Sons of Anarchy: Every SAMCRO Member Who Is Killed Off (& Why) (2024)

The Sons of Anarchy deaths across its seven seasons helped the show maintain its connection with the Shakespearian tale on which it was based. Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy premiered in 2008 and ended in 2014. It was successful from the beginning, praised for its tone, performances, and the themes it addressed, such as racism and corruption. SOA tells the story of Jax Teller, VP of the motorcycle club Sons of Anarchy, based in Charming, California.

When Jax finds a manifesto written by his late father, he goes on a personal journey that makes him question his path, role in the club, and relationships. His father’s ideas and goals for the club differed from those of the current President, Clay Morrow, which paved the way for a lot of drama and conflict inside the club, the effects of which were felt throughout the series. These conflicts came at a high price, and various members of the Sons of Anarchy MC were killed throughout the series.

Kip “Half-Sack” Epps

Cameron Hayes Stabbed Him And Kidnapped Jax's Son

Kip Epps (Johnny Lewis), best known as Half-Sack, was a prospect in seasons 1 and 2 of Sons of Anarchy. Given his position in the club, he was often asked to do things the other SAMCRO members didn’t want to, such as cleaning around the clubhouse, but he also took part in many of the club’s big jobs. In season 2, he was tasked with watching over Gemma (Katey Sagal) and Tara, but Gemma left to go after Polly Zobelle.

On his way back to Jax’s home, Half-Sack was followed by Cameron Hayes, who entered the house and threatened to kill Maggie Siff's Tara and Abel, Jax’s son. As Cameron was about to kill Abel with a knife, Half-Sack jumped to stop him and was stabbed and killed by Cameron, who then took Abel with him to Ireland.

Eric Miles

Juice Killed Him To Cover For His Betrayal

Following Half-Sack’s death, three new prospects, including Eric Miles (Frank Potter), joined the club. Eric was patched into SAMCRO in season 4, and later on, he discovered that Juice (Theo Rossi) had been stealing bricks of cocaine from the warehouse. Juice attacked him, and asEric pulled out a knife, Juice shot him in the face several times and then framed him for the theft.

Eric was stripped of his patch and excommunicated, and it wasn’t until season 6 that his name was finally cleared. Miles' death not only showcased the extent to which Juice would go to protect his own secrets but also highlighted the internal strife within SAMCRO during this period. The betrayal and tragic loss of Miles created a lasting impact on the club and underscored the dangerous consequences of unchecked ambition and deception within their ranks.

Piermont “Piney” Winston

Clay Murdererd Piney

Piermont Winston (William Lucking), AKA Piney, was a co-founder of the Sons of Anarchy club, one of the First 9, and the father of Harry “Opie” Winston (Ryan Hurst). Disgusted with Clay’s actions after getting the club involved in drug dealing, Piney retreats to his remote woodland cabin. Clay visits him and tries to talk to him about the letters that reveal Clay and Gemma killed John Teller. The conversation turns violent, and Clay shoots and kills Piney.Clay made the murder look as if the Lobos Sonora cartel enacted it.

Piney's death marked a significant turning point in the series, further exposing the deepening rift between the club members and Clay's corrupt leadership. It also profoundly affected Opie, fueling his mistrust and anger towards Clay and ultimately setting him on a path of vengeance. Piney's legacy as one of the club's founders remained significant, as his death served as a catalyst for Clay Morrow's eventual downfall.

Herman Kozik

Kozik Stepped On A Landmine

Herman Kozik (Kenny Johnson) was a member of the Tacoma chapter of SAMCRO who later joined the main faction. He endured a rough relationship with Tig Trager (Kim Coates) due to the murder of Tig's dog. Still, after being forced to work together many times, their relationship became much more amicable. When some of the Sons, along with the Galindo cartel, came across a field of land mines planted by the Lobos, Kozik accidentally stepped on one, unceremoniously killing his character.

Kozik's sudden death was a grim reminder of the unpredictability of life in SAMCRO, as well as the ever-present danger associated with their criminal activities. His death also left Tig visibly shaken, highlighting the tragic irony that just as their relationship had started to heal, it was abruptly cut short. Kozik's demise illustrated the ruthless reality of the club's violent world and left a void in the ranks of SAMCRO.

Harry “Opie” Winston

Pope Had Prison Guards Beat Opie To Death

One of the most heartbreaking deaths in Sons of Anarchy was that of Opie, Piney’s son and Jax’s best friend. Opie’s arc was often marred by tragedy, as he had a rough childhood. Tig accidentally killed his wife, and he found his father’s corpse as a boy. As a result, Opie distanced himself from the SAMCRO club for a while but returned right on time as Jax, Chibs (Tommy Flanagan), and Tig were arrested and joined them by attacking the sheriff.

Once in jail, Jax was forced to accept a deal under Damon Pope’s terms, and one of those was having to choose one of his SAMCRO brothers as a sacrifice so the rest could be free. Jax refused to choose and planned on offering himself, but Opie stepped up and punched one of the guards, thus being forced to become the sacrificed member. Opie is beaten to death by Pope’s in-prison agents, with Jax, Chibs, and Tig watching on as horrified witnesses.

“Filthy” Phil Russell & V-Lin

The Irish Killed Both Men As A Warning

“Filthy” Phil Russell (Christopher Douglas Reed) and V-Lin (Walter Wong) met their gruesome end in Sons of Anarchy season 6 in two of the most graphic deaths in the series. Phil had earned his patch in season 5, while V-Lin was still a prospect. Both were stationed at the club's arms warehouse when the Irish, seeking revenge after Jax dissolved SAMCRO's partnership with the Real IRA, arrived.

The Irish shot Phil and V-Lin and then mutilated their bodies, leaving them on display in the warehouse as a macabre warning to SAMCRO. Their brutal deaths emphasized the escalating tensions between SAMCRO and the Real IRA, highlighting the dangers of betrayal and the brutality of their enemies. The loss of Phil and V-Lin left a significant impact on the club, deepening the resolve of the remaining members to end the conflict once and for all.

Otto Delaney

The Prison Guards Shot Him To Death

Otto Delaney (Kurt Sutter) was one of SAMCRO’s most dangerous members in Sons of Anarchy. The character spent most of his time in the series in jail, where his mental health continually deteriorated, making him an increasingly violent prospect. He tricked Tara into bringing him a crucifix, which he then used to kill a nurse, who turned out to be the sister of a man named Lee Toric (Donal Logue), who decided to avenge her death.

Under his orders, Otto was continually raped, and as he refused to talk to Toric, or indeed anyone else, Otto ended up biting off his tongue. Clay later slipped him a shiv to end his pain, which he used to stab Toric, and when the guards arrived, Otto was shot multiple times in the chest, finally ending his suffering.

Clay Morrow

Jax Shot And Killed His Stepfather

Clay Morrow met his fate in season 6 after all his crimes, lies, and betrayals were laid bare to the club. After Jax told the rest of the club that Clay was responsible for the deaths of his father, Piney, and more, they decided he had to meet “Mr. Mayhem,” and Jax was the one who shot him to death. Jax and company arranged the scene (as they had also killed the leader of the True IRA and his companions) to make it look like Clay had a bloody falling out with the Irish over a bad deal.

Clay's death represented the culmination of years of deception and corruption, serving as a symbolic end to an era of SAMCRO's violent history. His execution by Jax not only marked a turning point in Jax's leadership but also brought closure to the unresolved tensions surrounding John Teller's death and Piney's murder. The act of staging the scene to implicate the Irish illustrated Jax's strategic cunning and ruthless determination to secure his grip on the club's future while severing ties with the past.

Bobby Munson

August Marks Shot And Killed Bobby

Robert “Bobby Elvis” Munson (Mark Boone Jr.) was one of the most loyal members of the club and whose death also broke the hearts of viewers along with the rest of the club's members. In season 7, and as one of the many consequences of Gemma’s lies about Tara’s murder, Bobby was kidnapped by August Marks’ men, who tortured him and removed his eye and fingers. Bobby was supposedly being freed at the end of the season, but Marks instead shot him in front of Jax as punishment for the latter’s betrayal.

Bobby's brutal death underscored the devastating impact of Gemma's deception, unraveling the club's unity and pushing Jax further down a path of ruthless vengeance. It was a stark reminder of the collateral damage inflicted by lies and betrayal, leaving the club without one of its most beloved and steadfast members. Bobby's loyalty and commitment to the club made his loss deeply felt, and his death was a pivotal moment that illustrated the escalating stakes and the dire consequences of crossing powerful enemies like August Marks.

Juan Carlos “Juice” Ortiz

Juice Asked Tully To Kill Him To Protect SAMCRO

Juice (Theo Rossi) was involved in a lot of trouble beginning in season 4. AUSA Potter targeted him as a weak link in the club after finding out that his father was Black. Due to SAMCRO's archaic rules, he would be stripped of his membership. This was the beginning of Juice’s seemingly unending downward spiral, which involved the callous murder of Eric Miles and Sheriff Roosevelt, along with many other subsequent betrayals.

Juice’s final task of shame as a SAMCRO member was being imprisoned so he could kill Henry Lin, but that also came with the caveat of becoming Ron Tully’s (Marilyn Manson) sex slave. Juice confessed to Jax that Gemma was the one who killed Tara, and Jax promised Juice a quick death. Juice was offered protection in exchange for killing Tully, but he knew that would have a severe impact on the club, so he chose to tell Tully about it and asked him to kill him once he finished eating his cherry pie.

Jax Teller

Jax Died By Suicide To End Sons Of Anarchy

The main character in Sons of Anarchy also met his fate in the series' coda. Following Tara’s death, Jax’s life spiraled out of control due to Gemma’s lies, which caused numerous clashes with multiple gangs, including the Chinese, August Marks, and more. After killing Gemma and finally telling the club about all her lies, Jax gives himself over to SAMCRO’s rules. Although technically forced to meet “Mr. Mayhem” – the rest of the club couldn’t bring themselves to kill Jax, so he ended up dying by suicide on the road, mirroring his father’s death.

Jax's final act was tragic and poetic, symbolizing his ultimate sacrifice to free SAMCRO from the cycle of violence and corruption that had plagued it for so long. He chose to ride headlong into oncoming traffic rather than force his brothers to execute him. By choosing his own fate, Jax ensured that his children would not follow in his footsteps and be condemned to a life of crime and violence. His death mirrored John Teller's demise and brought a grim resolution to the series, highlighting the high cost of loyalty and the devastating legacy of family betrayal.

Other SAMCRO Members

Other SAMCRO members also died in Sons of Anarchy, but as they were either part of other charters or minor characters, their deaths can easily be forgotten. These characters are Keith McGee, one of the First 9 who was killed by Clay in Ireland; GoGo, Greg the Peg, and Frankie Diamonds, who were Clay’s secret crew tasked with discrediting Jax’s leadership by terrorizing the town and were killed by Unser, Clay, and Leo Pirelli, respectively; and Orlin West, who was recruited by Bobby and killed by Lin’s people.

Sons of Anarchy

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Sons of Anarchy, created by Kurt Sutter, follows a notorious outlaw motorcycle club, the Sons of Anarchy, as they confront drug dealers, corporate developers, and law enforcement to protect their livelihoods and their hometown of Charming, CA. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Sons of Anarchy explores what happens when the seduction of money and power comes between family. The show follows the Teller and Morrow family legacies, with Jackson 'Jax' Teller handling his duties as the V.P. of the club while dealing with the new president - his stepfather - Clay Morrow.

Cast

Kim Coates , Charlie Hunnam , Theo Rossi , Mark Boone Junior , Maggie Siff , Katey Sagal , Tommy Flanagan , Ron Perlman

Release Date

September 8, 2008

Seasons

7

Network

FX