sean's brother, Toby Gilroy.
However, Finn and Toby were not the only people who lost their lives that night. A teenager named Gabby Birch also disappeared, but the town seemed to have forgotten about her. That was until Bronte arrived in the town as a tourist and began digging into the past to learn the truth.
When Sean realized exactly how close Bronte was to the truth, he thought it best to end her life with his own hands. Bronte kept screaming for help as Sean attacked her with the flashlight she had borrowed from him. Once she was dead, Sean dragged her body to the sea before taking off from there.
Kieran's father, Brian, found Bronte and tried to perform CPR in a vain attempt to bring her back to life. Initially, Brian was suspected of Bronte's murder because the investigation revealed signs of foul play. However, the fact that Brian had dementia made it unlikely that he could have killed Bronte.
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Why did Sean Gilroy kill Gabby Birch in The Survivors?
For years, everyone believed that Gabby had gone to the caves with Toby and Finn on the night of the storm, which was also when she had disappeared. However, in The Survivors finale, viewers learn that it was actually Sean who took Gabby to the caves.
Gabby had always had a huge crush on Kieran. So, Sean tricked her into going to the caves with him, claiming that Kieran was there. Once they reached the caves, Sean tried to kiss Gabby, and she refused to return the sentiment. This rejection hurt Sean, and he left Gabby behind in the caves.
Gabby did not know her way back to the beach, so she was stuck there. Unfortunately, when the storms hit that night, she drowned. Sean's father, Julian, was also an accomplice in the crime because he helped Sean cover it up. Julian had already lost Toby to the storm, so he did not have the heart to lose yet another son.
The Survivors is available to stream on Netflix.
