Abhiroop Das
While Netflix’s ‘Untamed’ is primarily about a mysterious death in Yosemite National Park, it also sheds light on many more people and stories, all consumed by the forest. One of these stories is that of Sean Sanderson, a missing person whose case was originally spearheaded by National Park Service Agent Kyle Turner. The man presently supervises the case of the dead woman, and in this scenario, past and present collide into one, creating a mystery that continues to get deeper at every subsequent turn. While we are never given insight into Sean’s personal life, his time in Yosemite alone paints a compelling and horrifying story. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sean Sanderson Went Missing in the National Park Many Years Ago
Sean Sanderson is introduced to the story as a Californian resident who disappeared in Yosemite National Park a little over five years before the present. At that time, Agent Kyle Turner was the investigating officer on the case and ultimately failed to find him. However, the cold case reappears in Kyle’s life with the arrival of Esther Avalos, a lawyer who works at Butler Carson, a law firm representing Sean Sanderson’s family. She reveals that, in accordance with California Law, the family filed a petition that Sean be “presumed dead,” and as such, his case is now open for a wrongful death investigation. This news surprises Kyle, as his work is put under question, leading to a host of uncomfortable questions.
During Esther and Kyle’s conversation, several details of Sean’s disappearance are discussed. Notably, Sean’s car was found parked outside the Park two days after his disappearance. Given that he wasn’t found in the surrounding canvas, it is likely that his journey on foot went on for quite a while. However, Kyle mentions that Sean’s trail was never found. Sanderson was reportedly sighted at the North Pines Campground site by three campers, which marks the last possible sighting of the man. Another crucial evidence in his case was discovered much later: a handwritten note by Sean himself, wherein he scribbled “Meet CA at North Pines.’ All these details point to the fact that Sean’s disappearance might not have been a simple accident, but Kyle seems adamant, stating how common it is to be consumed by the wilderness.
Sean’s Death Has a Complicated History Behind it
As the story goes on, it becomes clear that Sean’s disappearance is connected to a past that Kyle, Jill, and Shane are desperately trying to hide. The truth eventually comes to light in the finale, when Jill sits her husband, Stuart, down before recounting what really happened to her and Kyle’s child, Caleb, who tragically passed away shortly before Sean’s disappearance. She reveals that, in actuality, Caleb was murdered, and the culprit is none other than Sean Sanderson. It turns out that Shane Maguire, a local hunter and wildlife specialist, had set up cameras throughout the forest to track migration patterns. One of these cameras recorded footage of Sanderson’s heinous acts. He had kidnapped and likely abused Caleb for two whole days before killing him by the lake.
Upon learning of the truth, Kyle and Jill’s opinions diverged. While the former wanted to properly convict Sean, the latter, consumed by fury and refusing to see him trying to make his case in Court, decided to take a drastic step. She contacted Shane to have Sean killed, and he agreed to do the job. The hunter then blackmailed Sean, baiting him to come to Yosemite Park, where he was presumably killed, and his corpse was disposed of. This revelation contextualizes the various details of the case revealed early on. Jill reveals that her decision was likely the definitive reason her marriage to Kyle fell apart, but the problems don’t end there. Jill and Shane have essentially committed a crime, and the fact that Sean was declared missing is their only saving grace.
The Investigation into Sean’s Case Changes Everything
With Sean’s case receiving renewed attention, the fate of both Jill and Shane hangs in the balance. However, the center of Avalos’s investigation appears to be Kyle himself. Instead of suspecting foul play, she makes note of Kyle’s brief period of absence prior to the case, and questions how he could have handled things competently back then. Her hunch is partly right, as Kyle’s absence was due to his mourning his son’s death. It is further implied that his entire investigation was a farce, as he never intended to incriminate either of the two responsible. Even during Avalos’s questioning, he cleverly deflects her questions or points out the holes in them, further strengthening his defenses. Still, the protagonist realizes that it’s only a matter of time before the case turns hot again.
In light of this, Kyle decides the best course of action is to bring the entire onus on himself, sparing Jill in the process. He phones Avalos and admits that he wasn’t in the best state of mind during the investigation, which meant that he wasn’t a good fit for the case’s investigating officer and might have missed out on important clues. He agrees to put this in writing, which seems to be enough to satisfy the lawyer. With this, Sean Sanderson’s case gets buried again. Sean’s case starts out as another missing link in Kyle’s resume, which shows promise of getting solved, but soon turns out to be a deep exploration into the past and present of a monster. How Jill deals with him becomes a subject of moral and ethical discourse in the narrative, making him one of its most important components.
Read More: Is Untamed Based on a True Story?
