Among the hilarious pranks and jokes in The Office, it's easy to forget that there was also a serial killer loose in Scranton. In season 7, a man presumed to be the Scranton Strangler is caught and Toby eventually serves as a juror on his trial. This man, George Howard Skub, is convicted of the Strangler's crimes, but Toby expresses doubt that Skub is actually guilty.
Over the years, many fan theories have popped up about the Scranton Strangler's true identity. Some even believe that the Strangler is one of the beloved employees of Dunder Mifflin. Toby and Creed are common suspects when it comes to these theories, but could the real Scranton Strangler be an even more unassuming character? Maybe it was simple, music-loving Andy Bernard or even office heartthrob Jim Halpert. Read on to find out five reasons why Andy is the Scranton Strangler, and five reasons it's Jim.
Andy: His Anger Management Problems
We've seen in multiple episodes that Andy has an anger problem. When Jim pulls his classic prank of putting his stapler in Jell-O, Andy reacts furiously and screams that he is going to "lose his freaking mind." In the episode "The Return" Andy gets so angry that he punches a hole in the wall. Although Andy does attend anger management training, it does little to help him control his emotions. He punches a hole in the same wall five seasons later in the episode titled "Angry Andy". Perhaps Andy's emotions are so out of control that he started committing violent crimes as well.
Jim: He Torments Dwight
Cruelty to animals is often seen as a childhood indicator that someone will become a serial killer. While we don't know enough about Jim's childhood to know if he is guilty of this, we do know that Jim loves to torment one animal - Dwight. Jim has a disturbingly one-track mind when it comes to pranking Dwight. He often puts these pranks above all other things in his life, including his job. These pranks are not always harmless and silly and seem to really upset Dwight on many occasions.
Andy: He's A Tyrannical Boss
In the later seasons of The Office, we see that Andy has a surprising ability to be cruel to his coworkers. He uses his power as regional manager to enact revenge and to get away with whatever he wants. Andy refuses to help Nellie adopt a baby, abandons Erin to go sailing around the world, and purposefully embarrasses Pete and Erin by hiring their exes. This might not seem like serial killer level stuff, but Andy shows time and time again that he doesn't care about other people's feelings, and that he enjoys lording his power over others.
Jim: He Lies Effortlessly
An undercover serial killer would have to be a master of deceit, right? Well, Jim is definitely a pretty skilled liar. Some of his lies are for seemingly harmless reasons — to get out of an uncomfortable social event or to pull a silly joke. However later in The Office, Jim proves to be capable of lying about much bigger aspects of his life.
He buys a house and accepts a job offer in Philly without telling his wife. He then lies to her about the amount of money he invests in that company. These are really big things to lie to your significant other about, and Jim seems to do it without any guilt. What else is Jim capable of lying about?
Andy: He Tried To Kill Dwight
On the same note of Andy's anger management issues, let's not forget the time he tried to kill Dwight. Admittedly finding out that your fiance is cheating on you would infuriate anyone, but Andy takes it to a whole new level. In the episode, "The Duel" Andy challenges Dwight to a battle when he discovers he has been sleeping with Angela. Andy then sneaks up on Dwight in his Prius and pins him against the bushes with his car. It's a very calculated and devious move, proving that maybe Andy isn't as dumb as people think. He might even have the skills to get away with murder.
Jim: He Has The Perfect Cover
Again we're not saying that Jim definitely is the Scranton Strangler, but wouldn't a loving husband and father be the perfect disguise for a serial killer? In the earlier episodes of The Office Jim often makes excuses to duck out of social events early. After Cece is born, Jim states in the episode "Happy Hour," "This baby is amazing. She gets me out of everything." Could it be that having an adorable little one not only gets Jim out of social events but provides the perfect cover while he slips away to commit his crimes?
Andy: He's Manipulative
Although Andy is often seen as obnoxious and idiotic, he has a frightening ability to manipulate those around him to try to get what he wants. In the episode "Travelling Salesmen" Andy makes Michael think that Dwight has betrayed him again. He is ultimately the reason that Dwight leaves Dunder Mifflin. In season 9 he even manages to hide the fact that he was sailing around the world for three weeks from David Wallace. Andy manipulates people easily, a defining feature of psychopathy.
Jim: He Stalked Pam
Fans of The Office often see Jim and Pam as the golden standard when it comes to relationships. In reality, their relationship is problematic for many reasons. Most notably is the fact that Jim would not leave Pam alone when she was engaged to Roy. He constantly sought opportunities to be around and impress her, even in front of her fiance.
After Pam turned down Jim's profession of love in the episode "Casino Night", Jim found her and kissed her even though she had already told him no. Serial killers are frequently also stalkers, and Jim's conquest of Pam sometimes goes to creepy levels.
Andy: He's Well Educated
Not all serial killers are particularly well educated, but if Andy were to get away with murder under everyone's nose, he'd have to be pretty smart. Andy graduated from a prestigious Ivy League university, so he must be somewhat intelligent. It might also be interesting to note that a real well-known serial killer named Michael Ross was also a Cornell graduate. Michael Ross was also known as The Roadside Strangler. Coincidence? Or could Andy have had some inspiration while at Cornell?
Jim: He's Charming
We already mentioned that the ability to manipulate others is a defining characteristic of psychopathy. Jim's manipulation techniques are slightly different than Andy's, but they are no less important. Jim is a charming guy. He seems interested in getting on people's good side when there is something to gain from it. For example, David Wallace is the CFO of Dunder Mifflin, and he appears to think very highly of Jim. Characters like Dwight and even Michael don't seem to offer much for Jim to gain. He thinks less of them, so he treats them disrespectfully. Jim even acts this way with women, being charming to a point and then casting them aside after they serve their purpose. He does this with both Katy and Karen, who he seems to be dating only to make Pam jealous and to pass the time until he can be with her.