Throughout the U.S. version of The Office, there were many hints (or red herrings?) that Toby Flenderson, who served on the jury which convicted George Howard Skub as the Scranton Stranger, was actually the Scranton Strangler. Additionally, there were hints of a darker past for Creed Bratton, so perhaps it was him?
Was anything definitive determined about the identity of the Scranton Strangler by the end of the series?
Yes, the the Scranton Strangler was identified fairly definitively. Toby was on the jury that convicted Skub, but feels he was pressured to convict, and suspects he might be innocent. From The Office Wiki:
He decides to travel to the prison to confront the strangler about his belief, but when speaking to the strangler, is attacked, leaving him with damaged vocal cords and a neck brace. This confirms that he was the strangler and Toby was wrong in his suspicion that he was innocent.
Some people think that Toby went to the prison to confess that he framed George, and out of rage and anger George attacked Toby. Toby struggled his life also meaning that he could prove mis directed agner so he could attack others to deal with Michael and his divorce.
I would suggest another theory.
Look at the dynamics of the characters and how they consistantly interact with one another.
My theory, Michael Scott is the scranton strangler.
Reasons why:
A. His dynamic relationship with Toby Flenderson is one of protagonist vs antagonist. Michael Scott is constantly being told he can not do things he wants to do by Toby who runs human relations. The fact that Toby was put on the jury places him in his constant position of telling Michael Scott no, as in, you can not frame this man.
B. George Howard Scub's initials are GHS which in an annacronym for "geek in high school", which we know Michael was but Phyliss's recounting. he was a loner in high school and that description gets used often when describing serial killers or mass killers.
C. In the movie, Threat Level Midnight, we actually see Michael strangle Oscar. His alter ego Michael Scarn unecessarily kills Oscar's character by strangulation, and when the employees see this scene they looked at each other uncomfortably.
D. Also, i would suggest this character was created by Bj Novak, and upon his leaving the show, this odd ending to the character was written to wrap it up and attempt to put it to and end. I believe it was a subplot that a writer like Novak would be clever enough to keep alive throughout his tenure.
Just something i pulled out from deep, however, this is my conclusion.
Cheers!
