Rockstar Games has a weird obsession with the macabre. If you’ve spent any time riding through the heartlands or the murky swamps of Lemoyne, you know the vibe. It's beautiful. It's serene. Then, suddenly, you find a severed leg tied to a bridge with a localized "map" shoved into a decapitated head’s mouth. This is the calling card of Edmund Lowry Jr., the serial killer Red Dead 2 hides behind a trail of grizzly breadcrumbs.
Most people just stumble upon one of his "art pieces" and keep riding. Big mistake. You're missing out on one of the most disturbing, well-constructed side stories in open-world history. It isn't just a fetch quest. It’s a descent into the mind of a man who thinks he’s a genius while the world treats him like the monster he is.
Finding him takes work. Real work.
The Three Scenes You Have to Locate
You can’t just walk up to Edmund’s basement and knock on the door. The game won't let you. To trigger the encounter, you have to find three specific murder scenes scattered across the map. Each one contains a piece of a map.
The first one most players find is south of Valentine. It’s right under the railroad tracks at Lucky's Cabin. You’ll see the "Look At" prompt on a severed head stuck to a wooden support beam. It’s gross. Honestly, the first time I saw it, I thought it was just world-building fluff. But then you realize the head has a piece of parchment in its mouth. That's the first "Piece of a Sketchy Map."
✨ Don't miss: The Hunt: Mega Edition - Why This Roblox Event Changed Everything
The second location is tucked away in West Elizabeth. Look specifically near Wallace Station, south of the "S" in West Elizabeth on your map. You’ll find a limb trail leading to a large rock. Again, a head, a map piece, and a lot of blood.
The final piece is in Lemoyne, specifically east of Braithwaite Manor. It’s near a big tree that looks like it’s seen better days. Once you have all three pieces, they combine into a single, hand-drawn map. It points you toward a place called Lucky's Cabin, which is just southwest of Valentine.
Who Exactly Is Edmund Lowry Jr.?
He’s a nightmare.
Lowry isn't just some random NPC generated to give you something to do between hunting legendary bears. He’s based on real-life historical archetypes of 19th-century killers. Think H.H. Holmes or Albert Fish. The level of detail Rockstar put into his basement is honestly a bit much. When you finally get the map together and head to that cellar near Valentine, the atmosphere shifts. The music gets low. The lighting goes flat.
🔗 Read more: Why the GTA San Andreas Motorcycle is Still the Best Way to Get Around Los Santos
Inside the cellar, you’ll find letters. Read them. They aren't just fluff; they explain his psyche. He had a mother who... well, let’s just say she had a profound impact on his lack of empathy. You’ll see newspaper clippings about his "work." He views himself as an artist. He thinks the world is his canvas and human bodies are his medium. It’s pretentious and terrifying.
When you finally confront him, it’s not a grand boss fight. It’s a struggle in the dark. He’ll jump you. You have to knock him out, tie him up, and take him to the Valentine Sheriff.
Why This Quest Matters for RDR2 Fans
It’s about the "Old West" dying.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is obsessed with the idea that the wild, lawless frontier is being replaced by "civilization." But Edmund Lowry Jr. represents a different kind of darkness that civilization brings. He’s not a bandit robbing a stagecoach because he’s hungry. He’s a product of an urbanizing world, a "modern" killer lurking in the shadows of a growing town.
💡 You might also like: Dandys World Ship Chart: What Most People Get Wrong
Taking him to the Sheriff feels like a win, but then the ending of the encounter happens. If you aren't careful, he’ll try to kill the Sheriff right there in the office. You have to be fast with your Deadeye. If you save the lawman, you get a decent reward. If you don't? Well, Valentine gets a little bit more lonely.
Common Mistakes People Make Hunting the Serial Killer Red Dead 2 Encounter
- Rushing the search: You can't just go to the basement. If you haven't picked up the map pieces, the cellar doors at Lucky's Cabin will be locked tight. You can't skip the "detective" work.
- Ignoring the letters: The real horror of the serial killer Red Dead 2 quest is in the writing. The notes in the basement explain his connection to other parts of the world. Some players think he might even be linked to the strange happenings in Tall Trees, though that's mostly fan theory.
- Killing him too early: If you just shoot him in the basement, you miss the unique dialogue and the reward from the Sheriff. Lasso him. It’s more satisfying to see him face "justice" before he inevitably tries one last desperate move.
The sheer amount of effort it takes to track him down is what makes it so rewarding. It’s not a waypoint on your map. It’s a mystery you actually have to solve. In a world of gaming where everything is usually highlighted with a bright yellow marker, Edmund Lowry Jr. is a refreshing, albeit disgusting, change of pace.
How to Close the Case Forever
Once you've turned him in and handled the final confrontation in the jailhouse, the quest officially ends. You get your money—around 20 dollars, which was a lot back then but feels like pocket change after a big heist—and the world feels a little bit safer. Or as safe as 1899 can feel.
The most important takeaway? Pay attention to the environmental cues. Rockstar loves to tell stories through the placement of a hat or a bloodstain. If you see crows circling a specific spot that isn't a dead animal you killed, go check it out. Usually, it's just a random encounter, but sometimes, it's the start of a multi-hour investigation into the darkest corners of the American West.
Actionable Next Steps for Hunters:
- Check your satchel: You might already have one piece of the map and not even know it. Check under "Documents" and look for "Sketchy Map."
- Wait for nightfall: The murder scenes are much easier to spot at night because of the lanterns the killer left behind to make sure his "art" was visible.
- Head to the bridge south of Valentine: This is the easiest starting point. If you see a body hanging under the tracks, you're in the right place.
- Save your game before entering the cellar: The final encounter can be glitchy or end abruptly if you accidentally kill him during the struggle. Save outside the door so you can see the full cinematic ending in the Sheriff’s office.