This article contains mentions of murder, sexual assault and other horrific crimes.
Years after the end of the original series, Criminal Minds remains at the forefront of the criminal procedural genre. The show is arguably the most popular episodic crime drama in modern history, with hordes of viewers constantly seeking new alternatives to Criminal Minds. However Criminal Minds: Evolution Now in its third season, the original series remains the gold standard to compare it to. From the unforgettable cast to the disturbing cases, Criminal Minds captured something magical that can't be easily replicated.
Over the 15 seasons of Criminal Mindsthe most iconic and perhaps infamous part of the show was the “suspect” (or “Unknown subject”). Each episode began by showcasing the suspect's modus operandi as they claimed their newest victim, setting the stage for the rest of the story. The original series had over 300 episodes and over 300 suspects, but some stand out more than others for reasons ranging from their sick killing style to the famous actor who played them. For a select few, there is no explanation other than the suspect being disruptive.
10
Stanley Howard
“Scared to Death” (season 3, episode 3)
A psychiatrist who treats people with extreme phobias, Michael O'Keefe's Stanley Howard, used his patients' fears against them. From trapping a claustrophobic woman in a box to letting an aquaphobic man drown, Howard took perverse pleasure in watching people succumb to fear. What makes his abuse of power even scarier is the revelation that he is a husband and father, and that his son is afraid of the dark. Howard could have posed a greater risk to his family if he hadn't been caught.
Most episodes of Criminal Minds use quotes as bookends to tie the episode together thematically, with iconic post-affair reflections being known as some of the best quotes in Criminal Minds fully. Season 3, Episode 3 begins with a quote from philosopher Lao Tzu and ends with Eleanor Roosevelt, telling the journey of how fear can be conquered, just as evil (in this case, Howard) has been conquered before.
9
Benjamin Ciro
“Minimal Loss” (Season 4, Episode 3)
Tons of iconic Criminal Minds episodes are based on real cases, but “Minimal Loss” is an old and obvious example. Based on the devastating 1993 Waco siege, this Criminal Minds The episode followed a religious cult suddenly threatened by local authorities, catching agents Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) in their crosshairs. The hostage situation involving two undercover agents is still considered one of the best Criminal Minds episodes of all time.
The most memorable aspect of this episode, however, was the cult leader, Benjamin Cyrus (Luke Perry). Cyrus was personable, with a clear darkness lurking beneath the surface, a convincing cult leader and child predator. The suspect, unique among the others in that he was not a serial killer but a serial abuser, married and had children with a young woman whom he used religion to brainwash.
8
Tobias Hankel
“The Big Game” (Season 2, Episode 14)
Tobias Hankel (James Van Der Beek) was a suspect for two episodes, haunted by his abusive father and committing murders in his name. Hankel's conflicting thoughts originally led the team to believe it was multiple perpetrators killing people, but Tobias reveals that all three voices are his after kidnapping Reid and torturing him.
In addition to the dark religious persecution that Tobias unleashed on innocent people, he also permanently affected Reid and Jennifer. “JJ” Jareau (AJ Cook). His stint included a major event centered on Reid Criminal Minds episode that traumatized the young genius and left him addicted to the drug that Tobias used to anesthetize him. Meanwhile, JJ has temporarily developed a fear of dogs after being attacked by Hankel's pack.
7
John Curtis aka The Replicator
“The Silencer” (Season 8, Episode 1)
John Curtis (Mark Hamill) used his insider knowledge as an FBI agent to kill people while perfectly imitating the styles of previous killers. Driven by an alleged betrayal, Curtis pursued the main cast of Criminal Minds and hung over their investigations for most of season eight. Although Curtis still worked as a member of the government, he had no problem brutalizing and maiming innocent people.
Curtis was a rare and long-time suspect, no doubt thanks to his actor. Of all of Mark Hamill's roles, The Replicator is one of his darkest. THE Star Wars The alum made a huge impact on the show and the audience through his performance, unapologetically teasing each member of the team. His continued work in law enforcement during his methodical murder makes it all the more disturbing.
6
Adam Rain
'The Lesson' (Season 8, Episode 10)
Another iconic name, retired horror legend Brad Dourif of Child's play fame portrayed Adam Rain in Criminal Minds. Rain awakens from his coma at the beginning of “The Lesson” with significant brain damage, forcing him to see the world the same way he did as a child. Driven by the memory of having witnessed his father's murder, he kidnapped and turned his victims into puppets to reenact the murder, a robbery gone wrong.
The most disturbing part of the process is that the victims were alive while being used as puppets, with their limbs dislocated and their faces covered by masks. Rain did not have the professional psychiatric help he needed and dehumanized people before they died from their injuries repeatedly before being caught by the Criminal Minds profilers.
5
Sera Morrison
'All That Remains' (Season 8, Episode 14)
Although many of the most memorable Criminal Minds suspects stand out for their actor or unusual method of killing, Season 8's Sera Morrison (Sophi Bairley) is distinguished beyond her years. Sera Morrison was a teenager who murdered her own mother and sister out of jealousy. Sera appeared to be an intelligent young adult, with an excellent academic record and admission to a top university waiting for her. However, she was hiding psychopathic tendencies while planning a murder.
To shift blame, Sera abused her father, depriving him of medication for Dissociative Identity Disorder, and made false reports of child abuse. With a strangely calm demeanor, Sera killed her younger sister and almost convinced investigators that he was their father. Even during her maneuver, she was unable to pretend that she was mourning her sister, revealing her lack of empathy for the victim.
4
George Foyet aka The Grim Reaper
'Omnivore' (Season 4, Episode 18)
One of the most legendary assassins in Criminal Minds story, C. Thomas Howell's George Foyet terrorized the Behavioral Analysis Unit over several seasons. Foyet, known as The Reaper, loosely echoed the real-life crimes of the Zodiac Killer. He was especially cruel and derived gratification from insulting his victims while stalking, deceiving, and killing them. An early scene describes his character perfectly: he holds a gun to a person's head and promises not to shoot before slitting their throat with a knife.
While his violence was atrocious in and of itself, Foyet is even scarier due to his relationship with unit chief Aaron. “Hotch” Hotchner (Thomas Gibson). After 100 episodes of Criminal Minds, Foyet brutally murdered Hotch's wife and plotted to murder his son before dying at Hotch's hands to end the Reaper's reign of terror.
3
Anita and Roger Roycewood
“Mosley Lane” (season 5, episode 16)
A husband and wife team of killers, Anita (Beth Grant) and Roger Roycewood (Bud Cort) are impossible to separate for their heinous crimes. In the infamous Criminal Minds episode directed by Matthew Gray Gubler, the Roycewoods kidnap a child annually and bring him home. As the children grow up, they are murdered when they become too old or stop being docile. The couple operated for over a dozen years before being stopped by the BAU.
What is truly horrific is how the children were killed. Anita Roycewood drugged the children and placed their unconscious bodies in a crematorium. She would burn the children alive without any sense of guilt, immediately prepared to move on to the next victim. Despite being captured by the FBI, their motives remained unclear.
2
Billy Flynn
“Our Darkest Hour” (Season 5, Episode 23)
Tim Curry's performance as Billy Flynn in Criminal Minds It was one for the history books. His Prince of Darkness killer was as nightmare-inducing as Curry's Pennywise in the Stephen King film This. Flynn was worse, though, because he was a real person who would attack in the dead of night. Inspired by the Night Stalker, Flynn was a notorious serial rapist and murderer who had more than 200 victims.
The Prince of Darkness had another signature move: he always left someone alive to witness his crime. This horrific fact means that for every person he killed, there was at least one person left traumatized after being forced to watch. Although he ends up being shot and killed by Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), Billy Flynn left a lasting impression.
1
Peter Lewis, also known as Mr.
“Mr. Scratch” (season 10, episode 21)
Although many cast members have left Criminal Minds in season 10, the remaining actors pulled no punches in later cases. Bodhi Elfman's suspect Peter Lewis, despite being a late entrant into the series, had one of the most chilling modus operandi in the show's history. Lewis doesn't kill anything during his big episodic series; rather, he is a murderer by proxy, with the true perpetrators being unwilling accomplices in his schemes.
Lewis was a genius who was scouted by the National Security Agency (NSA) after studying at Harvard, but was tormented by memories of his maligned father. Peter Lewis hypnotized his victims into seeing “Sir. Scratch” before forcing them to kill their loved ones. Nothing is as scary as having no control over your actions and being forced to harm the people you love. Lewis is one of the most disturbing killers in all of police procedurals, but he certainly shouldn't be forgotten in Criminal Minds.