Despite all the evidence and commentary I have come across unequivocally stating that Peter was not the killer, I could see how someone solely viewing the film could come to that conclusion.
We don't actually see Billy at the end (just the attic door movement). Yes, the silhouette of his hair did resemble Peter's when he attacked Barb. This misdirection was certainly intentional throughout the movie, so much so that Jess presumably kills Peter in self defense (I think that's what we're made to believe, but that was off camera so it's possible Billy could have killed Peter from the back and then started on Jess before the cops showed up and he had to split). We see Peter's anger in the way he bashes the piano, and the caller uses Peter's very words. Even the police officer believes it to be Peter, given these and other circumstances.
But one thing I can't overlook if purely taking into account the scenes in the movie and not any supplemental information, is the fact that the director chose to very clearly show the eye of the killer. It's brown. I couldn't really see Peter's eyes throughout the film because of the low lit scenes he was in, but the only time I did get a good clear look was when we see him sprawled out over Jess, dead. And to me, his eyes are definitely blue.
Sure the movie was ambiguous about some things, particularly the motivation of the killer even though we got some insight and clues from the phone calls. Also, we don't know if the voice at the end really belongs to Billy or some effect used on the viewer. But eye color is not one of those ambiguities.
Peter is not Billy. Sure, he's emotional because he's an artist (which is what Jess first believed and used as an argument to the police). That would explain how crazy he got over failing his recital or his reaction to the idea of abortion. Also, Billy has been stalking the girls for the duration of the film. At the beginning of the film, he enters the house from outside. That doesn't necessarily give us a clue to what degree his stalking could have been executed, but it's very possible, he was watching Jess and overheard the words used by Peter. And Peter being in the house was possible, because the doors were always unlocked. Billy isn't supposed to be some movie monster that is everywhere at once, so for all we know, he could have been following Jess or killing the cop while Peter was inside.
But one thing you can't argue away is the eye color.
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