MobLand Episode 8: Why Did Richie Kill [Spoiler]? Ending Explained

MobLand Episode 8, titled “Helter Skelter,” is now available for streaming on Paramount+, and fans have questions about how the episode ended. In the concluding moments of the episode, Geoff Bell’s Richie Stevenson murders two police officers, and viewers are wondering why.

Why did Richie kill the police detectives in MobLand Episode 8?

As the gang war between the Harrigans and the Stevensons continues to spiral out of control, MobLand introduces a new character bound to significantly impact the conflict. Portrayed by Toby Jones, former Deputy Chief Inspector Colin Tattersall is a veteran of Scotland Yard with decades of experience dealing with the criminal underbelly of London. He is the one who advises Fisk and Mukasa to work with Richie to bring down Pierce Brosnan’s Conrad Harrigan and his family. After all, Richie is Conrad’s worst adversary.

However, this advice ultimately turns out to be a setup. Fisk and Mukasa meet with Richie, who seems to initially agree to their terms. He then asks who will be owning whom in this transactional relationship between them.

The detectives make it clear that they will not be owned by the gang leader and try to placate him by saying that it doesn’t need to be an issue. However, Richie shoots them both dead. It is later revealed that Tattersall had orchestrated the entire thing. He has been working for Richie for years, and he declares the other man the owner in their agreement.

Fisk and Mukasa became problems for Richie the moment they said Richie wouldn’t control them. For a man like Richie, violence almost always accompanies the desire for control. With Tattersall in charge of the investigation and effectively in charge of Scotland Yard’s entire initiative against the Harrigans, things have suddenly turned in Richie’s favor, and he will undoubtedly try to make the best use of it.