The NCIS Season 22 finale delivered one of its most emotionally charged endings yet—Special Agent Alden Parker (played by Gary Cole) returned home to find his father, Roman Parker, shot to death in his living room. A glass of wine sat beside Roman’s lifeless body. What made it more disturbing was the second wine glass next to it—with a clear lipstick mark. Naturally, the question emerged: Did Carla Marino (played by Rebecca De Mornay) kill Parker’s dad?
Let’s walk through what really happened—and why.
Carla Marino (played by Rebecca De Mornay), a powerful crime boss, was introduced earlier in the season as a potential ally in taking down the Nexus cartel. Reluctantly, Alden Parker had to work with her despite their complicated past. And that past runs deep.
Years ago, Parker told Carla’s son that she was a criminal. That information drove the boy to run away, and he later died—on the same road where Carla would later confront Parker. In the finale, as they were being escorted to the airport, Carla revealed the truth: her son died because of what Parker said. That day marked the beginning of her grudge.
When one of the FBI agents turned out to be a fake—working for Carla—the driver was shot and Carla pulled a gun on Parker. She ordered him to his knees but didn’t kill him. Instead, she disappeared with her goon, leaving Parker alone on the side of the road. It felt like the end of the confrontation.
But it wasn’t.
ROMAN’S MURDER: A FINAL MESSAGE?
That same night, Parker returned home—likely shaken but alive—only to find his father dead. Two wine glasses sat on the table. One with lipstick. That single detail tied the murder scene to Carla Marino. While we didn’t see Carla pull the trigger, the scene strongly implied she was there. She either killed Roman herself or ordered someone else to do it.
But why?
According to showrunner Steven D. Binder to TV Line, Carla’s vendetta isn’t just against Alden Parker—it extends to his family. Roman Parker was her way of sending a message. Killing Alden’s father was personal and painful. It was also symbolic: her revenge had finally landed a fatal blow.
A WIDER CONSPIRACY?
At the same time Roman’s body was discovered, Jimmy Palmer (played by Brian Dietzen) was reviewing Alden’s mother’s old death certificate. Something about it wasn’t right. The editing of the finale made it clear: the team wants viewers to connect the dots between Roman’s death and the mystery of Parker’s mother.
Is it possible Carla had something to do with both deaths? Or is there a larger conspiracy at play involving Lily—the unknown figure teased throughout the season? According to Binder, the writers saw the natural connection between these storylines and plan to explore it further in Season 23.
That means Roman’s death might not be a standalone act of revenge—but a piece of something much bigger.
The showrunner, Steven D. Binder, further hinted in post-finale interviews that this act is deeply personal for Carla, possibly linked to a tragic loss involving her own son, and that more will unravel in Season 23, especially regarding connections to the Lily mystery and Parker’s mother’s suspicious death certificate.
So, while it’s not 100% confirmed on-screen, all clues indicate that Carla Marino killed Roman Parker.
COULD SOMEONE ELSE HAVE DONE IT?
While Carla is the prime suspect, the presence of lipstick doesn’t confirm her as the killer. It might have been placed there to mislead Parker or create confusion. But Binder admits that the implication was very intentional—they want viewers to suspect Carla.
Still, NCIS is known for twists and misdirection. Could it be that someone else, possibly tied to the Nexus cartel or even the shadowy Lily plotline, was behind Roman’s death? Could Roman have known something? Could the connection to Alden’s mother’s suspicious death have resurfaced now?
WHAT’S NEXT?
Binder confirmed that Season 23 will not open with a time jump. The murder of Roman Parker will be followed up immediately. That means the fallout from Carla Marino’s return, the unresolved mystery of Lily, and the connection to Parker’s family history will take center stage.
And yes—Rebecca De Mornay is expected to return as Carla Marino in Season 23.
For now, all signs point to Carla as the killer—or at least the one who ordered the hit. Whether this was her final act of revenge or just the beginning remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: Alden Parker is now at the heart of NCIS’s most personal and dangerous storyline yet.
Stay connected with tvacute.com for more NCIS news, exclusive recaps, and future updates about what lies ahead in Season 23.
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