Discussion of the Serial podcast

I just finished listening to the podcast today and I can only think of one potential theory that checks all the boxes for me. The answer why all the theories feels off is because both Adnan and Jay are lying. Its really the only option that I think makes sense.

For starters it was not someone random or an uninvolved party because Jay knew when where Hae's car was. So we know that either Jay or Adnan were involved in some capacity.

The second key detail is that Adnan never flipped on Jay or does not appear to be angry with Jay. The average person would turn or be angry if they were innocent and someone else fingered or framed them to for murder. This leads me to believe that Adnan did not want to get revenge on Jay, which means two things. The first is that well Adnan killed Hae or Adnan at least knows that Jay didn't. And because of the car we know it was not an outside party so this leads us to conclude that Adnan killed Hae.

So to my more specific timeline and theory that explains why something feels off about the current theories. Its because they are both lying. I think they got high that morning or a previous day and ripped on Hae and said how bad of person she was for ditching Adnan for another guy. I think they decided to mess with her or even potentially rape her. I think Jay was just along for the ride at this point. Not sure probably just a dumb decision or for excitement. I think Adnan gets Hae to give him a ride and Jay pops in as well. Adnan or Jay brings a knife or just physically threatens her. She then pulls over and is forced into the back with Adnan while Jay drives Hae's car. They drive around while Adnan and Hae argue. Eventually it gets heated and she says things that really hurt him and he snaps he puts her hands around her neck not meaning to kill, but he is just mad. He strangles her by accident. Jay is bugging out while this happens. But he knows that he is now too heavily involved and is now an accessory to murder. He decides to help cover up the crime.

They then hang out with Jay's friend to establish an alibi and then later go bury the body in the park and comeback and ditch their clothes.

This explains why Jay knows where the car is, but was not involved in the murder. This is why Adnan does not flip on Jay and is not angry. He knows that he killed Hae and not Jay. However, this explains how Jay knows, but why he lies. He can't tell that they planned to mess with Hae and that he was there when Adnan did it because he would go down as an accessory to murder even though he never intended to do so. So he removes himself from the situation in his story, but still tells the rest of the details.

If I am missing anything let me know and I will rethink my theory.