The Ultimate Guide To Nate Lahey: How He Actually Got Away With Murder And His $20 Million Finale

Few characters in the Shondaland universe have endured a more complex, tragic, and morally ambiguous journey than Detective Nate Lahey in How to Get Away with a Murderer. His six-season arc, which concluded on May 14, 2020, saw him transform from Annalise Keating’s secret lover and a seemingly good cop into a grieving son, a vigilante, and ultimately, one of the few main characters who truly lived up to the show’s title. This in-depth look, updated for late 2025, dissects Nate’s pivotal role in the series' major conspiracies, his shocking act of murder, and the surprising, financially lucrative resolution that allowed him to walk free.

Nate Lahey, played by actor Billy Brown, was the show’s moral compass that spun wildly off-course, illustrating the devastating ripple effect of Annalise's world. His story is a masterclass in how trauma and the pursuit of justice can corrupt even the most well-intentioned person, culminating in an ending that was both a reward and a quiet punishment for his actions.

The Man Behind the Detective: Billy Brown's Biography and Filmography

The intensity and quiet strength of Nate Lahey were brought to life by American actor Billy Brown. Born on October 30, 1970, in Inglewood, California, Brown established a successful career playing formidable, often authoritative characters across film and television before landing his career-defining role in the ABC drama series.

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• Full Name: William Brown
• Date of Birth: October 30, 1970
• Birthplace: Inglewood, California, USA
• Key Role: Detective Nate Lahey on How to Get Away with a Murderer (2014–2020)
• Notable Filmography:
  • Sons of Anarchy (August Marks)
  • Dexter (Mike Anderson)
  • Lights Out (Richard ‘Death Row’ Reynolds)
  • Hostages (Archer Petit)
  • The Following (Troy Riley)
  • Cloverfield (Staff Sergeant)
• Career Trajectory: Brown's commanding presence and deep voice made him a natural fit for roles in crime and drama series. His work as Nate Lahey, particularly his chemistry with Viola Davis (Annalise Keating), cemented his status as a major television star.

Nate’s Descent: The Tragic Arc of Nathaniel Lahey, Jr.

Nate Lahey's transformation from a principled police detective to a hardened vigilante is arguably the most tragic character arc in the entire series, intrinsically linked to the central figure of Annalise Keating. His initial involvement was as Annalise's secret boyfriend, a relationship that immediately placed him on the periphery of the Sam Keating murder investigation and the lives of the Keating 4.

The Murder of Nathaniel Lahey, Sr.

The true catalyst for Nate’s dark turn was the devastating, politically motivated murder of his father, Nathaniel Lahey, Sr. Nate Sr. was a prison inmate suffering from mental illness, whose case Annalise took on as part of her class-action suit against the systemic injustices of the criminal justice system. His brutal death was orchestrated by the powerful forces opposing Annalise—namely Governor Lynne Birkhead and Xavier Castillo—to discredit her and derail the class action. This event shattered Nate, driving him down a path of relentless, self-destructive revenge.

The pursuit of his father's killers became Nate's sole focus, replacing his relationship with Annalise and his career as a detective. This quest for vengeance led him to commit his own unforgivable crime.

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The Murder of Ronald Miller

In a shocking twist that defined Season 5, Nate became a murderer himself. Believing that Assistant District Attorney Ronald Miller—Bonnie Winterbottom’s boyfriend and a key figure in the D.A.’s office—was responsible for ordering the hit on his father, Nate brutally assaulted Miller. This occurred during the wedding reception of Connor Walsh and Oliver Hampton.

The scene is one of the most disturbing in the series: Nate, consumed by grief and rage, beats Miller. When Miller is still alive, Nate enlists Bonnie Winterbottom, who finishes the job by suffocating Miller with a plastic bag. This act not only made Nate a killer but also dragged Bonnie into his guilt, creating a dark, shared secret between them. The irony is that Miller was later revealed to be innocent of ordering the hit on Nate Sr., making Nate’s act of revenge a tragic mistake and a pure example of a character failing to truly "get away with murder" from a moral standpoint.

Nate spent the remainder of the series covering up Miller's murder, manipulating evidence, and using his detective skills to stay one step ahead of the law, even as he worked to expose the true conspirators: Governor Birkhead, Xavier Castillo, and the powerful Castillo family.

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The Series Finale: How Nate Lahey Truly Got Away With It

The two-part series finale, "Stay" and "Annalise Keating Is Dead," provided a definitive, if controversial, resolution for Nate Lahey. Unlike many of his co-conspirators who faced death or prison—such as Frank Delfino, Bonnie Winterbottom, and Annalise Keating’s eventual demise many years later—Nate received a surprising, almost unbelievable reward for his suffering and crimes.

The $20 Million Settlement

In the final moments of the series, Nate is seen receiving a massive settlement of $20 million from the state of Pennsylvania. This money was awarded as a result of a wrongful death lawsuit filed over the murder of his father, Nathaniel Lahey, Sr., after the political conspiracy involving Governor Birkhead and Xavier Castillo was exposed during Annalise's trial. The money was essentially the state's payment to silence him and prevent further scandal, a dark form of justice.

A Clean Slate and a New Life

Nate’s final fate is one of quiet redemption and a new beginning. He used the settlement money to establish the Lahey Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to criminal justice reform and providing services for the mentally ill, a tribute to his father's memory. This move served as his atonement, a way to channel his pain into positive action without ever having to face legal consequences for Ronald Miller's murder.

In the narrative of *How to Get Away with a Murderer*, Nate Lahey is arguably the most successful character in the literal sense of the title. He:

• Committed a brutal murder (Ronald Miller).
• Successfully covered it up with the help of Bonnie.
• Avoided any legal repercussions for his actions.
• Received a massive financial windfall ($20 million).
• Used that money to start a charitable foundation, effectively cleansing his public image.

His ending is a stark commentary on the justice system the show so often criticized: a wealthy, connected individual can use money and political maneuvering to escape accountability, even for murder, and reinvent themselves as a philanthropist. Nate Lahey’s final scene, running his foundation, confirms that he got away with murder, not through a clever legal loophole, but through a tragic, high-stakes political trade-off.

Nate Lahey's Legacy and Topical Authority Entities

Nate’s character arc is central to the show's exploration of morality, power, and the law. His entanglement with the core group—Annalise, the Keating 4 (Connor, Michaela, Asher, Laurel), Frank, and Bonnie—forced him to confront his own limits. His storyline touched upon numerous complex themes and figures, solidifying his role in the show's topical authority:

• Annalise Keating: The constant, toxic love interest who set his life on a destructive path.
• Ronald Miller: The victim of Nate’s misplaced revenge and a key character in the Season 5 mystery.
• Nathaniel Lahey, Sr.: His father whose murder was the emotional core of Nate's later seasons.
• Governor Lynne Birkhead: The primary political antagonist and orchestrator of Nate Sr.'s death.
• Xavier Castillo: The operative who carried out the order to kill Nate Sr.
• Bonnie Winterbottom: His co-conspirator in the Miller murder and a fellow victim of Annalise's orbit.
• Sam Keating: Nate's initial involvement in the show was tied to the investigation of Sam's death and his connection to Lila Stangard.
• Gabriel Maddox: The new character whose presence complicated the Miller murder investigation.
• Criminal Justice Reform: The ultimate cause Nate championed with his foundation.

Nate Lahey's journey is a grim reminder that in the world of How to Get Away with a Murderer, getting away with the crime is often less about innocence and more about who you know, how much power you wield, and how much you are willing to sacrifice.