Criminal Minds Series Rewrite: Season Three

Scared to Death: Part Three

"Okay, we know this guy used Wildwood Trail as his personal graveyard for six months. That site's been blown for him now, which means that he's been forced to change part of his MO," Derek starts off the profile meeting. "Which won't be easy for somebody who thrives on being in control. The reason that he's gotten away with these first three murders is that he's been meticulous at every stage, from how he chooses his victims to their torture and their burial."

"To us, his victims appear to be nonspecific. Other than being new to Portland, all they seem to have shared was a torturous death," Emily adds.

"You think the unsub chooses them for another reason?" Bill asks.

"We think so."

"The tortures lack a sexual component, which is incredibly rare. I think it's more about not necessarily about exerting power, but more like overcompensating for a lack of it," Spencer explains.

"This guy craves control. He's coming from a place of weakness, trying to demonstrate strength. Now we see this a lot in unsubs who've been abused. The lack of sexual assault could be as simple as the fact that he's impotent, something that he's trying to hide," you say.

"A man who is obsessed with control most likely feels powerless in his everyday life. So, he would crave stability and security. He's most likely married. If he is impotent, he could keep up appearances by adopting children."

"Yeah, and someone this methodical has every moment planned. If he is captured, he'd most likely take his own life rather than give up any sort of control."

"The victims' lack of defensive wounds suggest that they willingly put themselves in danger. So, someone of authority or otherwise easily trusted put them up to this," you note. "Also, the victims' families were led to believe their loved ones were alive and well through emails written by this murderer."

"He's calculating, and he's intelligent, and we're going to have to do something that he's not expecting."

"Like what?" Bill wonders.

"Like warn his potential victims."

JJ sets up a press conference immediately after the briefing is over so she can control the media by using them to get to the public. She will be releasing the profile to them, and you have a TV in the station to watch her. You know that there will be some people watching who will call to give up information. It may not be accurate information, but you know that her message is working.

"We found the remains of four victims on Wildwood Trail. Two women and two men, all in their twenties, all transferred to Portland. Because the victims have this in common, we are confident that the person we're looking for latches on to people new to the city. He chooses them because they make for easier targets. If you are young and new to Portland, or if you know someone that is, please call the number on your screen for more detailed information about how to stay out of a dangerous situation. We believe the person that we're looking for is able to fit into many surroundings--"

You're watching JJ on TV when the phone at the desk you're sitting at rings. You reach over and grab the phone, putting it to your ear. Hopefully, this person has useful information. When you answer, you can clearly hear a dog continuously bark in the background.

"Hello?"

"Yes, I didn't know who to call about this. One of my tenants, Patrick Walker, moved to Portland for grad school, and he's been missing." The dog continues to bark, and the woman huffs in annoyance. "Lucy, it's okay. It's okay."

"Ma'am, how long has Patrick been missing?"

"Since this morning. I know that that sounds crazy, but Patrick sticks to a routine. I tease him that he's more predictable than I am. He jogs while I'm watching the morning shows and walks to class with his backpack after that. He--he's always home for lunch. That's when he walks Lucy."