deep end, cm [ 1 ]

009. natural born killer

They get to the crime scene and walk into the house.

"I was teaching an in-service at Baltimore when this came in." Derek says. "Baltimore PD's seen some grisly stuff, but never anything like this. We got two bodies I.D.'d as William and Helen Dimarco. Retired, lived here for thirty-seven years, no kids. Neighbor reports a white male twenty to forty years old fleeing the scene, and I quote, "Hopped up on those damn drugs.""

"Eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable." Gideon says.

"So far it sounds like a standard double homicide. Why are we here?" Hotch asks. They all go upstairs to the bathroom in the master bedroom, blood everywhere.

"Massive overkill." Derek says. "Helen Dimarco was found here, tied to the chair in front of the vanity. No defensive wounds. Ligature marks around the wrists, one clean laceration from ear to ear."

"Looks arterial. Probably the carotid." Jessica notes.

"At least she went quickly." Elle says.

"The husband William was found in the shower. But he wasn't quite as lucky. Ligature marks on the wrists and ankles and one long laceration up the abdomen through both layers of muscle." Derek says.

"Evisceration -- that's typical of disorganized behavior." Spencer says.

"Despite all the blood, this crime scene shows method, order, control. I'd say it's pretty organized." Elle says.

"There was also evidence of torture with the husband. Burns, contusions, lacerations. You name it, this guy tried it." Derek says.

"If torture is the unsub's signature, the methodology is usually unique. A person who burns someone doesn't normally use a knife." Jessica says.

"So maybe we have more than one killer or we have one killer with more than one personality." Hotch says.

"We also have three victims." Gideon states. "Blood on the vanity, wife's body was found there, husband was in the shower. From the looks of the level of the ring in the this tub, whoever was in it lost their entire blood volume."

"Approximately 10.6 pints." Spencer says.

"Which means the victim was dismembered." Jessica says.

"Looks like our guy took all the parts with him." Derek says.

~ ~ ~

"Okay, so I've got Helen Dimarco tied to the chair. He probably killed her first." Derek says.

"Prove to the others that he had no mercy. Psychological torture before the physical pain." Jessica says and Derek nods.

"Only there was no satisfaction from her death. It was too brief. It was over too quickly." Derek says. "And the husband... with him, he took his time. There doesn't seem to be any wasted effort, no hesitation on the unsub's part. I mean, Gideon, look around. What he did... it's a lot of work. We're either dealing with a professional or--"

"A pure psychopath." Gideon says. "Nothing more we can do here until the third victim turns up. I'm guessing there's a connection to him."

"He doesn't want that victim identified." Jessica says.

"Have Garcia go through open files in Maryland, see if any of them involve this level of torture." Gideon orders

"Got it." Derek says.

"Have her check the surrounding states as well." Gideon adds. "If... the guy's a pro, why do jobs only close to home?"

"How far back do you want her to go?" Jessica asks.