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I Will Find You ending explained: What actually happened to Matthew?
It's time to pick our jaws up off the floor.
Christos Kalohoridis/NETFLIX
- Morgan Cormack
Published: Saturday, 27 June 2026 at 12:15 pm
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*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for the final episode of I Will Find You.*
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Fans of the Harlan Coben Netflix adaptation offerings know that his shows are all about their last-minute twists and yet, we still couldn't quite see the end of I Will Find You coming.
The series centres on grieving father David (Sam Worthington), who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his son. But when his ex sister-in-law Rachel (Britt Lower) shows him a picture of a boy that appeared to be Matthew, he needs to find answers – and breaks out of prison in order to do so.
But in the penultimate episode, it was revealed that Hayden (Milo Ventimiglia) wasn't just the loving, sweet-natured heir and was actually hiding his own sinister secrets.
Speaking about his character's own finale twist, actor Ventimiglia told People: "We have a little bit of grace on our side, knowing that the last significant, profound role that I played was this really solid, good guy, so that's kind of how people see me.
"It was a bit of trickery that I think we were playing off of, which is, people see the last character I played, and they're not going to know that this one's coming."
But what happened to Matthew, how was Hayden involved and what happens to David in the end? Read on for a full breakdown of the mind-bending finale of Netflix's I Will Find You.
I Will Find You ending explained: What actually happened to Matthew?
Ashton Cressman as Matthew in I Will Find You. Netflix
By the final episode of I Will Find You, it's revealed that Matthew (Ashton Cressman) is alive and has been all this time.
The finale not only starts with a flashback to the night in question that Hayden brought Matthew home to his mother Gertrude (Madeleine Stowe), but also shows Hayden in the present, cleaning himself up from having bludgeoned the detective to death.
When he goes into Matthew's room, the boy greets him as 'Dad' so it's clear that he doesn't know any different. Hayden then tells Matthew that they'll be moving and for them to pack up their things, with it clear from what Matthew's said that they've done this before.
Back in the hospital, despite thinking that she's finally nabbed David, Sarah (Logan Browning) is then told by David and Rachel that Matthew is still alive.
Of course, she's now figured that out herself and she tells them that the body they thought was Matthew's was actually the body of a boy named Martin Bischoff who had disappeared from a Swiss orphanage that was owned by the Paynes.
Why did Hayden kidnap Matthew?
Milo Ventimiglia as Hayden Payne in I Will Find You. Netflix
Gertrude refers to Matthew (now known as Theo) as being the last of the Paynes and it's clear that neither Gertrude or Hayden will be relinquishing control over Matthew anytime soon. In a bid to get Hayden on side, Rachel forges a plan – she tells her former Boston Globe editor that David's been arrested and for that to be plastered across the news. It convinces Hayden, but Gertrude says they still have to leave.
Rachel calls Hayden to take him up on his offer of leaving together and she drives to their estate, despite Gertrude thinking Rachel will be his downfall.
Back at the hospital, Cheryl (Erin Richards) introduces herself to Max (Chi McBride), who is recovering in his own room. Cheryl tells him about the whereabouts of his daughter and David, but also tells him that she ran a DNA test of her own and it proves that the blood found on the night of Matthew's death wasn't his. It also proves that the results used in the trial were doctored, meaning that both David is innocent and Matthew is alive.
It's soon found out that the news of David's capture has been faked, with Gertrude immediately thinking it's Rachel, even though it's clear that Hayden doesn't want to believe that. When Hayden embraces Rachel, he takes her phone and finds that she's texted Sarah. On the estate, Sarah and David may both be armed but are soon swarmed by the Paynes' armed guards. A shootout ensues but meanwhile, Hayden explains why he's done all of this.
He tells Rachel that he's only ever wanted to be with her but was distraught to learn that she'd gone to Berg to start up a family of her own. But Hayden says that it was supposed to be her. His assistant used to be the office manager at Berg and recognised Rachel's name so that's how he knew she wanted a donor in the first place.
Before Dr Heller left Berg, he ensured that Hayden would be Rachel's donor, with Rachel remaining none the wiser to Hayden's deception.
But actually, it was Cheryl who went to Berg and not Rachel. It was a truth that Hayden tried ignoring, but when Rachel brought him to a 4th July party at Cheryl and David's, Hayden met Matthew and knew that he was meant to be his father.
Hayden killed Martin, the other boy's body who was found, and brushes it off as nothing, telling Rachel that Martin was going to die a painful death because of his condition anyway. However, Rachel informs Hayden that Matthew isn't actually his son, revealing that Cheryl was pregnant before she ever went to Berg.
What happens to Hayden?
Madeleine Stowe as Gertrude Payne in I Will Find You. Netflix
Even though they did a paternity test that proved Matthew is a Payne, Rachel pushes Hayden about it and asks him if he ever actually saw the results. It then becomes clear that Gertrude always knew the truth of Matthew's paternity – that Hayden actually isn't his biological father – and was trying to protect her son.
Hayden is in disbelief at what his mother has done and after she calls him weak, he shoots her dead. He then holds Rachel at gunpoint, telling Sarah and David to give him back his son. Matthew doesn't want things to get violent and pleads with Hayden that he'll go with him instead.
Hayden drives off with Matthew but when Sarah shoots his tires out, they career into the grass and Matthew uses it as an opportunity to run into the woods. It's there that, both looking for Matthew, David and Hayden get into an altercation and Hayden shoots David.
Hayden tells Matthew that he's the best thing that's ever happened to him and, knowing what's going to happen, he turns around with his gun pulled at Sarah, who then shoots him dead.
Did David survive?
Sam Worthington as David Burroughs and Britt Lower as Rachel Mills in I Will Find You. Christos Kalohoridis/NETFLIX
Eight months later, we see a wake underway with everyone dressed in black and while we may initially think it's to mourn David, it turns out that he survived the shooting.
We see that Rachel has published a front page feature story all about David's story and has actually also published a book about it. As David narrates, within weeks of finding Matthew, his conviction was overturned and he was freed. Cheryl gave birth to a baby girl and she forgave Ronald for his past lies.
As for other updates, Adam (Jonathan Tucker) lost his Boston PD shield for helping David escape from prison. However, he's found a new career as a private investigator – even if it means that his and David's relationship isn't quite what it used to be.
Sarah took over as the head of the FBI's Fugitive Task Force in place of her father, who may have retired but still lingers around wanting to know about all his daughter's new cases.
It turns out that the wake we're seeing in the final moments is that of David's father Lenny, who passed away less than a week prior. But David explains that he got to spend several months with Matthew, who we see is taking a breather outside by himself after getting overwhelmed with all of the people around.
David says he'll always look after Matthew and as he watches on at his family, Rachel joins him and holds his hand.
I Will Find You is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
Morgan CormackDrama Writer
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
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