In episode 7 of Under the Bridge, writer Rebecca Godfrey tries to understand why Warren Glowatski attacked Reena Virk. “Warren didn’t know there were words like humiliation and shame, so he thought maybe it was anger,” she said. “This emotion that he felt when he did things he would later regret.”

This week, in the series finale of Under the Bridge, we’ll learn what happened to Glowatski and the rest of Virk’s killers. Virk was only fourteen years old when her peers attacked and drowned her in Saanich, Canada. Eventually, Glowatski was charged with the assault alongside Kelly Ellard, who instigated the final assault.

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Riley Keough stars as Rebecca Godfrey on Under the Bridge. After Virk (Vritika Gupta) goes missing, Godfrey works with Cam Bentland (Lily Gladstone), a local detective, to investigate what happened. The series primarily focuses on Virk’s friends Josephine Bell (Chloe Guidry), Ellard (Izzy G.), and Dusty Pace (Aiyanna Goodfellow), who all played a role in her demise. One of the most interesting characters, however, is Glowatski (Javon Walton)—a teenage boy who doesn’t know Virk at all.

Godfrey depicts him as troubled and misunderstood in her book, which served as the inspiration for Under the Bridge on Hulu. Ahead of the series finale, you can brush up on Glowatski’s story below.

Who Is Warren Glowatski?

Warren Glowatski is one of the people who attacked Reena Virk in 1997. At the time, he was sixteen years old. In Godfrey’s book, she describes him as “slight and short, with doe eyes, a pouf of dark curls” and “the androgynous good looks of a teenage heartthrob.” The adults in his life abandoned him. His mother suffered from alcoholism, and his father moved constantly, often leaving his son behind.

When Virk died, Glowatski was reportedly living at a friend’s house. His father had recently moved to California with his new girlfriend. Godfrey reports that Glowatski was a “Crip” and “was fond of sagging white jeans” as well as the rapper Too $hort.

Javon Walton as Warren Glowatski.

Did Warren Glowatski Kill Reena Virk?

Glowatski admitted to repeatedly kicking Virk. She suffered substantial injuries from his attack as well as from another beating just before. The next day, he went to his girlfriend’s house. She claims that he asked her to bleach the blood out of his pants, which is a moment we see loosely adapted on Under the Bridge.

In real life, the young woman told the police that Glowatski confessed to following Reena Virk with Ellard. She remembered him saying, “Something happened…Kelly did something to her.” Virk’s autopsy, which Dr. Laurel Gray conducted, revealed “multiple blows sustained in the abdominal area,” plus “a crush convulsion injury as often seen in car crash victims” and “extensive bruising under the skin of her face.” Gray also noted a bruise in the shape of a sneaker print on the back of her brain. After finding pebbles in her lungs, she concluded that Virk drowned, too.

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What Happened to Warren Glowatski?

Glowatski told the police that he only kicked Virk. He claimed that Ellard drowned her while he stood by helplessly. The police reportedly said, “You’re the guy in this case… you’re going down big time.” In 1999, a judge called Glowatski’s testimony “incomplete and improbable.” He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. After the trial, his mother cried and told reporters, “There’s just no way that he killed that girl.” According to Godfrey, Glowatski couldn’t afford a high-profile lawyer—unlike Ellard, whose family hired an experienced attorney. A public defender who specialized in DUIs represented him.

While in prison, Glowatski stayed out of trouble and mentored at-risk youth. He also worked for restorative-justice programs and met with Virk’s parents. Eventually, they forgave him and, in 2010, supported his request for parole. Virk’s mother told reporters that he held himself accountable for his actions.

Glowatski told the Virks, “I hope that one day I will be able to be as caring, selfless…I don’t take your support for granted.” CBC News reports that members of the National Parole Board said Glowatski didn’t pose a risk to the public. He was released under the condition that he report to a parole officer, not use intoxicants, and abstain from associating with known criminals.

Glowatski has yet to comment on Under the Bridge.

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