The Third Murder (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Misumi gave three contradictory confessions throughout the trial. Initially he claimed he killed for debt-related revenge, then admitted to premeditation, and finally declared innocence, stating the money was for illegal business transactions. This pattern suggests Misumi was either trying to protect someone (possibly Sakie), manipulate the legal outcome, or was coerced by his attorneys. The defense attorney Settsu even advised him to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty, indicating the confusing confessions served strategic purposes rather than revealing clear truth.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Misumi sending money to his estranged daughter Megumi, hinting at a protective motivation beyond self-interest.

• misumi confession
• changing story
• murder trial
• conflicting statements

Sakie, the victim's wife, initially appeared as a grieving widow but her testimony revealed deeper involvement. She admitted reaching out to Misumi two weeks before the murder, promising him security should he remain silent about her involvement. During her testimony, she revealed she was motivated by years of abuse from her father, suggesting she may have orchestrated or encouraged Misumi to kill him. However, at the final hearing, she expressed disbelief that Misumi killed for money and asked for mercy rather than retribution.

Foreshadowing: The mysterious cross left at the crime scene mirrored Sakie's daughter's limp, creating an early visual clue connecting the family to the murder.

• sakie victim wife
• murder involvement
• abuse history
• conspiracy

Shigemori's father was the presiding judge in Misumi's earlier murder case 30 years ago. Rather than sentencing him to death, the judge spared Misumi's life, allowing him to be released after serving his sentence. This historical connection creates personal stakes for Shigemori, as defending Misumi forces him to confront his father's past decision. The film suggests this earlier judgment may have been too lenient, leading to the second murder.

Foreshadowing: The film hints that Misumi sent a postcard to Shigemori's father, suggesting an ongoing connection between them that influenced the current case.

• shigemori father
• judge
• death penalty
• 30 years ago
• previous case

The cross left at the crime scene was a mysterious clue that led investigators to the victim's teenage daughter, who walked with a pronounced limp. This detail connected the crime scene to the victim's family and suggested the killer had some relationship or knowledge of the family. The symbol also foreshadowed the complex family dynamics involving abuse and trauma within the household.

Foreshadowing: When Shigemori visits the victim's family, he meets the daughter whose limp directly mirrors the symbol left at the crime scene, confirming the connection.

• crime scene clue
• cross
• limp
• evidence
• investigation

Misumi sent the stolen 500,000 yen to his estranged daughter Megumi after the murder, claiming it was to help her despite their fractured relationship. This act reveals a complex side to Misumi, he is a murderer but also a father trying to provide for his child from whom he is estranged. Megumi, however, wanted nothing to do with him and was prepared to testify against him in court, making his gesture largely futile.

Foreshadowing: In Rumoi, Shigemori learns that Megumi refused to contact her father, setting up the tragic irony of Misumi's attempted reconciliation through crime.

• megumi daughter
• money transfer
• estranged relationship
• family

Misumi initially claimed the murder was motivated by unpaid wages and revenge against his former employer. However, the truth became murky as his confessions shifted. Evidence suggested Sakie (the victim's wife) may have hired him, and her testimony about her father's abuse hinted at a darker family conflict. Misumi's claim that he acted under the influence was contradicted by his attorney's evidence of premeditation, making his true motivation ambiguous throughout.

Foreshadowing: The investigation reveals tensions at the factory over unpaid wages, but Sakie's involvement suggests the murder was more complex than simple workplace revenge.

• motivation
• revenge
• unpaid wages
• hiring killer
• factory owner

Surveillance footage confirmed that Misumi did steal money from the victim's wallet after the murder. This discovery forced Shigemori to reassess his defense strategy, as it contradicted claims that theft was not a motive. However, Misumi later changed his story again, asserting the money was for illegal business transactions rather than personal gain, creating further ambiguity about his true intentions.

Foreshadowing: This discovery came during Shigemori's investigation, causing him to question everything he thought he knew about his client.

• theft
• stolen money
• wallet
• surveillance footage
• robbery

Despite Misumi's final claim of innocence, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to death. The prosecution presented evidence of premeditation, the stolen money, and his inconsistent confessions which undermined his credibility. Even when Misumi claimed coercion from both prosecution and his own counsel, the judge sided with the prosecution. The verdict reflects the court's distrust of his shifting stories rather than definitive proof of his guilt for the specific charges.

Foreshadowing: Settsu warned Misumi that pleading guilty might be safer than claiming innocence, foreshadowing the deadly outcome of his inconsistent defense.

• death sentence
• verdict
• execution
• guilty verdict
• courtroom

Sakie's final statement that "truth is subjective" encapsulates the film's central theme. Throughout the trial, multiple versions of events emerged, Misumi confessed, then recanted, then claimed innocence. Sakie herself hid her involvement while presenting herself as a grieving widow. The ambiguous ending suggests there may never be one definitive truth about what happened, leaving the nature of justice itself in question.

Foreshadowing: The entire film builds toward this ambiguity, with each character's conflicting accounts making the concept of objective truth increasingly elusive.

• truth
• subjective
• ambiguous ending
• meaning
• theme
• philosophy

Shigemori hypothesizes that Misumi may have felt affection for Sakie because they both shared a connection to Megumi's disability, Sakie's stepdaughter walked with a limp similar to what Misumi's own daughter experienced. This theory suggests Misumi's willingness to protect Sakie or take blame may stem from empathy toward her situation as a caregiver. However, Sakie rejected this suggestion when confronted by Shigemori, and the true nature of their relationship remains unclear.

Foreshadowing: This connection emerges during Shigemori's conversations with Sakie, where he probes the hidden relationships between the defendants.

• sakie misumi connection
• disability
• megumi
• empathy
• relationship