Summary
TheRed Dead Redemptionseries is one of the most tragic in the history of gaming. Both stories are about men trying to redeem themselves after a life of crime and debauchery, and both end in tragedy as they are respectively killed.
To make matters worse, the rest of the games are also littered with untimely and sorrowful deaths. Despite theirmistakesand stature as criminals and outlaws, fans can’t help but feel attached to them and their stories, and when they die, their loss is truly felt. The player hates themselves for feeling it, but the feeling is there nevertheless.
Updated on August 07, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best games Rockstar has ever made. The sheer amount of love put into this game makes it clear why so many people call it Rockstar’s magnum opus. The expectations for Grand Theft Auto 6 are sky-high, especially with the narrative of this game making it clear that Rockstar’s storytelling (something that many people labeled as the studio’s weakest aspect) is better than ever before. Both this game and its prequel feature their fair share of character deaths that are truly heartbreaking, especially for players who were invested in the stories of these people and how they aided both Arthur and John in their respective journeys.
15Leopold Strauss
A Loan Shark Who Was Surprisingly Loyal, Despite His Dubious Morals
Most players are huge fans ofLeopold Strauss. The man preyed on the weak, giving them loans in their time of need only to exploit them and either take high interest repayments or beat them into submission until they coughed up the cash.
His requests from Arthur led to the protagonist contracting tuberculosis and throwing Leopold out of the group for his predatory actions. Still, despite his lack of morals, he never outed the van der Linde gang after being captured and tortured to death by the Pinkertons.
14Luisa Fortuna
A Rebel Who Fights To Her Last Breath
Red Dead Redemptionis a great game where players will fall in love with John Marston and the amazing details present in the recreation of the Wild West. After heading to Mexico and finding out about the revolution happening there, players will be introduced toLuisa Fortuna.
She’s a great character who warms up to Marston, only to get angry at him after he helps the Mexican army in a series of missions. Still, Marston respects her courage, which is why he becomes furious when she tries to stop a major in the army, Raul Zubieta, from executing the leader of the rebellion, Abraham Reyes. She’s shot down in cold blood, leading to Marston getting furious and avenging her death in a duel.
13Thomas Downes
The Man Who Inadvertently Gives Tuberculosis To Arthur After A Savage Beatdown
Thomas Downesis a minor character in the franchise, but an important one in manyside quests. He appears inRed Dead Redemption 2and first appears in The Horseshoe Overlook Chapter. The player visits Valentine, where Thomas Downes is opening a fundraiser for charity. During a brawl in the saloon between Arthur and Tommy, Downes intervenes.
After this incident, he is seen giving donations to the poor in Valentine. Downes was financially unstable and sought a loan from Leopold Strauss. Unable to pay the loan back, Arthur comes to collect the debt and ends up physically assaulting him when he can’t pay up. Thomas coughs up blood during this incident, which prompts Arthur to leave him alone. It’s later revealed that Thomas died. It was a sad moment in the series, seeing a good character die like this, despite his flaws.
12Javier Escuella
One Of The Members Of Dutch’s Gang Who’s Killed By John Marston Under Pinkerton Orders
Escuellaserved as a major antagonistin the firstRed Dead Redemption, but his character was given significant depth in the prequel. He was an active member of the gang and was even quite close to Arthur, as the two bonded over fishing and horse stealing. The player actually starts to like him…until the acceptance of the inevitable.
He eventually sides with Dutch and Micah and flees with Bill, leading into the events ofRed Dead Redemption. In that game, there’s the option to kill Javier, and if this happens, John will look at his corpse with a tear in his eye as he remembers the good times.
11Andrew Milton
A Member Of The Pinkertons Who Kills Hosea In One Of The Game’s Most Harrowing Moments
Andrew Miltonis a major character inRed Dead Redemption 2.Despite being considered to be an antagonist in the game, it was quite sad when he died, as he was essentially on the right side of the law. Milton is a top-ranking detective in the Pinkerton National Detective Agency who is brought in to track down the Van Der Linde gang after they rob a train.
It all ends for him with a showdown with Arthur. Milton points a gun at his head, but Abigail comes to the rescue and shoots Milton in the temple. It’s a brutal, sad way for the law enforcement officer to go. The player is obviously glad because Milton opposes them as they progress through the game, but on reflection, Milton was just trying to do the right thing.
10Sean MacGuire
An Irish Funnyman Who Can Lighten The Mood In Any Situation
Seanwas arguably the gang’s funniest member. That said, he was admitted into the gang after trying to rob Dutch. However, his life is brought to a swift end in Rhodes.
While accompanying Arthur, Bill, and Micah on a job in town, Sean is shot in the head while absently walking down the street. It comes out of nowhere, and while it’s certainly sad to see the comic relief go, it’s more surprising than anything.
9Edgar Ross
The Man Who Tortured And Hounded Dutch’s Gang With His Relentlessness To Uphold The Law
Edgar Rossappears in both games in the series. He is part of law enforcement and is considered an antagonist despite being on the right side of the law.
Ross is the one who kills John, having betrayed him. Of course, this is a big deal for the player, as John is the protagonist, but what happens next is still quite sad. Jack avenges John in an epic duel with Ross, and the latter is gunned down mercilessly and dies by the riverside.
8Hosea Matthews
One Of Dutch’s Closest Friends Whose Death Marks A Huge Downward Spiral
Hoseahelped create the Van der Linde gang alongside Dutch, and he often serves as the voice of reason against Dutch’s more dreamy and ambitious ramblings. Despite his reluctance, Hosea continues to go along with Dutch’s wild schemes, although it tragically costs him in the end.
During the Saint Denis bank robbery, Hosea is captured and held prisoner by Agent Milton. After talking to Dutch through the door, Milton shoots and kills Hosea, placing the blame on Dutch’s feet. And, well, he’s not exactly wrong.
7Lenny Summers
A Longtime Member Of The Gang Whose Death Hits Everyone Hard
Lennyis one of the most tragic characters in the entire series. He is the son of a slave, and his father raised him well. However, he was eventually beaten to death, and Lenny killed his father’s murderers in an act of revenge. This caused him to go on the run, and he eventually made his way into the Van der Linde gang.
Arthur and Lenny grow close throughout the course of the game, but he is tragically killed during the Saint Denis bank robbery. He was one of the gentler members of the gang, and his death served as a turning point in the tone of the story.
6Kieran Duffy
An Unwilling Member Of The O’Driscoll Gang Who Defects And Joins Dutch’s Gang
Fans lovedKieran. He was a man simply caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it cost him. He was given an ultimatum by the O’Driscoll gang, and his inclusion in the gang resulted in the Van der Linde group treating him like a traitor.
However, Arthur realizes that his loyalties aren’t actually with the O’Driscolls, and the two grow weirdly close once Kieran saves Arthur from death. He certainly didn’t deserve his brutal death: kidnapped, tortured, and eventually decapitated. His headless corpse is sent back to Shady Belle, and it serves as a major blow to the gang’s, and especially Arthur’s morale.
