Criminal Minds (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 5 - Catching Out - full transcript

What can I get you?

I'll take a brownie.

No, the big one, in the corner.

Dessert for breakfast?

Must be a special occasion.

I just got some good news.

Care to share?

Nope, don't want to jinx it.

OK. I can understand that.

Congratulations.

My mom always says to make time



to celebrate the little victories.

I like that.

Maybe I should take
your mother's advice

and get something
sweet with my coffee.

Oh, yeah? What are you celebrating?

I'll think of something.

They must love you here.

What do you mean?

You throw out your
first cup of coffee

and then you get back
in line for more.

So, either you love
paying for bad coffee,

or you did all that,
just to talk to me.

You got me.

Have a nice day, Derek.



So, wait, she knew your name?

I don't know how I could
forget a face like hers.

You've been with so many girls that
you can't remember all their names?

Oh, come on, are you surprised?

This has never
happened to me before.

It hasn't happened
to me before, either.

Well, it can't happen to you.

You have an eidetic memory.

Besides, you only got
one name to remember.

OK. Six victims have been killed

in a series of burglar/homicides,

all over central California.

In order... Bakersfield,
Fresno, Chico

and, two nights ago, Alan and
Brenda Paisley, in Sacramento.

Big area. Are we sure
it's the same unsub?

His DNA was found in all the homes.

They hadn't connected it because
he crossed jurisdictional lines.

The head of the Sacramento field office
has established a multi-agency task force

and he wants us to run point.

Looks like we got a lot of
investigators on this one.

We'll streamline it, if we need to.

You should know that
they've already named him

the "Highway 99 Killer."

We'll deal with that
when we get there.

He targets one to
2-person households.

He kills the victims
while they sleep.

Blunt force trauma with
objects found at the home.

Multiple bashes to the head.

After he kills the victims,
he ransacks the homes for valuables.

Which is not unusual for a
nighttime burglary-homicide.

What's unique about this unsub,
is that, after he kills them,

apparently, he sits down to dinner,
in their homes.

They found his DNA all over
the food and the table.

Are these burglaries,
that turned into homicides,

or homicides that
turned into burglaries?

Between the two offenses, it seems
the primary motivation is homicide.

I mean, otherwise, he would have
just stolen the items and fled.

But he stays there for hours.

He eats their food,
tries on their clothes,

he showers, he even
sleeps in their beds.

It's like Goldilocks
became a serial killer.

They've got plenty of DNA,
but they found no fingerprints.

He doesn't take their cars.
So, how does he get there?

No witness reports of
strange cars on the street.

No prints, no gun, no noise,
no car, no witnesses.

This all adds up to
prior experience.

There's a record on him, somewhere.

And until we find it,
he's moved on to another town.

Which could be anywhere.

"Plenty sits still.

Hunger is a wanderer."

Zulu proverb.

So, four homes in about five weeks.

The first one, at the beginning
of September, in Bakersfield.

Then Fresno, a week later.

Chico, eight days after that.

Then he changes direction,

heads South to Sacramento,
at the end of September.

These crime scenes are
spread out over 400 miles.

I mean, how many serial
killers move around like that?

Not many. Of the ones who do,

we categorize them
into two subgroups.

In one model, he's an
itinerant homeless person,

someone who's been displaced.

With the second type, their
occupation allows them to travel.

He could be killing
while on business.

A truck driver make sense?

Long-haul truck driver,
Bruce Mendenhall, shot his victims

and disposed of their bodies at truck stops,
across at least 4 different states.

Yeah, but Mendenhall targeted
mostly high-risk victims.

Prostitutes and hitchhikers

he picked up right off the highway.

A truck driver's "MO,
" he'd use his rig for getaway.

Somebody would have noticed a tractor
trailer parked in the neighborhood.

How about someone
in corporate sales?

They still travel.

Or computer professionals.

They travel to install software.

Or someone in real estate.

Like a land assessor.

They just discovered a new murder.

In Modesto.

He went South again.

Right, when we land, Reid, JJ and I
will go to task force headquarters.

The three of you... Modesto.

We're going to log
some miles on this one.

I'm Agent Liman.

Hi, Agent Jareau.

These are agents Hotchner and Reid.

We reserved this room for you.

Who named him this?

I did.

I'm gonna go get
started on that memo.

I'm gonna help you.

I figured he's on Highway 99,

why not call him the
"Highway 99 Killer"?

I got CHP to beef up presence
all over Highway 99...

Hang on, slow down.
We're going to distribute a memo

to all the investigators,
retracting the name.

I don't understand.

Gary Ridgeway,
the Green River Killer,

was burying the bodies of his victims
in the remote woods, outside Seattle.

Investigators never
thought to look there

because they were too busy only
looking in the Green River area.

All due respect, we're not
finding bodies in remote woods.

These are five homes in cities
connected by one major highway.

But by calling him this,
you are detrimentally influencing

the investigation. And you're
establishing a relationship,

in the minds of the investigators,
with only this highway.

Point taken. Fire number one put out.
Anything else, sir?

Are these people all involved
in the investigation?

Yes, they are.

- That's too many.
- What?

It's our experience,
in task force situations,

that excessive personnel
can be counterproductive.

These people have
come from far away.

They've been on the
case long before you.

I understand that, but in
order to function effectively,

this task force needs a
focused headquarters,

free from the congestion
of auxiliary personnel.

These officers will be much
more helpful in their hometowns.

Are we in agreement?

I'll start sending people home.

Thank you.

All right, listen up, guys.

How'd he take it?

He'll get over it.

I'm Detective Daniels.

- Agent Morgan.
- How are you doing?

Agent Rossi. Agent Prentiss.

This way.

You see something?

It's what I don't see.
What I don't hear.

There's no dogs barking.

No sign for an alarm system.
No system.

They have outdoor lights.

Neighbors said they weren't on.

This house has the three basic
things that a burglar looks for.

No dog, no alarm and
definitely, no lights.

Tells us the unsub's patient enough
to find a house that's vulnerable.

There's the neighbor.

I'll talk to her.

Nail polish remover?

I think so.

He get under the sink?

How'd you know?

I've seen this kind
of thing before,

with burglaries, when the
criminal is a substance abuser.

Oftentimes they huff
household cleaners,

just so they can get high.

What was his point of entry?

Laundry room,
through an unlocked window.

Explains where he found
the murder weapon.

Serious overkill.
He's killing with rage.

How does a man with such rage

calm himself down enough
to make coffee and eggs?

He's disorganized,
picks an opportunistic weapon

at a crime scene,
strikes with rage...

Organized enough though,
to follow a ritual, after he kills.

Cools off. Cleans up,

goes through their things, eats.

Intense rage, followed by a long period
of calmness, spent inside the house.

Is that unusual?

Very.

Can you explain what he
does with his clothes?

His clothes?

Did you happen to
notice any strangers

in the neighborhood last night?

No. Nothing like this has
ever happened around here.

When was the last time you spoke to,
or heard from, the Sullivans?

I saw Larry this morning,
on the balcony,

when I went out to get the paper.

And what time was that?

About 5:30 AM.

Mrs. Nelson, are you
sure you saw someone

up there this morning?

Well, it was still dark out,
but yes, I'm sure.

Why?

Your neighbors died around 1:00 AM.

When we found the deceased,

the shirt was placed
over his chest.

The pants over his legs.

This is the first time
we're hearing this.

Look at his clothes,
Rossi, the dirt stain.

Why would he cover up the body?

He wears their clean clothes,
sleeps in their nice bed,

and then puts his dirty clothes

on the male victim's body.

This might be some
form of transference.

Transfer of what?

By symbolically dressing Mr.
Sullivan in his clothes,

he's equalizing their status.

Mr. Sullivan has all these things,
and he doesn't.

This guy's got a problem
with his station in life.

He can't bring himself
up on his own,

so he makes himself feel
better by destroying others

and living their lives.

That might be why he stays so long.

He needs that time just
so he can feel at home.

And pretends this is all his.

He's playing out his fantasy.

Given this behavior, the dirty clothes,
the cheap drug choice,

I'd say we're looking for
someone who's homeless.

So how does a homeless man
move about the state like this?

I have one idea.

Yeah?

Reid, are you in front of a map?

Yeah, I am now.

I think I know how the
unsub's getting around.

Do you see tracks linking
Bakersfield to Sacramento?

He's hopping trains.

Aah!

The guy we're looking for is using
freight trains to get around.

He targets homes within
a mile of the tracks.

Bulls and 'bos don't
usually cross paths.

Bulls and 'bos?

They call rail cops bulls.

We call them 'bos, as in hobos.

You're saying you rarely
see hobos around here?

I see them plenty.
But to tell you the truth,

I'm nothing more than
an armed scarecrow.

They see me coming,
they get the hell away.

Their biggest problem
is with each other.

You mean turf disputes?

You get two of them in one boxcar,
it usually gets ugly.

So, if a 'bo jumps off one of
these trains, in a new town,

is there someplace he goes first?

The "jungle."

That's what they call the camps.

Local one's a couple of
hundred yards that way.

Do you happen to have a
vending machine in here?

Yeah.

- Where are you?
- I'm just off Highway 99.

The whole drive up from Modesto,
all I see are crops.

Just rows and rows of crops.

Farmlands. You can't see
that from standard road maps.

The railroad track runs parallel

to Highway 99, most of the way.

I think I'm seeing a lot
of what the unsub saw.

Most of central California
is one big valley,

a flat basin completely surrounded
by mountain ranges on all sides,

supported by rivers, lakes and aqueducts.
It's ideal for farming.

Well, I don't know what it gets us,
but I think we should

at least factor it
into the conversation.

I agree.

Go ahead, guys, I'm listening.

Garcia, I need you
to look into small

farm towns, all over
central California.

Track all unsolved homicides

that involved nighttime
burglaries in homes

within a mile of train tracks.

Oh, you think there's more?

I don't know.

Let's get started.

I'd just like to reiterate

that this unsub is not
getting around on Highway 99.

His travel is linked in close
proximity to railway lines.

He's targeted 5 homes

and killed 8 people in 6 weeks.

We're looking for a male,

indigent transient,
between the ages of 25 and 45.

He's fit enough for the physical
demands of train hopping,

or, "catching out,
" as they call it.

He'll be bruised from
jumping on and off trains.

And he might also be beat up

from just defending himself
in any kind of turf wars.

He may look homeless, but he's taking
clothing from his victims' homes.

So he'll be the only transient
on the tracks in clean clothing.

The trains and the rail
yards are his home.

And when he gets tired of these,

he chooses a house to make his own.

He'll have a pronounced red,
dry rash

around his mouth and nose,

what's commonly referred to as a,
"sniffer's rash."

How do we know that?

He takes household cleaners.

And we believe he's abusing
them as psychoactive inhalants.

Nail polish remover,
glue, paint thinner,

lighter fluid, whatever is
the cheapest high available.

They're referred to as "tollyheads"

because they derive a high
from sniffing toluene,

a chemical solvent.

Once inhaled, the effects
are felt instantaneously.

We believe he's living out
a fantasy in these homes.

The fantasy is that it is
his house for the night.

He spends hours enjoying the
comforts of his victims' homes.

Upon leaving, he takes clothing,

money, jewelry,
and small electronics.

If you get close to him,
you won't miss him.

He will smell like a combination
of human filth and paint thinner.

See that?

We're not looking for Jesus today.

We're not with a church.

How about a favor for a favor?

Not interested.

Speak for yourself.

Y'all want some mulligan stew?

- No, thanks.
- I'll pass.

We're looking for someone
who's been burglarizing homes.

Wasn't me.

Wait. Y'all talking about Texas?

He recently moved through Modesto.

May have tried pawning off
some electronics, some jewelry.

Oh, yeah, I remember him.

He sold me some nice diamonds.

He's just kidding.

This guy's jumping trains,
from city to city.

He breaks into people's homes and
kills them, while they're sleeping.

Do you still think it's funny?

What's your friend
over there doing?

He's telling the next
'bo who comes around

to watch out for cops.

Got a lot of symbols around here...

like this one.

Uh-huh.

Can you tell me what they all mean?

Depends on how fast you can
get me a bottle of whiskey.

And some more nutter butters.

Whoo.

He's kicking a lot today.

In the third trimester,
there's an average

of 30 fetal movements per hour.

Babies kick to explore
movement and strengthen muscle.

Have you ever actually
felt a baby kick?

You feel that?

Does that freak you out?

No, not at all.

Why? Does it freak you out?

Very much so.

OK.

Hey, Garcia.

Bad news alert.

Hold on one second. Guys?

What is it?

I had Garcia look into all unsolved

burglary homicides in
central California,

paying particular attention
to small farm towns.

I found his DNA in
three more cities.

How did I miss this?

Small towns don't always
link their evidence up

to state or national DNA databases.

It can happen when unsubs
cross jurisdictional lines.

What are the cities, Garcia?

Tehachapi, Vacaville,

and Orange Cove. All farm towns.

All super far away from Highway 99.

OK. Thanks, JJ.

The unsub's killed in three other
small towns we didn't know about.

Where do these murders
sit in the timeline?

One of them was before Bakersfield.

Small mountain town
called Tehachapi.

If that was his first, we need to
find out what happened in that house.

You considering it?

Considering what?

Having baby geniuses one day.

Hello?

I've noticed that in the cities,

including the new
ones we've discovered,

there's a spike in the
sales of certain crops

during the time the unsub is there.

Last week of August,
apples in Tehachapi.

First week of September,
tomatoes in Bakersfield.

Second week of September,

fall squashes in Fresno. Hmm?

So he's in town for a big harvest.

We have an unsub riding trains,

town to town, during big harvests,

who doesn't have a car
or permanent residence.

Migrant farm worker.

Mama!

Mama!

Papa!

Mama! Papa!

He left a shirt on his
male victim again.

That's not all he left.

"Modesto couple victims
of Highway 99 Killer."

This was printed before
we released to the press

he's using trains to get around.

He's taunting us, telling
us he's smarter than we are

because we got his mode
of transportation wrong.

The more confident he gets,

the more he's experimenting
with his ritual.

The first few murders
were 5 to 8 days apart.

This one was just one
day since Modesto.

If we don't find him soon...

Goldilocks will be sleeping
in someone else's bed tonight.

His first murder.

We're trying to find out
why it started here.

Mildred Younce was 68 years old,
at the time of her death.

Lived by herself.

She would have been an
easy target for a burglar.

She was killed in her bed,
just like the others.

But no signs of a break-in?

We think she may have
left her windows open.

Who was your best suspect?

We found 17 sets
of prints in there.

Most of them belonged
to transients.

She was known to offer food

in exchange for work
around the house.

Hey, what would I find
further down this road here?

Well, there's train
tracks down there.

Rossi, not just train tracks.

This couple is Hispanic.

The previous couples
were Caucasian.

He switched his victim profile.

I don't think he knows,
or cares, what race they are.

I think this house was
just an easy target.

Yeah?

So, we got something.

Jewelry stolen from
the home in Sacramento

turned up at a pawn shop,
in Modesto.

Garcia just sent you a picture
from the security cam.

Yeah, I got it.

Employee said he was about 5'8",

slight, late thirties, dark skin.

With a red rash around his mouth.

Circulate the picture, JJ.

I'm already on it.

As it turns out,

all the big farms
set up housing camps

for the workers, during harvest.

But these camps are partially
subsidized by the state,

thus they require ID and
a strict sign-in policy,

giving us a way to track migrants.

So, I called the camps and
they're busy faxing me

the lists I requested.

All right. Well, we need to see

if any of these farm
workers traveled

the same route as our unsub.

Remember this one?

Yeah. Safe camp.

How do you know what
all these signs mean?

We had a little help.

Rossi, safe water.

When it's not dry.

Here's another one.

Oh, yeah, the train.

Catch out here.

This is Mildred Younce's address.

OK.

The cat means friendly old lady.

The "T" means she trades
food or shelter for work.

At 718 Maple.

So whoever knows this code

knew Mildred Younce opened
up her house to strangers?

If you wanted the
house to yourself,

the only thing standing in your way

is a defenseless little old lady.

Yeah, JJ. Go ahead.

Hey, Morgan, there's an apple farm

about three miles away from
Mildred Younce's house.

Yeah. We saw it on
the way over here.

Can you and Rossi go there

and see if they kept
employment records?

Hotch wants a list of
people who worked there

the few days before
Mildred was killed.

All right. We're on our way.

Hey, update from headquarters.

Rossi and Morgan are on their
way to that farm in Tehachapi.

I found a representative from
the local housing authority,

Cesar Jimenez. He's expecting you.

Press release went out to the media

with a photo from the pawn shop.

And I'm waiting to
hear back from Garcia

about tracking migrants
who may have traveled

the same route as our unsub.

JJ, what are we going
to do without you,

when you go on maternity leave?

What, sir, you think I'd
just leave you hanging?

Does that mean you have a plan?

I don't know. You'll see.

I'm Agent Hotchner.

Hi. Cesar, from the
housing authority.

These are agents Prentiss and Reid.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Thank you for meeting us here.

Does this man look familiar to you?

Hard to tell.

Have you had any
complaints in the camps?

This man would show
disruptive behavior.

He might be stealing
things from other workers,

starting fights.

He sniffs chemicals to get high.

Well, our facilities have
a zero tolerance policy.

No drinking, no drugs,
certainly no violence.

Anyone who cannot follow these
rules would be kicked out.

Have you kicked
anyone out recently?

The camps in this area
are at full capacity.

We have to turn people away.

Thank you.

Mucho gusto.

If he's pawning the
jewelry he's stealing

to get money, why is he
still working in the fields?

Here's another question.

Why is he circling the
farm towns at all?

There are over 140,000 miles
of tracks in this country.

He could go anywhere.

But he's still in California.

Something's keeping him here.

What is it?

OK, mini-lesson.

Migrants travel and
work in these groups

and the groups are
called cuadrillas.

Now, I have found
one such cuadrilla

that was in Chico,
at the same time as our unsub.

And then I checked and they were

in Sacramento and
Modesto and Vacaville

at the same time as
our unsub, as well.

What about the first town?

I got employment records

from the apple farm in Tehachapi.

This cuadrilla last
worked there two days

before Mildred Younce was killed.

Now, here's the whammy.

An Armando Salinas checked in
with this group in Tehachapi.

But then, he falls off the map.

There's no sign of him
in any of the camps.

Interesting.

Double whammy.
Customs and immigration

have a rap sheet on him,
for theft and assault,

and he's wanted in connection
to some burglaries.

There's the record
we've been looking for.

Triple whammy.

His fingerprints were one of 17

found at Mildred Younce's house.

Get us his photo and get JJ
to get it out to the media.

We're going to need
the public's help.

Sending you his mug.

The group that he's been following,

they checked into Lockeford,
early this morning.

That's not far from you.

Stop. Let them go. Let them go.

We're sorry to
interrupt your evening.

But we've come here
because we need your help.

Go ahead and read out the
names of the cuadrilla.

"Ricky Zaparilla, Ruben Garcia,

"Felix Zapato, Olman Hernandez,

Roberto Hernandez,
Arturo Torres, Tony Guzman."

Si.

Mi hermano.

It's his brother.

Por favor.

He likes to know where I'm going.

Why does he have to follow you?

Why isn't he with you anymore?

He's not a good worker.

He got us fired from a big job.

My cuadrilla wanted him gone.

So you kicked him out?

Si.

Your brother has been
following you ever since.

Burglarizing homes and
killing people in every city.

Is that where he
gets the money from?

What do you mean?

He's been leaving me
money at the camps.

Does he know you're in
Lockeford right now?

I found this at the camp today.

Just... un momento.

The killings started in Tehachapi.

I think his brother rejecting
him must have been a stressor.

Morgan and Rossi made it here,
they're with rail security.

Hotch and Liman are
patrolling neighborhoods.

OK. I think it's time
to get these guys going.

Excuse me. Could we have
your attention, please?

Everybody?

This is Armando Ruis Salinas.

He is 38 years old,
a Mexican national.

We believe he is
currently in the vicinity

of Lockeford and
its outlying towns.

He'll only target homes
within a mile of train tracks.

You'll be assigned
search quadrants.

Think the way a burglar would.

Pay close attention to houses
that have no exterior lights on,

no security alarm signs
or barking dogs nearby.

Let's go.

Are you surprised the
police are looking for him?

He's my half-brother.

I wasn't around for
him when he was young.

He's been in trouble all his life.

Was in jail in Mexico.

I thought if he came
to work with me,

he would change.

I'm grateful to work.

But Armando hated work.

Hated the camps.

Always complained he never
had a nice bed to sleep on.

What if he's already
inside a house?

Then we'll find more
bodies in the morning.

When he was a kid,
he slept on the floor.

In jail, he slept on the floor.

All he ever talked about

was having a house of his own.

A bed to sleep on.

The suspect is considered
extremely dangerous.

Authorities believe he
is still in California.

The FBI is warning
residents to lock all doors

and keep all lights on,
through the night.

In other news, college tuition fees

jumped a record...

Suspect seen fleeing the 400
block of Pear Blossom Avenue.

All units respond.

Morgan, that's in your area.

I'm gonna send Hotch for back-up.

I saw him run down
toward the trains!

But I lost him.

There's over 100 freight
cars on these tracks.

About a third of them
are open boxcars.

That's where he'll be hiding.

Middle. I'll take South.
You go North.

We don't think he's armed,
but he is very dangerous.

We got a train, Morgan.

Hey!

FBI! Stop!

I got him, Rossi!

Hotch, Morgan's chasing the
unsub on a moving train.

They're heading South,
towards town.

I'm on it.

Come on. You're driving.

Get me up next to that train.

Uh!

I'm so sorry.

"Beyond the East the sunrise,

"beyond the West the sea,

"and the East and West,
the wander-thirst,

that will not let me be."

Gerald Gould.

You guys have plans tonight?

I was thinking about
getting a burger.

Oh, I could eat.

Oh, hey, guys, I wanted to
introduce you to someone.

This is Agent Jordan Todd.

She'll be taking over for me

while I'm on maternity leave.

Agent Jareau's told me
so much about you all.

You must be Agent Prentiss.

Yes. Nice to meet you.

Hello, Dr. Reid.

Hi.

And Agent Morgan.
Nice to see you again.

Nice to see you, too.
So, this must be the good news.

This would be my brownie.

Uh, you two have met?

Briefly.

Uh, well, Agent Todd comes to us

from 7 years at Counter-Terrorism.

I'm really looking
forward to working

with the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

We're starting her training now.

You're training her right now?

Well, we're kinda
running out of time.

So... let me introduce you
to the rest of the team.

Yeah. I'll see you
all in the field...

Team.

We're looking forward to it.

So, is there anything
you want to tell us?

Nope.

Your forehead's sweating.

No, it's not.

Oh, he's avoiding eye contact.

His blink rate just sped up.

You know, guys, I don't think I
want that burger too much anymore.

Oh, come on. You can't run from us.

- Oh, watch me.
- Ohh. Ha, ha, ha!