Criminal Minds (2005–…): Season 2, Episode 9 - The Last Word - full transcript
Two serial killers send the BAU to St. Louis, and a new team member reports for duty.
Honey, don't go too far.
Okay. It is not just me, right?
- Our girl's got an arm.
- Yeah.
Just like her dad.
We blinked and four years went by.
So, what do you think?
Should we do this again?
Sounds like a plan.
Uh-uh.
Who's coming?
Oh, what do you think, Katie?
You want a little brother or sister?
- Yeah?
- Well.
The boss has spoken.
Okay. Well, you go get her
and I'll go get lunch.
Okay.
I'll race you to the ball.
Let's see what you got.
My daughter, Molly. She's six.
She's got braids. Yellow sweatshirt.
- What am I going to do?
- Okay, okay. Calm down.
Braids, yellow sweatshirt.
We were playing hide-and-seek up here.
She must have got lost in the trees.
- Oh, God, I'm so stupid.
- Tom! Tom!
Shh.
Wait! Did you hear that?
It came from over here. Molly! Honey?
Daddy's here.
Molly!
No!
Did you find Molly? Is she okay?
Mom. Wake up. It's past 10:00!
Damn it. Why did you let me sleep?
Why don't you get an alarm clock?
- Did you eat?
- Pizza.
- And the baby?
- Pizza. And milk.
Bye. Get some sleep, J.
Hey, I'll bring you some pancakes.
Yeah, when?
Hey, want company?
Hi.
Come in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Agent Hotchner?
- Yes.
I'm Agent Emily Prentiss.
How do you do?
Oh, you're Ambassador Prentiss' daughter.
I did security clearances
for your mother's staff.
It was one of my first commands.
Yeah, I believe you were off
to Brown at the time.
Actually it was Yale.
I've been in the Bureau
almost 10 years now.
Don't tell me that. Has it been that long?
Apparently, sir. But I've worked mostly
in the Midwest. St. Louis, Chicago.
Good.
- Are your parents well?
- Yeah, yeah, they're great.
Excellent.
What can I do for you?
Well, I guess I was hoping you could
tell me where to put my stuff.
I'm sorry?
I'm supposed to start here today
at the BAU.
There's been a mistake.
I don't think so, sir.
There's definitely been a mistake.
- Oh, excuse me. We're getting started.
- Thank you. I'll be right there.
I didn't approve this transfer,
Agent Prentiss.
I'm sorry for the confusion,
but you've been misinformed.
Excuse me.
It's very good to see you again.
Did you approve a new transfer?
No. I would've discussed it with you.
That's what I thought, but she's got
the paperwork to join the team.
- You want me to make a call?
- No, I'll look into it.
St. Louis is in trouble.
They've got two serial killers.
This killer abducts his victims
from public places,
dumps them in the woods.
They consulted us months ago
after the third murder.
Well, now it might be up to six.
Ellen Carroll's been missing
since yesterday.
The first two victims
were found near Mill Creek
in Mark Twain National Forest.
No wonder it takes days
to find the bodies.
The forest is 1.5 million acres,
and 78,000 of that's wilderness.
- What's the story with these women?
- Eight victims. All prostitutes.
Latest is Marci Mitchell.
She was killed last night
with a .44 Magnum.
All are tied to a serial shooter,
claiming responsibility.
He's contacted Jim Meyers,
a reporter at the Missouri Herald.
So he's not getting
the attention he thinks he deserves.
He signs it the "Hollow Man,"
names himself for the press.
Why Hollow Man? What, does he
feel empty inside or something?
He uses hollow point bullets.
No one even knew this guy existed
until he sent this letter.
Well, he's killed more victims,
but look who he's chosen.
Hundreds of victims go unnoticed
because they're social outcasts
who never make the front page.
When Mill Creek kills,
the Hollow Man shoots another prostitute.
So one doesn't want to be
outdone by the other.
Sounds like sibling rivalry to me.
They've been killing independently
of each other for a year now.
With each killer learning
something from the other.
Elbert Hubbard once wrote,
"If men could only know each other,
they would neither idolize nor hate."
Thank you.
What's wrong?
Even though there are
roughly 30 serial killers at large
in the US at any given time,
it's an incredibly rare occurrence to
have them operating in the same city.
- How many times has that happened?
- To my knowledge, three times.
There was a guy killing at the
same time as the Son of Sam,
again in New Orleans, and most
recently with the Phoenix murders.
Serial shooters are typically loners
and this guy likes to kill at night.
His victims are prostitutes,
so he may lack confidence with women
or have poor social skills.
There's no rape.
The guy could be impotent.
He's a wannabe tough guy.
It's not hard to be tough holding a .44.
The gun gives him power and lets
him maintain distance from the kill.
This guy doesn't want to touch
the bodies with his hands.
The Mill Creek Killer hunts during the day
and targets educated, middle-class women.
He'd have to look and act like they do.
The women died from
blunt force head traumas.
This guy wants to be close.
He wants to feel the life
leave their bodies.
These guys are polar opposites.
Just like their victims.
They live in the same city,
but they're worlds apart.
I'm going to see if the shooter's victims
have any families I can talk to.
That's a good idea. I'm already familiar
with the Mill Creek case.
Reid, can you take a look at the letter
for handwriting analysis
and psycholinguistics?
- Of course.
- Looks like I'm with you.
I'll go have a talk with
Ellen Carroll's husband.
I'm meeting Jim Meyers,
the reporter from the Missouri Herald.
Well, tell him not to write
about the Hollow Man.
We want to draw the shooter out.
The best way to do that
is to act like he doesn't exist.
Home of Ellen and Tom Carroll
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
I'll feel much better when you find Ellen.
Mr. Carroll, believe me, we are trying.
You know, when you have kids,
you become so fixated
on where they are and what they're doing.
You don't think you need to worry
about your spouse.
I understand your wife
is a partner at a law firm.
Now, aside from work,
taking care of the family,
does she make time for herself?
She's an avid runner. Participates in
the St. Louis marathon every year.
Is she shy or nervous
about meeting new people?
Ever since we had Katie,
I'd say she's much more trusting.
You don't remember her talking to anyone
you don't know at that playground?
No. No one. How did I not see
someone take my wife?
Mr. Carroll, the man who did this,
somehow he just fits right in.
He doesn't look or sound
like he doesn't belong.
Well, hey, little lady.
Hey.
She keeps asking me
when her mommy's coming home.
I don't know what to say.
I missed you.
You are so beautiful.
Agents Hotchner and Reid, FBI.
- What do you want?
- We'd like to talk to you.
Hold that badge up again.
We're here to talk to you
about Marci Mitchell.
I'm her mother.
We're sorry for your loss, ma'am.
Who's this?
They're here for me.
Take your brother inside.
- Is this about Mom?
- I said inside.
You going to judge me or ask questions?
Is there anyone
that can help you with the kids?
Is that what you came here for?
Ma'am, we've just been assigned
your daughter's case.
We're in the process
of gathering information,
but so far no witnesses have come forward.
Well, around here, guns go off
like those damn car alarms,
every 15 minutes.
Nobody's stupid enough to talk.
Nobody cares.
We do.
You wouldn't even be here
if it wasn't for them.
"Heinous crimes against upstanding
members of the community."
Nobody writes about
prostitutes being shot,
'cause they won't admit they think
they're cleaning up the place.
You're right.
Cases like your daughter's
usually go unsolved.
The problem is,
people aren't looking for them
because they don't know
that they're missing.
Part of her job
was to stay below the radar.
It doesn't mean
that she was any less important.
She made bad choices,
but she was a good person.
She loved those boys.
Whoever shot her
should pay for what they did.
So don't come in here
and say you're sorry.
Just do something about it.
We will, ma'am.
- Hi, you must be Agent Sheridan? Hi.
- Agent Jareau.
I really appreciate you coming so quickly.
- Yeah.
- Why don't you set up in here?
Wow, you've got lots of evidence
for the Mill Creek Killer case.
- What about the Hollow Man?
- Right here.
There's been at least eight
women shot. This is all we've got?
You know these cases
don't generate much evidence.
All we have at the scene are a couple
of bullets and no one's talking.
Hopefully we can change that.
Agent Jareau,
there's a reporter here to see you.
- Thank you. Excuse me.
- Sure.
- Right there.
- Thanks.
- Jim Meyers?
- Yeah.
Hi. Agent Jareau, we spoke on the phone.
- Hey.
- Thanks for stopping by.
- Sure. Here's that letter I faxed you.
- Oh, great.
So, did the Hollow Man
shoot those prostitutes
because I wrote
about the Mill Creek victims?
He would've killed them anyway.
But right now
he's looking for recognition,
- that's why he's contacted you.
- But I'm not in any danger?
I mean, I never want to be staring
down the barrel of a gun.
Right now he needs you.
You're his only hope
to get on that front page.
You know, I had no idea
I could get on a serial killer's radar
by writing about another one.
We're going to ask
that you not print anything
relating to the Hollow Man
or the women he's killed.
Well, don't those victims deserve just
as much ink as those other women?
Of course they do.
But we need the shooter
to keep communicating with you,
and if you satisfy his need for attention,
he could disappear.
And I'm sorry we just...
We can't take that chance.
Excuse me, Agent Jareau.
We just found Ellen Carroll's body.
Agents Gideon, Morgan.
This is Agent Sheridan.
Hey, how are you? Forgive the gloves.
How far is the abduction site
from these woods?
About 40 miles or so.
He tried to hide her pretty well.
He covers the body very carefully.
Must feel remorse for killing them.
This lipstick's been applied recently.
It's still moist.
Look at her hair.
It's been brushed, put behind her ears.
If she was abducted,
what, an hour from here
and dragged through these woods,
her hair would not look like that.
So he keeps her safe
from the elements
and then he comes back to the body.
That's why he chooses a secondary
location that's so remote.
This isn't about remorse.
No, he wants to be alone with her.
He needs his privacy.
You never noticed the hair
or the makeup before?
No. I mean, maybe it was the timing.
She was found within 24 hours
and the others had already
succumbed to the elements.
Sex acts with dead bodies
are rare occurrences,
however Bundy did it regularly.
So how's this going to help us
to catch him?
Now we know he has a ritual.
He needs to defile the bodies.
Next time we'll be here waiting for him.
No!
Honey, I can't keep doing this.
We're off duty just like you.
Two victims at once.
That's a first for him.
Do you think he went out looking
to kill more than one woman
or is it just happenstance?
Well, he chose a different hunting ground.
Yes, we're in an alley,
but we're behind an expensive hotel
in a nice neighborhood.
You get a different class of prostitute.
Ones that don't walk the street alone.
He was looking for a challenge.
The question is,
what gave him the confidence
to stray out of his comfort zone?
- Make sure to run that for prints.
- Yes, sir.
He displayed the newspaper between them.
He took the time
when he could've just tossed it aside.
It's deliberate.
He wants us to know he's angry.
Angry enough to change his MO.
I heard there was a double homicide
this morning. Was it Hollow Man?
Agents are confirming that now.
If I had written about him then...
There's no guarantee
that he would've stopped killing
if you would have given in to his demands.
In fact, media attention
could've fueled him to kill more.
You don't know that for sure.
This is all just a guessing game,
isn't it?
No. It's behavioral analysis.
We're dealing with an offender
who believes that murdering people
is a good way to become famous.
All I know is you told me
to ignore him and he takes two lives.
If I dismiss this double homicide,
what happens tomorrow?
We won't know until then.
Too bad we couldn't trace any prints
from the newspaper.
What have you got?
He only sent this to an individual,
which shows he's not confident enough
to initiate contact with the masses.
Emotional indicators
are analyzed through slants.
The shooter maintains vertical,
narrow-lettered writing,
both signs of repression.
And the pressure, if you look closely,
is excessively heavy,
which shows that he's uptight
and can easily overreact.
You got all that from his handwriting?
Graphology's an effective and reliable
indicator of personality and behavior.
My writing's always different.
That's because it symbolizes
your emotions at that given time.
Just like your facial expressions
parallel the way you're feeling
when you're speaking.
I'm surprised this guy writes in cursive.
His message is so clear, I would've
thought he'd print everything.
Actually, his connected writing
shows that he deals with problems
in a practical and direct manner.
- Like shooting someone.
- Exactly.
The Hollow Man uses simple
statements. All first-person.
For example, "I won't be ignored."
He's obviously tired of feeling this way.
It's quite possible
he has a job in solitude
or one that he feels strips him
of his identity.
His job might require him
to wear a uniform.
Something that shows
absolutely no individuality.
Or he may be overqualified
for his menial job
and feels that he doesn't get the respect
that he necessarily deserves.
But today he's killed two women,
which tells us he's growing confident.
This makes him
unpredictable and dangerous.
And because he has no
physical contact with his victims,
it's going to make him
that much harder to catch.
We have more information
on the Mill Creek Killer
because he spends a lot of time
with his victims
before and after his kills.
Because his victims willingly follow him
in broad daylight,
he appears harmless.
- He's most likely handsome.
- Handsome?
Yes, these women wouldn't follow an
unattractive man. They just wouldn't.
He's handsome and he's got
the social skills to trick his victims.
Those who know him well,
they'd be shocked to learn
that he's the man that we're after.
He's been able to get his victims
away from family, friends.
Obviously this makes him
feel powerful, so...
If this guy is so smart,
why would he risk driving his victims
from the abduction site to the woods?
Because of the ritual. It's become
the most important thing to him.
It dominates his thoughts.
The woods provide the privacy he needs.
The Hollow Man is motivated
by external pressures.
This is a guy who simply wants attention.
The Mill Creek Killer, on the other hand,
he's driven by internal forces.
He's a sexually motivated offender.
Now, this makes him
a lot more predictable,
but don't think for a second
it makes him any easier to catch.
Where are you? Okay.
Excuse me.
Meredith Dale, 25.
She was supposed to meet her friend
for a bike ride, but disappeared.
Disappeared when?
An hour ago.
How can we be sure it's him?
Well, look at her. She's his type
physically, she vanishes into thin air.
It's got the Mill Creek Killer's MO
all over it.
I'll set up roadblocks
in and out of the forest.
Well, based on the other time lines,
we have to assume
he's hiding her body right now.
Our best chance of catching him is to
find Meredith Dale's body and sit tight.
We know he'll be back.
I'm going to need you
to step out of your vehicle.
What's going on here, officer?
Routine check. Can you open the back?
Yeah. Sure.
Many people come through here today?
- What are you doing up here?
- Just went for a hike.
No water? No supplies?
My boots are all I need.
- That it?
- That's it.
Okay.
What if these dump sites aren't random?
Bodies were scattered all over.
I mean, look at this. There's no pattern.
No, I see that, but we're talking
about a lot of area to cover here.
He had to have some kind
of plan going into these woods.
He must've done his homework.
Okay, the first body was found deep
into the woods.
That's a three-hour car ride
from the city.
First time.
He's more careful in disposing of her.
Her body was discovered by a forest
ranger five days after the abduction.
Okay, all the other victims, look at this,
they follow that same pattern.
What are you saying?
You think he works up there?
He might.
All I do know for sure is that he has
to be familiar enough with these woods
to know when a ranger's on duty.
He knew precisely
when and where to drop the bodies.
Now that is an awesome place
to dump a person.
- Come on, Garcia.
- What? I'm just saying, angelfish.
A million acres converts into
over 2,300 square miles to cover.
- Evil knew what he was doing.
- Yeah, well, now so do we.
Talk to me. How's the ranger schedule
break down?
Okay, the national forest
is divided into six ranger districts,
which are patrolled
every three to five days.
Now the Potosi-Fredricktown area
must be where he's headed to next,
because the rangers
were just there yesterday,
which means they're not scheduled
to revisit it
for at least another three days.
And look at that,
it's the district closest to the city.
Well, that makes sense. He's in a hurry.
He wants to get in and out of there
without a lot of trouble.
Which area has the easiest access
to the main road?
- That would be Saltgrass Cove.
- Saltgrass Cove.
Yep, he'd have plenty of time
to revisit her.
What? Okay. No, no, no,
I don't want to know that. Bye-bye.
I think I know
where he took Meredith Dale.
Rooney, come here.
Damn it.
Please. Please.
Everything needs to look the same
as when he left it.
He'll come back.
He needs to see Meredith again.
This bastard has killed seven women
on my watch. Comb the scene.
No, no, no. Please. Please. Stop!
Just clear the immediate area,
post yourselves along the perimeter.
It's imperative that you become invisible.
He set his own trap.
All we need to do now
is stake out on the woods
and hunt him
just like he does his victims.
That's got to be him.
- FBI! Stay down.
- Hands where I can see them.
Okay, okay. Just take... Take it easy.
Jim Meyers? What the hell?
You're the Mill Creek Killer?
What? No!
Then how the hell did you get here?
I got another letter from the Hollow Man.
Telling you exactly
where to find Meredith Dale?
I swear. You... You can read it.
"Follow the Cotton Wood trail
through Saltgrass Cove."
Wait a minute,
we just figured this out ourselves.
How could another killer
know the specifics
about someone else's dump site?
What's going on?
It's going to be all over the news.
Looks like the Hollow Man didn't
give you the exclusive this time.
So our plan to catch the Mill Creek Killer
was ruined by the Hollow Man?
And now the Hollow Man's on a high.
He hasn't pulled the trigger
since he took two victims yesterday.
Is he satisfied
or is he just getting started?
We'll find out.
"Hollow Man helps FBI
find the Mill Creek Killer's victim."
Nice, he's alerted the media and
injected himself into the investigation.
And he's getting the attention
he's been craving.
But if the shooter really wants
to get the other guy arrested,
he would've called us and not the media.
He must know the Mill Creek Killer
needs to revisit the body.
If he can't defile the woman again,
the need will become so strong
it could push him into a frenzy.
And if that happens, this guy's
just a time bomb waiting to explode.
Great. So, I'll see you later.
Excuse me.
Hi. Look, I'm having a day.
My car won't start and I forgot my phone.
- Could I use yours to make a call?
- Yeah.
Okay, I know it's here. I just used it.
Well, you know what? Forget the phone.
Maybe it'll start for you? Walk with me.
It's right around the corner.
- Oh, no, that's okay.
- No, come on.
- No! No! Let go of me! Let go of me!
- Walk with me. Now!
Help! Help!
Somebody! Somebody!
Help, please! Somebody! Please!
At first he seemed so normal.
Was he handsome?
- Excuse me?
- Was he handsome?
Yeah, he was.
Actually, that's why I stopped.
- When did his demeanor change?
- After I refused to go to his car.
He grabbed my arm so hard
I thought that it would break.
I don't know...
I've been watching the news
about all these women being abducted
and I just started screaming.
You trusted your instincts.
Because of that, you're still alive.
Miss, there's a sketch artist
here with us.
He can create a pretty accurate rendition
from your description of this man.
- Would you sit with him?
- Absolutely.
Officer.
- I'm glad you're all right.
- Thank you.
Well, he's becoming
irrational and violent in public.
That's exactly what the Hollow Man
wanted him to do.
Well, if he doesn't find a victim soon,
he'll become more dangerous.
How is that possible?
He'll drop the ruse entirely and just
start grabbing women at random.
Great. Thanks, Morgan.
The witness got a good look
at the Mill Creek Killer.
You know, if it's the Hollow Man's
intention to force him into a frenzy,
he's getting what he wants.
He knew exactly
where to find Meredith Dale's body.
He figured out the route to the dump site
the same way we did.
We always say serial killers
make the best profilers.
Yeah, but this guy's dead-on.
Yeah, the headline
doesn't mention the shooter at all.
We talked to Jim Meyers, the reporter,
asked him not to respond to the letter.
He doesn't and then the guy goes
out and shoots two more women.
From a better part of town.
Yeah, what gives him this confidence?
And what's the significance
of the paper at the scene?
We know he wants to be newsworthy.
He could've just tossed it aside.
Instead he displayed it.
There's something he wants us to look at.
There's definitely something in the paper.
Hey, I figured it out.
- What is it?
- They're talking in the classifieds.
Classifieds. Code names.
This feels like an old spy movie.
It's lo-tech, simple, but very effective.
They've been doing this for months
and nobody ever knew it.
This is the first one that I found.
The references
are what made me suspicious.
"Sunny: Are you an artist, too? I'd love
to see your work sometime. Holden."
Sunny? Holden?
They're characters
from Catcher in the Rye.
Widely accepted
as a loved book of sociopaths.
Mark David Chapman quoted it
after killing John Lennon.
Deranged minds identify with
Holden's alienation and detachment.
I found the initial contact.
It ran in the paper, unchanged,
for months.
"We have different tastes,
but I can appreciate your art. Sunny."
Sunny is the Hollow Man.
He initiated contact.
- What's he getting out of it?
- A mentor.
Offered admiration and respect.
In return, he gains encouragement
and confidence.
But when the Hollow Man
remained unnoticed by the press,
he resented his mentor
and turned it into a rivalry.
Hollow Man became jealous.
They're both killers, but they weren't
seen on the same playing field.
What else did you find?
"An overwhelming area
and you never get lost?"
Then the answer to this question,
"I do my research. It's not so random
when you know the area."
"I like Cotton Wood in SGC."
- SGC?
- He's talking about Saltgrass Cove.
He told him how to find Meredith Dale.
- Why?
- Teaching his student a lesson.
We understand their relationship,
let's use it against them.
Hey, sweetness, make me smile
and tell me you've got a name.
Oh, I've got scads of them, babe,
but none paid for these personal ads.
They went with cash. Totally old-school.
I hate it when they're smart.
Two separate accounts. In good standing.
Oh, these guys are good. Thanks.
Garcia says these they covered
their tracks. How's it going in here?
Reid's imitating
the Hollow Man's language patterns
to send a message
to the Mill Creek Killer.
He's offering condolences
on losing Meredith Dale.
Well, if he can't get to Meredith Dale,
he's going to need a body.
And he's going to need it real soon.
You guys worried that the Hollow Man's
going to ruin our plan again?
He wants the Mill Creek Killer
to get caught.
The pupil's trying to kill the teacher.
I hope you're close, Reid.
You've got less than an hour
to meet the deadline.
You'll be surrounded.
I need you to relax as best you can.
This guy, he's gonna
want to get close to you
and he's going to want to examine you.
He's going to want to touch me?
Since you're a gift
and not a marked victim,
he might try to make you his own,
but we're not gonna let him get that far.
We need him to get close
to confirm he's the killer.
There's nothing normal
about this guy. Nothing.
Do you have any questions?
No, let's do this.
Okay, down you go.
Close your eyes. Try to relax.
What do you think?
Did it sound like the Hollow Man?
Hopefully the Mill Creek Killer
will buy it.
"Dear Holden, They say imitation
is the highest form of flattery.
"Since you were almost in harm's way,
I thought I'd share some art.
"Should make you feel better.
Here's my gift to you. Sunny."
Hello.
FBI! Get down! Stay down!
We got him.
One down. One to go.
Let's stop right here.
It's going to be tough
to push through this crowd.
That's the idea.
We're getting out.
Secure a path to the door.
I hate you! What made you do it?
Killer!
What do you
have to say for yourself?
Everyone take a step back. Get back.
What do you have to say to the families
of the women you killed?
Do you have
any remorse for what you've done?
- You're going to hell.
- You deserve to die!
I've alerted all news outlets
that we'll be holding
a press conference in 10 minutes.
- And you have the script?
- Right here.
Be sure to say exactly those words.
- The wording's important, JJ.
- Relax. It's not my first party, boys.
Gideon, we don't have much on Mill Creek,
especially if he says
he stumbled on the body.
- So, what are we going to do?
- I'll go try and do my job.
Okay, thanks. Are you comfortable?
As comfortable
as anyone can be in handcuffs.
Let me see.
I'm Jason Gideon.
You know we don't know your name
or where you're from.
The only thing we do know is
you're an intelligent, good-looking man
with an inflated ego,
who happens to like killing women.
Well, you had me till that last part,
Agent Gideon.
Imagine how shocked I am,
considering I haven't done anything.
I see a woman who I think is in distress
in the woods, and I get pounced on.
The FBI wants to interview you.
Talk about your work.
We never believed
we'd have you in custody.
I mean, we definitely thought the
Hollow Man would be easier to catch.
Is that upsetting?
I thought the two of you were friends.
That you admired each other's work?
I don't know the Hollow Man, but if I did,
I'd say he sounds like an obsessed fan.
Is that how you see yourself?
As somebody famous?
Well, from what I've read about the
Mill Creek Killer, I'd say he's an artist.
The fascination wasn't
completely one-sided.
You did respond to his ads in the paper.
No one can respect
what the Hollow Man has done.
He's got no imagination.
But he's smart.
He found Meredith Dale's body.
He... He even told the media about it.
Whoever taught him, taught him very well.
That's very true. It just sounds like
the student turns on the teacher.
No, no, he was protecting him.
Is that what you think
the Hollow Man was doing?
Well, what else could it be?
Manipulating you? Gaining your trust?
And when he got it,
the Hollow Man set you up.
You were front-page news
and now you'll be a footnote.
Hollow Man's out there, you're in here
and it's all because of him.
Is that what you want?
You want me to get angry
to help you catch him?
That is not your problem, sir.
Then what do you want?
I just have one question.
If killing those women made you an artist,
the things you did to them
after they were dead,
what does that make you?
I mean, really it just doesn't
seem very artistic, does it?
You went back. You fixed their makeup,
you combed their hair,
and you visited them
over and over and over...
I didn't do that.
If you thought you were famous before,
wait until the press gets a hold
- of the details of your visits.
- You shut your mouth.
Shut your mouth. I never went back.
You expect me to believe
you only killed those women?
- Yes.
- That it wasn't you
- who kept visiting the corpses?
- No.
We found lipstick in your hand
when we caught you.
- You will not tell anyone that.
- Excuse me?
I said you can never say that.
Do you understand?
- You didn't visit the corpses?
- No.
- No, you just killed them? Yeah.
- Yes.
Yes, I killed them.
But... But you can't
tell anyone that I went back.
You can't do that.
The women of St. Louis
can rest easy tonight.
After a long year,
the Mill Creek Killer is in custody.
This man is highly intelligent
and he uses a sophisticated ruse
when luring these women in public places.
The Mill Creek Killer is someone
the BAU will want to study
as one of the most complex criminals
we've dealt with in years.
Questions? Yes.
What's the FBI doing
about the other serial killer?
We have new information about that case.
We no longer believe
the shootings are related. Yes?
- Agent Jareau.
- What's the new information?
We believe they're isolated incidents
and we're looking into the possibility
that the last two were copycats.
Jim Meyers?
Are you referring to the killer
who calls himself the Hollow Man?
We believe the person who wrote
that letter is nothing but a street thug.
We have evidence that indicates
that the letter was just a prank
to throw us off the investigation
of the Mill Creek Killer.
This is no longer a BAU case.
It lacks a certain sophistication, class.
There's just nothing elegant about it.
But, Agent Jareau...
That's all the questions
we'll take for now. Thank you.
So we've set the bait.
Let's see if he takes it.
Place your coins, keys
and belts in the basket. Walk this way.
Walk this way.
Whoa.
Step to the side, please.
Extend your arms.
Stay down.
Give me your weapon, now.
Get up.
You know, it's a chance,
but if we make it...
Where is he? I want to see him, right now.
- You tell him the Hollow Man is here.
- Get down. Call SWAT.
He told you to say those things
about me, didn't he?
He told you to use those words?
Get him out of here.
I'm no less elegant than he is.
- I'm no copycat.
- Shut your mouth.
I left you the newspaper.
I gave you the Mill Creek Killer.
- What else do I have to do?
- Go! Get him out of here.
This is the story for tomorrow.
"They were our daughters,
sisters, mothers and friends."
"They have every right to be
remembered and memorialized."
They didn't mention the shooter.
He was a nobody who wanted
to be somebody by killing people
and they didn't give him that.
Good.
Mahatma Gandhi once said,
"Remember that all through history,
"there have been tyrants and murderers,
"and for a time, they seemed invincible.
"But in the end, they always fall.
Always."
Please tell me you haven't been there
for the last four days.
I heard you were flying back tonight.
Heard? How... How could
you have heard a thing like that?
This was dropped off today.
I appreciate your interest, Agent,
but profiling is a specialty.
We can't just let anyone
who wants to give it a whirl.
The I-80 Killer. Co-eds in Indiana?
Yes, I read it on the plane.
They aren't blitz attacks.
This guy's organized.
He's a white male,
early 30s and a smooth talker,
because even after 11 victims,
he can still convince educated women
who know there's a predator out there
to get into his car.
How would you advise the police?
I would stake out The Ranch House,
a nightclub in Gary.
They have a very popular ladies' night
on Thursdays.
If you look closely, you'll see
that eight out of the 11 victims
went missing on a Friday morning.
So something gets this creep's
motor running on Thursdays.
This isn't a whirl, Agent Hotchner.
I don't know
how the paperwork got screwed up
or maybe you believe
my parents pulled some strings,
which they didn't, by the way.
I belong in this unit.
And all I'm asking you for
is the chance to show you that.
I still need to look into this,
so I'm not promising anything.
Understood.
We brief new cases
every morning at 10:00 a.m.
You can see Facilities Management
about a desk.
You won't be sorry.
Okay. It is not just me, right?
- Our girl's got an arm.
- Yeah.
Just like her dad.
We blinked and four years went by.
So, what do you think?
Should we do this again?
Sounds like a plan.
Uh-uh.
Who's coming?
Oh, what do you think, Katie?
You want a little brother or sister?
- Yeah?
- Well.
The boss has spoken.
Okay. Well, you go get her
and I'll go get lunch.
Okay.
I'll race you to the ball.
Let's see what you got.
My daughter, Molly. She's six.
She's got braids. Yellow sweatshirt.
- What am I going to do?
- Okay, okay. Calm down.
Braids, yellow sweatshirt.
We were playing hide-and-seek up here.
She must have got lost in the trees.
- Oh, God, I'm so stupid.
- Tom! Tom!
Shh.
Wait! Did you hear that?
It came from over here. Molly! Honey?
Daddy's here.
Molly!
No!
Did you find Molly? Is she okay?
Mom. Wake up. It's past 10:00!
Damn it. Why did you let me sleep?
Why don't you get an alarm clock?
- Did you eat?
- Pizza.
- And the baby?
- Pizza. And milk.
Bye. Get some sleep, J.
Hey, I'll bring you some pancakes.
Yeah, when?
Hey, want company?
Hi.
Come in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Agent Hotchner?
- Yes.
I'm Agent Emily Prentiss.
How do you do?
Oh, you're Ambassador Prentiss' daughter.
I did security clearances
for your mother's staff.
It was one of my first commands.
Yeah, I believe you were off
to Brown at the time.
Actually it was Yale.
I've been in the Bureau
almost 10 years now.
Don't tell me that. Has it been that long?
Apparently, sir. But I've worked mostly
in the Midwest. St. Louis, Chicago.
Good.
- Are your parents well?
- Yeah, yeah, they're great.
Excellent.
What can I do for you?
Well, I guess I was hoping you could
tell me where to put my stuff.
I'm sorry?
I'm supposed to start here today
at the BAU.
There's been a mistake.
I don't think so, sir.
There's definitely been a mistake.
- Oh, excuse me. We're getting started.
- Thank you. I'll be right there.
I didn't approve this transfer,
Agent Prentiss.
I'm sorry for the confusion,
but you've been misinformed.
Excuse me.
It's very good to see you again.
Did you approve a new transfer?
No. I would've discussed it with you.
That's what I thought, but she's got
the paperwork to join the team.
- You want me to make a call?
- No, I'll look into it.
St. Louis is in trouble.
They've got two serial killers.
This killer abducts his victims
from public places,
dumps them in the woods.
They consulted us months ago
after the third murder.
Well, now it might be up to six.
Ellen Carroll's been missing
since yesterday.
The first two victims
were found near Mill Creek
in Mark Twain National Forest.
No wonder it takes days
to find the bodies.
The forest is 1.5 million acres,
and 78,000 of that's wilderness.
- What's the story with these women?
- Eight victims. All prostitutes.
Latest is Marci Mitchell.
She was killed last night
with a .44 Magnum.
All are tied to a serial shooter,
claiming responsibility.
He's contacted Jim Meyers,
a reporter at the Missouri Herald.
So he's not getting
the attention he thinks he deserves.
He signs it the "Hollow Man,"
names himself for the press.
Why Hollow Man? What, does he
feel empty inside or something?
He uses hollow point bullets.
No one even knew this guy existed
until he sent this letter.
Well, he's killed more victims,
but look who he's chosen.
Hundreds of victims go unnoticed
because they're social outcasts
who never make the front page.
When Mill Creek kills,
the Hollow Man shoots another prostitute.
So one doesn't want to be
outdone by the other.
Sounds like sibling rivalry to me.
They've been killing independently
of each other for a year now.
With each killer learning
something from the other.
Elbert Hubbard once wrote,
"If men could only know each other,
they would neither idolize nor hate."
Thank you.
What's wrong?
Even though there are
roughly 30 serial killers at large
in the US at any given time,
it's an incredibly rare occurrence to
have them operating in the same city.
- How many times has that happened?
- To my knowledge, three times.
There was a guy killing at the
same time as the Son of Sam,
again in New Orleans, and most
recently with the Phoenix murders.
Serial shooters are typically loners
and this guy likes to kill at night.
His victims are prostitutes,
so he may lack confidence with women
or have poor social skills.
There's no rape.
The guy could be impotent.
He's a wannabe tough guy.
It's not hard to be tough holding a .44.
The gun gives him power and lets
him maintain distance from the kill.
This guy doesn't want to touch
the bodies with his hands.
The Mill Creek Killer hunts during the day
and targets educated, middle-class women.
He'd have to look and act like they do.
The women died from
blunt force head traumas.
This guy wants to be close.
He wants to feel the life
leave their bodies.
These guys are polar opposites.
Just like their victims.
They live in the same city,
but they're worlds apart.
I'm going to see if the shooter's victims
have any families I can talk to.
That's a good idea. I'm already familiar
with the Mill Creek case.
Reid, can you take a look at the letter
for handwriting analysis
and psycholinguistics?
- Of course.
- Looks like I'm with you.
I'll go have a talk with
Ellen Carroll's husband.
I'm meeting Jim Meyers,
the reporter from the Missouri Herald.
Well, tell him not to write
about the Hollow Man.
We want to draw the shooter out.
The best way to do that
is to act like he doesn't exist.
Home of Ellen and Tom Carroll
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
I'll feel much better when you find Ellen.
Mr. Carroll, believe me, we are trying.
You know, when you have kids,
you become so fixated
on where they are and what they're doing.
You don't think you need to worry
about your spouse.
I understand your wife
is a partner at a law firm.
Now, aside from work,
taking care of the family,
does she make time for herself?
She's an avid runner. Participates in
the St. Louis marathon every year.
Is she shy or nervous
about meeting new people?
Ever since we had Katie,
I'd say she's much more trusting.
You don't remember her talking to anyone
you don't know at that playground?
No. No one. How did I not see
someone take my wife?
Mr. Carroll, the man who did this,
somehow he just fits right in.
He doesn't look or sound
like he doesn't belong.
Well, hey, little lady.
Hey.
She keeps asking me
when her mommy's coming home.
I don't know what to say.
I missed you.
You are so beautiful.
Agents Hotchner and Reid, FBI.
- What do you want?
- We'd like to talk to you.
Hold that badge up again.
We're here to talk to you
about Marci Mitchell.
I'm her mother.
We're sorry for your loss, ma'am.
Who's this?
They're here for me.
Take your brother inside.
- Is this about Mom?
- I said inside.
You going to judge me or ask questions?
Is there anyone
that can help you with the kids?
Is that what you came here for?
Ma'am, we've just been assigned
your daughter's case.
We're in the process
of gathering information,
but so far no witnesses have come forward.
Well, around here, guns go off
like those damn car alarms,
every 15 minutes.
Nobody's stupid enough to talk.
Nobody cares.
We do.
You wouldn't even be here
if it wasn't for them.
"Heinous crimes against upstanding
members of the community."
Nobody writes about
prostitutes being shot,
'cause they won't admit they think
they're cleaning up the place.
You're right.
Cases like your daughter's
usually go unsolved.
The problem is,
people aren't looking for them
because they don't know
that they're missing.
Part of her job
was to stay below the radar.
It doesn't mean
that she was any less important.
She made bad choices,
but she was a good person.
She loved those boys.
Whoever shot her
should pay for what they did.
So don't come in here
and say you're sorry.
Just do something about it.
We will, ma'am.
- Hi, you must be Agent Sheridan? Hi.
- Agent Jareau.
I really appreciate you coming so quickly.
- Yeah.
- Why don't you set up in here?
Wow, you've got lots of evidence
for the Mill Creek Killer case.
- What about the Hollow Man?
- Right here.
There's been at least eight
women shot. This is all we've got?
You know these cases
don't generate much evidence.
All we have at the scene are a couple
of bullets and no one's talking.
Hopefully we can change that.
Agent Jareau,
there's a reporter here to see you.
- Thank you. Excuse me.
- Sure.
- Right there.
- Thanks.
- Jim Meyers?
- Yeah.
Hi. Agent Jareau, we spoke on the phone.
- Hey.
- Thanks for stopping by.
- Sure. Here's that letter I faxed you.
- Oh, great.
So, did the Hollow Man
shoot those prostitutes
because I wrote
about the Mill Creek victims?
He would've killed them anyway.
But right now
he's looking for recognition,
- that's why he's contacted you.
- But I'm not in any danger?
I mean, I never want to be staring
down the barrel of a gun.
Right now he needs you.
You're his only hope
to get on that front page.
You know, I had no idea
I could get on a serial killer's radar
by writing about another one.
We're going to ask
that you not print anything
relating to the Hollow Man
or the women he's killed.
Well, don't those victims deserve just
as much ink as those other women?
Of course they do.
But we need the shooter
to keep communicating with you,
and if you satisfy his need for attention,
he could disappear.
And I'm sorry we just...
We can't take that chance.
Excuse me, Agent Jareau.
We just found Ellen Carroll's body.
Agents Gideon, Morgan.
This is Agent Sheridan.
Hey, how are you? Forgive the gloves.
How far is the abduction site
from these woods?
About 40 miles or so.
He tried to hide her pretty well.
He covers the body very carefully.
Must feel remorse for killing them.
This lipstick's been applied recently.
It's still moist.
Look at her hair.
It's been brushed, put behind her ears.
If she was abducted,
what, an hour from here
and dragged through these woods,
her hair would not look like that.
So he keeps her safe
from the elements
and then he comes back to the body.
That's why he chooses a secondary
location that's so remote.
This isn't about remorse.
No, he wants to be alone with her.
He needs his privacy.
You never noticed the hair
or the makeup before?
No. I mean, maybe it was the timing.
She was found within 24 hours
and the others had already
succumbed to the elements.
Sex acts with dead bodies
are rare occurrences,
however Bundy did it regularly.
So how's this going to help us
to catch him?
Now we know he has a ritual.
He needs to defile the bodies.
Next time we'll be here waiting for him.
No!
Honey, I can't keep doing this.
We're off duty just like you.
Two victims at once.
That's a first for him.
Do you think he went out looking
to kill more than one woman
or is it just happenstance?
Well, he chose a different hunting ground.
Yes, we're in an alley,
but we're behind an expensive hotel
in a nice neighborhood.
You get a different class of prostitute.
Ones that don't walk the street alone.
He was looking for a challenge.
The question is,
what gave him the confidence
to stray out of his comfort zone?
- Make sure to run that for prints.
- Yes, sir.
He displayed the newspaper between them.
He took the time
when he could've just tossed it aside.
It's deliberate.
He wants us to know he's angry.
Angry enough to change his MO.
I heard there was a double homicide
this morning. Was it Hollow Man?
Agents are confirming that now.
If I had written about him then...
There's no guarantee
that he would've stopped killing
if you would have given in to his demands.
In fact, media attention
could've fueled him to kill more.
You don't know that for sure.
This is all just a guessing game,
isn't it?
No. It's behavioral analysis.
We're dealing with an offender
who believes that murdering people
is a good way to become famous.
All I know is you told me
to ignore him and he takes two lives.
If I dismiss this double homicide,
what happens tomorrow?
We won't know until then.
Too bad we couldn't trace any prints
from the newspaper.
What have you got?
He only sent this to an individual,
which shows he's not confident enough
to initiate contact with the masses.
Emotional indicators
are analyzed through slants.
The shooter maintains vertical,
narrow-lettered writing,
both signs of repression.
And the pressure, if you look closely,
is excessively heavy,
which shows that he's uptight
and can easily overreact.
You got all that from his handwriting?
Graphology's an effective and reliable
indicator of personality and behavior.
My writing's always different.
That's because it symbolizes
your emotions at that given time.
Just like your facial expressions
parallel the way you're feeling
when you're speaking.
I'm surprised this guy writes in cursive.
His message is so clear, I would've
thought he'd print everything.
Actually, his connected writing
shows that he deals with problems
in a practical and direct manner.
- Like shooting someone.
- Exactly.
The Hollow Man uses simple
statements. All first-person.
For example, "I won't be ignored."
He's obviously tired of feeling this way.
It's quite possible
he has a job in solitude
or one that he feels strips him
of his identity.
His job might require him
to wear a uniform.
Something that shows
absolutely no individuality.
Or he may be overqualified
for his menial job
and feels that he doesn't get the respect
that he necessarily deserves.
But today he's killed two women,
which tells us he's growing confident.
This makes him
unpredictable and dangerous.
And because he has no
physical contact with his victims,
it's going to make him
that much harder to catch.
We have more information
on the Mill Creek Killer
because he spends a lot of time
with his victims
before and after his kills.
Because his victims willingly follow him
in broad daylight,
he appears harmless.
- He's most likely handsome.
- Handsome?
Yes, these women wouldn't follow an
unattractive man. They just wouldn't.
He's handsome and he's got
the social skills to trick his victims.
Those who know him well,
they'd be shocked to learn
that he's the man that we're after.
He's been able to get his victims
away from family, friends.
Obviously this makes him
feel powerful, so...
If this guy is so smart,
why would he risk driving his victims
from the abduction site to the woods?
Because of the ritual. It's become
the most important thing to him.
It dominates his thoughts.
The woods provide the privacy he needs.
The Hollow Man is motivated
by external pressures.
This is a guy who simply wants attention.
The Mill Creek Killer, on the other hand,
he's driven by internal forces.
He's a sexually motivated offender.
Now, this makes him
a lot more predictable,
but don't think for a second
it makes him any easier to catch.
Where are you? Okay.
Excuse me.
Meredith Dale, 25.
She was supposed to meet her friend
for a bike ride, but disappeared.
Disappeared when?
An hour ago.
How can we be sure it's him?
Well, look at her. She's his type
physically, she vanishes into thin air.
It's got the Mill Creek Killer's MO
all over it.
I'll set up roadblocks
in and out of the forest.
Well, based on the other time lines,
we have to assume
he's hiding her body right now.
Our best chance of catching him is to
find Meredith Dale's body and sit tight.
We know he'll be back.
I'm going to need you
to step out of your vehicle.
What's going on here, officer?
Routine check. Can you open the back?
Yeah. Sure.
Many people come through here today?
- What are you doing up here?
- Just went for a hike.
No water? No supplies?
My boots are all I need.
- That it?
- That's it.
Okay.
What if these dump sites aren't random?
Bodies were scattered all over.
I mean, look at this. There's no pattern.
No, I see that, but we're talking
about a lot of area to cover here.
He had to have some kind
of plan going into these woods.
He must've done his homework.
Okay, the first body was found deep
into the woods.
That's a three-hour car ride
from the city.
First time.
He's more careful in disposing of her.
Her body was discovered by a forest
ranger five days after the abduction.
Okay, all the other victims, look at this,
they follow that same pattern.
What are you saying?
You think he works up there?
He might.
All I do know for sure is that he has
to be familiar enough with these woods
to know when a ranger's on duty.
He knew precisely
when and where to drop the bodies.
Now that is an awesome place
to dump a person.
- Come on, Garcia.
- What? I'm just saying, angelfish.
A million acres converts into
over 2,300 square miles to cover.
- Evil knew what he was doing.
- Yeah, well, now so do we.
Talk to me. How's the ranger schedule
break down?
Okay, the national forest
is divided into six ranger districts,
which are patrolled
every three to five days.
Now the Potosi-Fredricktown area
must be where he's headed to next,
because the rangers
were just there yesterday,
which means they're not scheduled
to revisit it
for at least another three days.
And look at that,
it's the district closest to the city.
Well, that makes sense. He's in a hurry.
He wants to get in and out of there
without a lot of trouble.
Which area has the easiest access
to the main road?
- That would be Saltgrass Cove.
- Saltgrass Cove.
Yep, he'd have plenty of time
to revisit her.
What? Okay. No, no, no,
I don't want to know that. Bye-bye.
I think I know
where he took Meredith Dale.
Rooney, come here.
Damn it.
Please. Please.
Everything needs to look the same
as when he left it.
He'll come back.
He needs to see Meredith again.
This bastard has killed seven women
on my watch. Comb the scene.
No, no, no. Please. Please. Stop!
Just clear the immediate area,
post yourselves along the perimeter.
It's imperative that you become invisible.
He set his own trap.
All we need to do now
is stake out on the woods
and hunt him
just like he does his victims.
That's got to be him.
- FBI! Stay down.
- Hands where I can see them.
Okay, okay. Just take... Take it easy.
Jim Meyers? What the hell?
You're the Mill Creek Killer?
What? No!
Then how the hell did you get here?
I got another letter from the Hollow Man.
Telling you exactly
where to find Meredith Dale?
I swear. You... You can read it.
"Follow the Cotton Wood trail
through Saltgrass Cove."
Wait a minute,
we just figured this out ourselves.
How could another killer
know the specifics
about someone else's dump site?
What's going on?
It's going to be all over the news.
Looks like the Hollow Man didn't
give you the exclusive this time.
So our plan to catch the Mill Creek Killer
was ruined by the Hollow Man?
And now the Hollow Man's on a high.
He hasn't pulled the trigger
since he took two victims yesterday.
Is he satisfied
or is he just getting started?
We'll find out.
"Hollow Man helps FBI
find the Mill Creek Killer's victim."
Nice, he's alerted the media and
injected himself into the investigation.
And he's getting the attention
he's been craving.
But if the shooter really wants
to get the other guy arrested,
he would've called us and not the media.
He must know the Mill Creek Killer
needs to revisit the body.
If he can't defile the woman again,
the need will become so strong
it could push him into a frenzy.
And if that happens, this guy's
just a time bomb waiting to explode.
Great. So, I'll see you later.
Excuse me.
Hi. Look, I'm having a day.
My car won't start and I forgot my phone.
- Could I use yours to make a call?
- Yeah.
Okay, I know it's here. I just used it.
Well, you know what? Forget the phone.
Maybe it'll start for you? Walk with me.
It's right around the corner.
- Oh, no, that's okay.
- No, come on.
- No! No! Let go of me! Let go of me!
- Walk with me. Now!
Help! Help!
Somebody! Somebody!
Help, please! Somebody! Please!
At first he seemed so normal.
Was he handsome?
- Excuse me?
- Was he handsome?
Yeah, he was.
Actually, that's why I stopped.
- When did his demeanor change?
- After I refused to go to his car.
He grabbed my arm so hard
I thought that it would break.
I don't know...
I've been watching the news
about all these women being abducted
and I just started screaming.
You trusted your instincts.
Because of that, you're still alive.
Miss, there's a sketch artist
here with us.
He can create a pretty accurate rendition
from your description of this man.
- Would you sit with him?
- Absolutely.
Officer.
- I'm glad you're all right.
- Thank you.
Well, he's becoming
irrational and violent in public.
That's exactly what the Hollow Man
wanted him to do.
Well, if he doesn't find a victim soon,
he'll become more dangerous.
How is that possible?
He'll drop the ruse entirely and just
start grabbing women at random.
Great. Thanks, Morgan.
The witness got a good look
at the Mill Creek Killer.
You know, if it's the Hollow Man's
intention to force him into a frenzy,
he's getting what he wants.
He knew exactly
where to find Meredith Dale's body.
He figured out the route to the dump site
the same way we did.
We always say serial killers
make the best profilers.
Yeah, but this guy's dead-on.
Yeah, the headline
doesn't mention the shooter at all.
We talked to Jim Meyers, the reporter,
asked him not to respond to the letter.
He doesn't and then the guy goes
out and shoots two more women.
From a better part of town.
Yeah, what gives him this confidence?
And what's the significance
of the paper at the scene?
We know he wants to be newsworthy.
He could've just tossed it aside.
Instead he displayed it.
There's something he wants us to look at.
There's definitely something in the paper.
Hey, I figured it out.
- What is it?
- They're talking in the classifieds.
Classifieds. Code names.
This feels like an old spy movie.
It's lo-tech, simple, but very effective.
They've been doing this for months
and nobody ever knew it.
This is the first one that I found.
The references
are what made me suspicious.
"Sunny: Are you an artist, too? I'd love
to see your work sometime. Holden."
Sunny? Holden?
They're characters
from Catcher in the Rye.
Widely accepted
as a loved book of sociopaths.
Mark David Chapman quoted it
after killing John Lennon.
Deranged minds identify with
Holden's alienation and detachment.
I found the initial contact.
It ran in the paper, unchanged,
for months.
"We have different tastes,
but I can appreciate your art. Sunny."
Sunny is the Hollow Man.
He initiated contact.
- What's he getting out of it?
- A mentor.
Offered admiration and respect.
In return, he gains encouragement
and confidence.
But when the Hollow Man
remained unnoticed by the press,
he resented his mentor
and turned it into a rivalry.
Hollow Man became jealous.
They're both killers, but they weren't
seen on the same playing field.
What else did you find?
"An overwhelming area
and you never get lost?"
Then the answer to this question,
"I do my research. It's not so random
when you know the area."
"I like Cotton Wood in SGC."
- SGC?
- He's talking about Saltgrass Cove.
He told him how to find Meredith Dale.
- Why?
- Teaching his student a lesson.
We understand their relationship,
let's use it against them.
Hey, sweetness, make me smile
and tell me you've got a name.
Oh, I've got scads of them, babe,
but none paid for these personal ads.
They went with cash. Totally old-school.
I hate it when they're smart.
Two separate accounts. In good standing.
Oh, these guys are good. Thanks.
Garcia says these they covered
their tracks. How's it going in here?
Reid's imitating
the Hollow Man's language patterns
to send a message
to the Mill Creek Killer.
He's offering condolences
on losing Meredith Dale.
Well, if he can't get to Meredith Dale,
he's going to need a body.
And he's going to need it real soon.
You guys worried that the Hollow Man's
going to ruin our plan again?
He wants the Mill Creek Killer
to get caught.
The pupil's trying to kill the teacher.
I hope you're close, Reid.
You've got less than an hour
to meet the deadline.
You'll be surrounded.
I need you to relax as best you can.
This guy, he's gonna
want to get close to you
and he's going to want to examine you.
He's going to want to touch me?
Since you're a gift
and not a marked victim,
he might try to make you his own,
but we're not gonna let him get that far.
We need him to get close
to confirm he's the killer.
There's nothing normal
about this guy. Nothing.
Do you have any questions?
No, let's do this.
Okay, down you go.
Close your eyes. Try to relax.
What do you think?
Did it sound like the Hollow Man?
Hopefully the Mill Creek Killer
will buy it.
"Dear Holden, They say imitation
is the highest form of flattery.
"Since you were almost in harm's way,
I thought I'd share some art.
"Should make you feel better.
Here's my gift to you. Sunny."
Hello.
FBI! Get down! Stay down!
We got him.
One down. One to go.
Let's stop right here.
It's going to be tough
to push through this crowd.
That's the idea.
We're getting out.
Secure a path to the door.
I hate you! What made you do it?
Killer!
What do you
have to say for yourself?
Everyone take a step back. Get back.
What do you have to say to the families
of the women you killed?
Do you have
any remorse for what you've done?
- You're going to hell.
- You deserve to die!
I've alerted all news outlets
that we'll be holding
a press conference in 10 minutes.
- And you have the script?
- Right here.
Be sure to say exactly those words.
- The wording's important, JJ.
- Relax. It's not my first party, boys.
Gideon, we don't have much on Mill Creek,
especially if he says
he stumbled on the body.
- So, what are we going to do?
- I'll go try and do my job.
Okay, thanks. Are you comfortable?
As comfortable
as anyone can be in handcuffs.
Let me see.
I'm Jason Gideon.
You know we don't know your name
or where you're from.
The only thing we do know is
you're an intelligent, good-looking man
with an inflated ego,
who happens to like killing women.
Well, you had me till that last part,
Agent Gideon.
Imagine how shocked I am,
considering I haven't done anything.
I see a woman who I think is in distress
in the woods, and I get pounced on.
The FBI wants to interview you.
Talk about your work.
We never believed
we'd have you in custody.
I mean, we definitely thought the
Hollow Man would be easier to catch.
Is that upsetting?
I thought the two of you were friends.
That you admired each other's work?
I don't know the Hollow Man, but if I did,
I'd say he sounds like an obsessed fan.
Is that how you see yourself?
As somebody famous?
Well, from what I've read about the
Mill Creek Killer, I'd say he's an artist.
The fascination wasn't
completely one-sided.
You did respond to his ads in the paper.
No one can respect
what the Hollow Man has done.
He's got no imagination.
But he's smart.
He found Meredith Dale's body.
He... He even told the media about it.
Whoever taught him, taught him very well.
That's very true. It just sounds like
the student turns on the teacher.
No, no, he was protecting him.
Is that what you think
the Hollow Man was doing?
Well, what else could it be?
Manipulating you? Gaining your trust?
And when he got it,
the Hollow Man set you up.
You were front-page news
and now you'll be a footnote.
Hollow Man's out there, you're in here
and it's all because of him.
Is that what you want?
You want me to get angry
to help you catch him?
That is not your problem, sir.
Then what do you want?
I just have one question.
If killing those women made you an artist,
the things you did to them
after they were dead,
what does that make you?
I mean, really it just doesn't
seem very artistic, does it?
You went back. You fixed their makeup,
you combed their hair,
and you visited them
over and over and over...
I didn't do that.
If you thought you were famous before,
wait until the press gets a hold
- of the details of your visits.
- You shut your mouth.
Shut your mouth. I never went back.
You expect me to believe
you only killed those women?
- Yes.
- That it wasn't you
- who kept visiting the corpses?
- No.
We found lipstick in your hand
when we caught you.
- You will not tell anyone that.
- Excuse me?
I said you can never say that.
Do you understand?
- You didn't visit the corpses?
- No.
- No, you just killed them? Yeah.
- Yes.
Yes, I killed them.
But... But you can't
tell anyone that I went back.
You can't do that.
The women of St. Louis
can rest easy tonight.
After a long year,
the Mill Creek Killer is in custody.
This man is highly intelligent
and he uses a sophisticated ruse
when luring these women in public places.
The Mill Creek Killer is someone
the BAU will want to study
as one of the most complex criminals
we've dealt with in years.
Questions? Yes.
What's the FBI doing
about the other serial killer?
We have new information about that case.
We no longer believe
the shootings are related. Yes?
- Agent Jareau.
- What's the new information?
We believe they're isolated incidents
and we're looking into the possibility
that the last two were copycats.
Jim Meyers?
Are you referring to the killer
who calls himself the Hollow Man?
We believe the person who wrote
that letter is nothing but a street thug.
We have evidence that indicates
that the letter was just a prank
to throw us off the investigation
of the Mill Creek Killer.
This is no longer a BAU case.
It lacks a certain sophistication, class.
There's just nothing elegant about it.
But, Agent Jareau...
That's all the questions
we'll take for now. Thank you.
So we've set the bait.
Let's see if he takes it.
Place your coins, keys
and belts in the basket. Walk this way.
Walk this way.
Whoa.
Step to the side, please.
Extend your arms.
Stay down.
Give me your weapon, now.
Get up.
You know, it's a chance,
but if we make it...
Where is he? I want to see him, right now.
- You tell him the Hollow Man is here.
- Get down. Call SWAT.
He told you to say those things
about me, didn't he?
He told you to use those words?
Get him out of here.
I'm no less elegant than he is.
- I'm no copycat.
- Shut your mouth.
I left you the newspaper.
I gave you the Mill Creek Killer.
- What else do I have to do?
- Go! Get him out of here.
This is the story for tomorrow.
"They were our daughters,
sisters, mothers and friends."
"They have every right to be
remembered and memorialized."
They didn't mention the shooter.
He was a nobody who wanted
to be somebody by killing people
and they didn't give him that.
Good.
Mahatma Gandhi once said,
"Remember that all through history,
"there have been tyrants and murderers,
"and for a time, they seemed invincible.
"But in the end, they always fall.
Always."
Please tell me you haven't been there
for the last four days.
I heard you were flying back tonight.
Heard? How... How could
you have heard a thing like that?
This was dropped off today.
I appreciate your interest, Agent,
but profiling is a specialty.
We can't just let anyone
who wants to give it a whirl.
The I-80 Killer. Co-eds in Indiana?
Yes, I read it on the plane.
They aren't blitz attacks.
This guy's organized.
He's a white male,
early 30s and a smooth talker,
because even after 11 victims,
he can still convince educated women
who know there's a predator out there
to get into his car.
How would you advise the police?
I would stake out The Ranch House,
a nightclub in Gary.
They have a very popular ladies' night
on Thursdays.
If you look closely, you'll see
that eight out of the 11 victims
went missing on a Friday morning.
So something gets this creep's
motor running on Thursdays.
This isn't a whirl, Agent Hotchner.
I don't know
how the paperwork got screwed up
or maybe you believe
my parents pulled some strings,
which they didn't, by the way.
I belong in this unit.
And all I'm asking you for
is the chance to show you that.
I still need to look into this,
so I'm not promising anything.
Understood.
We brief new cases
every morning at 10:00 a.m.
You can see Facilities Management
about a desk.
You won't be sorry.