Who Did Ronnie Kill On ‘The Chi’? The Tragic Truth Behind His Biggest Mistake

Fans of ‘The Chi‘ know that few storylines hit as hard as Ronnie Davis’ journey from grieving father figure to guilt ridden killer. His arc kicked off one of the most devastating chains of events in the entire series, and it still gets brought up by viewers years later.

The question of who Ronnie actually killed on ‘The Chi’ has a heartbreaking answer rooted in a case of mistaken identity. It is a plot thread that shaped nearly every season that followed, and understanding it explains why Ronnie’s story ended the way it did.

Ronnie’s Search for Jason’s Killer

Ronnie Davis, played by Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, was introduced in the very first episode of ‘The Chi’ after discovering that his stepson figure, Jason Roxboro, had been murdered. Jason was the beloved son of Tracy Roxboro and was considered a son figure to Ronnie Davis, and his untimely death deeply impacted everyone around him.

Tracy, devastated because Jason was her only child, sent Ronnie on a mission to track down her son’s killer. That grief driven search set Ronnie on a collision course with a teenager who had nothing to do with the actual murder.

During his search, Ronnie encountered Coogie Johnson, who had stolen Jason’s shoes and chain after finding his dead body. That single detail would prove fatal for the wrong young man.

Ronnie Killed Coogie Johnson in a Case of Mistaken Identity

Although Coogie did not kill Jason, he became a target after Ronnie recognized the chain he had given to Jason. In a tragic misunderstanding, Ronnie confronted Coogie and, in a fit of rage, shot and killed him before Coogie ever had the chance to explain his innocence.

Believing that Coogie was responsible for Jason’s death, Ronnie thought he had finally gotten justice for Tracy. In reality, he had taken the life of an innocent kid who simply stumbled onto a tragedy that was not his own.

This mistake haunted Ronnie and further complicated the search for who really killed Jason. The murder haunted him and pushed him deeper into alcoholism as he tried to cope with his guilt.

It later came out that Jason’s actual death had nothing to do with Coogie at all. Jason had just picked up ice cream for his pregnant girlfriend when he accidentally stumbled upon two corrupt figures making a gun deal, and he was killed while trying to flee.

The Fallout from Coogie’s Death on ‘The Chi’

Coogie’s murder set off a chain of events that highlighted the deep pain and turmoil within Ronnie for the rest of the series. By the end of Season 1, Ronnie had turned himself in for the killing, and in Season 2 he was released from prison on a technicality after a detective rushed his confession while Ronnie was intoxicated.

His return to the community was met with hostility, and Ronnie faced homelessness, estrangement, and isolation as he tried to rebuild his life. Coogie’s death never stopped shadowing him, even as he tried to find purpose again.

In Season 3, after seeking forgiveness and trying to make amends, Ronnie discovered Kiesha Williams after she had been kidnapped, and he rescued her in a moment that finally gave him a sense of redemption. It seemed, for a moment, like Ronnie might actually get to move past what he had done.

Ronnie’s Death Was Directly Tied to Coogie’s Killing

Ronnie Davis was ultimately killed in Season 3, episode 9 of ‘The Chi,’ shot by a friend of Coogie’s named Bakari in what was framed as an act of revenge. He was killed outside of Emmett and Dom’s new restaurant just as he was about to leave town and start a new life, shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head.

Before walking away, the shooter told Ronnie “that’s for Coogie,” making the connection to his original crime unmistakable. It was a gutting, full circle moment that fans had quietly feared was coming since the pilot.

Showrunner Justin Hillian told TV Guide that the writers wanted to honor karma, staging the moment as Ronnie walked with Tracy, the very woman he had committed the original murder for. He also noted that having Coogie’s friend be the one to pull the trigger felt like a poetic way to close out Ronnie’s arc.

Even Mwine himself seemed to see it coming from the start. The actor said that since the first episode of ‘The Chi,’ when Ronnie shot Coogie, he had been expecting his character to eventually meet the same fate.

Ronnie’s death remains one of the most talked about moments in ‘The Chi,’ a reminder that on this show, nothing stays buried forever. Do you think Ronnie ever truly deserved the redemption he was chasing, or was Bakari’s bullet the only ending his story could have had?