how did monty die in 13 reasons why

Monty De La Cruz dies off‑screen between the end of season 2 and the finale of season 3; it’s later made clear that he was killed in prison after other inmates targeted him because of his assault on Tyler and his “child rapist” label.

What the show explicitly says

• In season 3, Monty is arrested and sent to jail for sexually assaulting Tyler in the school bathroom.

• Near the end of season 3, Deputy Standall tells Ani that Monty has been killed in his jail cell “just hours ago,” confirming he is dead and that it happened off‑screen.

• No detailed, on‑screen death scene is shown in that season, so viewers only hear about it second‑hand.

How he actually dies (later explanation)

• Season 4 fleshes this out through Clay’s visions and later explanations: once other inmates discovered Monty was considered a child rapist , he was attacked in prison.

• He is described as being shived (stabbed) and bleeding out , effectively murdered by fellow prisoners because of the nature of his crime.

Why fans were confused

• In season 3, the show gives almost no detail: just that “Montgomery de la Cruz was killed in his jail cell,” which felt abrupt and vague to many viewers.

• This led to a lot of forum theories (for example, that his death was faked, or that someone like Justin arranged it), but these are fan speculation and not confirmed in the canon story.

In‑story impact

• Ani and the group use Monty’s death to frame him for Bryce’s murder, since a dead suspect can’t defend himself.

• In season 4, Clay’s guilt and hallucinations of Monty show that even though Monty was an abuser, his violent death and the lie pinned on him weigh heavily on the main characters.

If you want, I can also walk through how this ties into the other major deaths in 13 Reasons Why and the show’s broader themes around violence and accountability.