The Definitive Kill Count: Ranking Every Major Death In The 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Franchise

The iconic slasher franchise, I Know What You Did Last Summer, has delivered some of the most memorable and gruesome kills in horror history. Since the original film premiered in 1997, the story of a group of teenagers haunted by a fatal accident has spanned three films and a modern television series, with each installment introducing new victims to the deadly hook of the Fisherman, Ben Willis, or one of his twisted imitators. As of December 2025, the franchise's total kill count is substantial, and the methods of death are often shocking, leaving a trail of blood and secrets.

This deep dive explores every major and most brutal death across all four iterations of the franchise, including the original trilogy and the recent Amazon Prime Video series. We examine who died, how they met their fate, and the ripple effect their death had on the core characters. We also look ahead at the highly anticipated 2025 legacy sequel, which promises to bring back the original stars and, undoubtedly, a fresh wave of carnage.

The Original Sins: Deaths in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

The 1997 film, a cornerstone of the late '90s slasher revival, established the core mythology: a group of friends accidentally run over a man and dump his body, only to be stalked a year later. The film's low body count is made up for by the sheer terror and brutality of each death.

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1. David Egan (The Catalyst)

• Cause of Death: Accidentally hit by a car, then pushed off a cliff and drowned by the main group.
• Killer: The core group of four (Julie, Helen, Ray, and Barry).
• Significance: David Egan is the man the teenagers hit. His death is the "original sin" that sets the entire chain of events in motion. However, it is revealed that David was already dead, having been killed by Ben Willis in a separate incident, making the teens’ cover-up a tragic irony.

2. Max Neurick

• Cause of Death: Stabbed in the throat with the Fisherman's hook.
• Killer: Ben Willis (The Fisherman).
• Significance: Max is the first person killed by Ben Willis in his pursuit of the four teenagers. He is a seemingly random acquaintance who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. His body is later found in the trunk of Julie's car, serving as the first true warning to the group that their secret is known.

3. Helen Shivers

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• Cause of Death: Slashed multiple times with the hook after a terrifying chase.
• Killer: Ben Willis.
• Significance: Helen's death is arguably the most memorable and drawn-out sequence in the film. After escaping a police car and running through a small-town parade, she is cornered in an alley. The brutal nature of her death—a prolonged, desperate chase ending in multiple hook slashes—cemented the Fisherman's reputation as a relentless, terrifying slasher icon.

4. Barry Cox

• Cause of Death: Slashed with the hook, possibly multiple times.
• Killer: Ben Willis.
• Significance: Barry is targeted early on but survives the first attack. His ultimate demise is a direct result of his involvement in the cover-up. He is one of the four main culprits, and his death signals that the Fisherman will not stop until all are punished.

The Expanding Lore: Deaths in the Sequels and Spin-Offs

The subsequent installments attempted to expand the mythology, sometimes successfully, sometimes with a supernatural twist. The kill count generally increases, and the locations—from a remote island resort to a small ski town—add new layers of paranoia and isolation.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)

This sequel transports Julie James and her new friends to a remote Bahamian island resort during a hurricane. The body count here is higher, and the kills are more creative, introducing Will Benson as a second killer.

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• Dave Strohmenger: Impaled through the throat and jaw by the hook, pulled from a truck. This is a shocking early kill that confirms the Fisherman is back.
• Darick the Dockhand: Slashed off-screen.
• Estes (Hotel Manager): Impaled and killed while trying to protect the group.
• Will Benson: Shot multiple times by Ray, revealing the accomplice’s identity. Will is revealed to be Ben Willis's son, seeking revenge for the death of his sister, Susie, and his father's actions.
• Ben Willis: Blown up by a gas explosion, though the final scene suggests his return.

I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006)

The third film is a direct-to-video entry that shifts the location to Colorado and introduces a supernatural element, with the killer being a ghostly manifestation of Ben Willis.

• P.J. Davis: The original accidental victim, who dies when the group's prank goes wrong.
• Zoe: Stabbed and thrown over a balcony to her death. This is one of the more brutal kills, showcasing the Fisherman's relentless nature even as a supernatural entity.
• Sheriff Davis: P.J.'s father, who is killed while trying to protect the new group of teenagers.
• Lance: Killed in a fiery explosion.

The Modern Reboot: Deaths in the I Know What You Did Last Summer TV Series (2021)

The Amazon Prime Video series reimagined the story for a new generation, focusing on a group of teenagers in a small Hawaiian town haunted by a fatal car crash. The series features a much higher body count and a more complex mystery with multiple killers.

• Lennon Grant: The initial accidental victim, run over by her twin sister, Allison, in a case of mistaken identity. This is the catalyst for the series.
• Eric Craft: Stabbed in the stomach with the hook.
• Dale: Killed because he was threatening to reveal secrets. His death is a key moment in the series' unraveling mystery.
• Johnny: Stabbed with the hook.
• The Goat (The Pet): An early, shocking kill that establishes the killer's cruelty.
• Officer Cruise: Stabbed with the hook.
• Courtney: Stabbed with the hook.
• The Real Killer(s): The series features multiple killers, most notably Allison Grant and Margot, who are responsible for several deaths, blurring the line between the original sin and the subsequent murders.

The Legacy and the Future: What to Expect from the 2025 Sequel

The biggest news in the franchise is the development of a legacy sequel, reportedly set for a 2025 release. This new film is rumored to bring back original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt (Julie James) and Freddie Prinze Jr. (Ray Bronson) as adult survivors who must once again confront the sins of their past.

The return of the original cast and the promise of a "legacy sequel" suggest a high-stakes return to the Fisherman's brutal methods. Fans anticipate a film that honors the iconic practical effects and suspense of the 1997 original, rather than the supernatural elements of the later sequels.

The new film will likely feature a mix of nostalgia kills—victims who get the classic hook treatment—and modern, inventive brutality to satisfy a contemporary horror audience. The core question remains: Will Ben Willis, or a new, more terrifying incarnation of the Fisherman, finally finish the job he started decades ago?

The enduring popularity of the *I Know What You Did Last Summer* franchise is a testament to its simple, yet terrifying premise. Whether it's the accidental death of a pedestrian or the relentless pursuit of a masked slasher, the franchise expertly taps into the universal fear of secrets coming back to haunt you. With the 2025 sequel on the horizon, the body count is only set to rise, ensuring the Fisherman's hook remains one of horror's most feared weapons.