The ending of Where the Crawdads Sing reveals that Kya, the protagonist, was found not guilty of the murder of Chase Andrews by the jury due to lack of concrete evidence and an alibi placing her away from the crime scene
. She returns to live peacefully with Tate in the marsh, where they spend many years together until Kya dies at the age of 64
. However, after Kya's death, Tate discovers a hidden notebook in their home containing drawings, secret poetry, and notably, the shell necklace that Chase was wearing when he died but was never found during the investigation. This discovery confirms that Kya did kill Chase, despite being acquitted in court
. The narrative implies that Kya killed Chase because he was abusive and a predator, and she acted in self-defense and survival, paralleling natural laws over human laws
. Thus, the story ends with a moral complexity: Kya is legally innocent but morally responsible for Chase's death, living out her life in the marsh she loved, with the truth only revealed posthumously
