HBO’s ‘The Mortician’ Ended With What Sounds Like a Murder Confession

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The Mortician had HBO’s most Jinx-like ending since, well, The Jinx.

Joshua Rofé’s three-part documentary series, titled “The Mortician“, ended on Sunday evening at HBO’s prime 9 p.m. spotlight. The closing moments of the last (and final) episode offered insight into why this prestige-TV network has shown such high regard; recent successful shows airing during the same timeframe include “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us“.

The documentary series by Joshua Rofé, called “The Mortician“, finished its run on Sunday night at HBO’s most popular 9 p.m. time. The final minutes of the last episode demonstrated why this TV network believes in high-quality shows so much; recent popular shows that aired during the same time include “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us“.

When David Sconce, the main topic of the documentary and a former crematorium operator who has served time in prison, appears to confess to murders, it’s remarkably grim – even by mortician standards.

The Hollywood Reporter has transcribed the documentary’s final exchanges below.

Joshua Rofé, Director: Is there anything I didn’t ask you that you want to cover or say?

David Sconce: Perhaps. (Pause) One evening, I found myself at a cemetery with Barbara. Upon exiting the car, I approached to open the gate. Suddenly, a boy emerged from the bushes, brandishing a nickel-plated firearm pointed at my head. He demanded, “Hand over your wallet, hand over your watch.” With Barbara watching from the passenger seat, I replied, “Listen, I don’t have much, just about 60 dollars.” I gave him my inexpensive Casio watch. Remarkably, Barbara, God bless her, was reaching towards my door because I always kept my 9 millimeter there. She intended to shoot this man. However, the gun wasn’t present as it was being repaired due to issues with the Luger shells’ size at the range. The casings were too big, hence it was out getting a ramp and throat modification done. I learned about these problems during my training with the police department.

Ronan Killeen, Director of Photography (to Rofé): I’m sorry, but we need to reload (the camera).

Rofé (to Killeen): Let’s reload. (To Sconce) Hang on one second. This is a great story.

Lantern: This is a real-life account. I genuinely believed I was facing imminent death. Let me share more details with you, but not on camera. I simply can’t do it. (Pause) The only thing I can disclose is, do you think I managed to locate that person? (Longer pause) One of the things I cannot discuss on camera is this matter. Another secret I’ll reveal as well, but I can’t talk about that either. In truth, there are three such incidents in total.

The scene subsequently cuts back to the suspenseful ending from the last episode, where a past Sconce worker, whose identity is concealed by shadows, asserts that Sconce might be responsible for a total of three murders. This conversation with the ex-Sconce employee transpired three months after their final encounter, according to Rofé; he clarifies that he did not intentionally guide the former Sconce employee towards the number that he claims supports Sconce’s hint about there being “three of them.

Sconce: You gotta promise not to tell on me.

Rofé: I, I don’t want to know then.

Sconce: Ha. What, the promise?

Rofé: No, no— if there’s something—

Sconce: Oh yeah.

Rofé: then, then, I’m not interested in having that information.

Lantern, I see. Hmm, it seems it will not return. It won’t return, that’s for sure.” (Pause) “It just can’t come back, you know?” (Laughs)

It’s hard to come back to our interview from that one, but we must.

Rofé told The Hollywood Reporter that the moment “was so chilling.”

In that instant, I never thought such a thing could happen. As it unfolded, all that ran through my mind was, “Wow, this dude’s trying to isolate me, keep me away from the cameras, and he seems dead set on sharing something truly shady with me.

Rofé did not want to outright interpret Sconce’s comments for THR.

He stated, “I find it hard to respond to the suggestion he appears to be making. Isn’t it obvious – it’s quite apparent, isn’t it? I was simply thinking, ‘Wow, does this person really expect me to keep this secret with him?’ It was truly unsettling.

C’mon, bro. Don’t leave us in the cold like that.

Rofé remarked, ‘I believe this information might prove useful to you. When I shared the incident with HBO’s executives, I described it like this and I think my assessment was spot on: He was subtly acknowledging certain things.’

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2025-06-16 05:24