Joaquin's Innocence Claimed by Actor After Finale Murder
Dutton Ranch star Juan Pablo Raba has defended his character Joaquin after the Season 1 finale appeared to show him killing his brother Rob-Will, played by Jai Courtney. The episode aired on Paramount+ on July 3, 2026.
Raba, speaking to Variety, questioned whether Joaquin actually committed the murder. He pointed out that the shooter is not explicitly shown and that the timeline makes it unlikely for Joaquin to have acted so quickly.
"Let me ask you a question: Do you think Joaquin killed Rob-Will?" Raba asked. "I don't think he did it! 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."
Character Background and Motive Questioned
Raba emphasized that Joaquin is not a killer. "This guy's not a cowboy. This guy's not a killer. This guy, for Christ's sake, he's a college boy!" he 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."
The actor suggested that Joaquin's hatred for his father, Mariano (Raoul Max Trujillo), who ordered the hit, might run deeper than viewers realize. "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."
Season 1 Finale Recap and Impact
The finale saw the rivalry between the Dutton family's ranch and 10 Petal Ranch, owned by Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), escalate into violence. Carter (Finn Little) was abducted, and Joaquin was ordered by his father to kill Rob-Will to regain control. The death left Beulah and her daughter Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind) devastated.
The series follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they move from Montana to Texas after a catastrophic wildfire, settling on a 7,000-acre estate in Rio Paloma with their ward Carter.
Future Season 2 Possibilities
Raba's comments hint at a potential redemption arc for Joaquin in Season 2, which Paramount confirmed is in development. The actor's defense of his character suggests that the true culprit may be revealed later, keeping fans guessing.
"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," Raba added, describing Joaquin's state of mind.
Dutton Ranch is available to stream on Paramount+.
