Criminal Minds s04e21 Episode Script

A Shade of Gray

***** What time s he taken? Between midnight and 6 a.
m.
Same m.
o.
as the other two? All abducted from their beds in the middle of the night.
The first two were found strangled with blunt force head traumas, Dumped in the wharton state forest.
We're just getting word that an amber alert for the tri-state area has beenssued.
The cherry hill police department is about to hold a press conference.
Well,thank you all for coming this morning.
It's important we get this information out to the public as soon as possible.
The parents of the missing boy are gonna make a statement.
I would ask you to please hold your questions until the end and I'll answer them directly.
My name is sarah murphy,and I'm kyle's mom.
This is kyle's father dan and,uh,his older brother danny.
My little boy just turned 7 this year.
He's in He's in the second grade.
Oh,god.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
Kyle is shy and quiet.
But ever since he joined the soccer team,he's really come out of his shell.
He's more outgoing.
He even scored his first goal.
Everyone is so proud of him.
Kyle loves to read.
He gets that from his dad.
His favorite books are about dinosaurs.
He knows all of their names.
Glad they took our advice and started the press conference.
Yeah,but it would be nice if there weren't so many people - walking all over the crime scene.
- He's allergic to peanuts.
He loves to snack all the time.
Whatever happened last night,whoever took kyle, the murphys want you to know it's ok.
Thank you for finding their little boy.
They know it was a mistake.
They just want their son back.
They just want kyle back safe and sound.
What's the theory on what happened to kyle murphy? We're just hoping that he's lost,that whoever finds him will bring him back home soon.
This case is similar to 2 other cases in camden county.
Those boys were abducted and found in the woods.
Yoreally don't think there's a connection? We're not ruling that out.
We'll keep the public informed of any leads.
If you have any further questions,you can contact me at the station.
I'm detective bill lancaster.
Thank you for coming.
That was fast.
We don't have a lot of time.
Can you show us around? You should have taken this off property.
Yeah,well,the truth is,i wanted to do this down at the station.
Danny and sarah didn't want to leave the house,in case kyle comes back.
That's kyle.
Uncle bill? We're friends,and neighbors.
Dan and I grew up around here.
You know,your involvement in this case could be a conflict of interest.
Yeah,i appreciate your concern,but,uh,I'm not gonna stand around while kyle's still out there.
I know the other two cases.
I didn't want to admit this to the press,but,uh,no doubt in my mindthat kyle's the third victim.
You know what we're looking at.
killed in the first 24 hours.
I know.
I'm gonna check on them.
We saw the pictures.
We know what this guy does to little boys.
Kyle murphy might be the 1% that makes it.
Could take a miracle.
For his sake,let's hope we get one.
proudly presents sync:ßÇÈâÈâ Season04 Episode21 A Shade of Gray Dr.
Burton grebin once said,to lose a child is to lose a piece of yourself.
" We'll call when we know something.
Dan murphy.
I'm agent emily prentiss.
May I ask you some questions? I think so.
Come in.
Thank you all for speaking with me.
I cannot stress enough how much time is of the essence here.
Abductions from the home are rare,and that allows us to narrow down the suspect pool even more.
What makes them unusual? Abductions typically are about timing and opportunity.
Child walks home alone or gets separated at a shopping center,that sort of situation.
This is a sophisticated high-risk crime.
Whoever did this has good social skills.
They're highly-functioning,and they have a steady job.
He wouldn't look out of place to you, And you wouldn't be alarmed if your children were talking to him.
So he may be wearing a uniform,like a deliveryman or a mail carrier.
Have you noticed anyone hanging around the neighborhood,talking with children? Nothing comes to mind.
No.
Oh--i don't know.
Mrs.
Murphy? Do you want to take a break? - I think I need to-- need to lie down.
- Yeah.
- Sorry.
- No,it's ok.
Are you able to continue? Sure.
Danny,you and kyle,you always walk to and from the bus stop together,right? Yeah.
Have any strangers tried to talk to you or your brother recently? The bus driver asks us questions sometimes.
I don't know.
What time of day do the boys usually play outside? Well,they both have practice after school.
But lately,kyle's been into video games,and danny loves building model airplanes.
Ok.
That actually tells us a lot.
Uh,i am going to need you to make a list of everyone who's been in or around your home in the past 6 months.
Whoever took kyle has probably been in this house before.
He watched the family routine.
He knew exactly where everyone slept.
And he got kyle out without anyone seeing or hearing anything.
Daddy Yeah? Can I go play now? You can go to the family room.
I'll be the soon.
He doesn't really understand what's going on.
That's probably for the best.
Mr.
Murphy,we are going to do everything we can to find kyle.
Thank you.
After the first two abductions,cherry hill compiled a list of registered sex offenders in camden county.
There are 439 within a 30-mile radius of where the boys were taken.
They have been knocking on doors,conducting interviews.
They haven't been able to come up with anything.
They should have called us in earlier.
There are a lot of these men we can eliminate right away.
Right.
No one new to the area.
This unsub knows these neighborhoods.
That takes time.
Victims are 3 boys,so cross off anyone who targets females.
We can eliminate anyone whose preferential age is over 7 or under 11.
These boys look nothing alike,so discount suspects who have a very specific type.
If the victims have only brown or blond hair,they're off the list.
Our unsub's taste of more broad.
It loo like his preference is based more on age instead of physical characteristics.
Let's make a special pile for more organized offenders, Anyone who's been arrested for stalking,uh,breaking and entering,burglary.
How are we doing so far? With these parameters,i can probably cross off half the names.
Good.
Let's keep going.
I cleared our techs out of here.
What is it you're looking for? Certain behavior.
What happened here will give us a clue about the unsub.
Kyle's sheet and blanket were pulled apart and off the bed.
Toys were stepped on and broken,kicked out of the way.
There was a struggle.
That's consistent with the first two abductions.
The boys woke up and fought,but this looks a bit more chaotic than the others.
When we're finished,have the techs look for any trace of blood or fibers.
He may have gagged kyle.
In the other two cases the boys were struck on the head.
What if he--what if he used the weapon to scare them? He could have.
He would have had to act quickly in order to keep kyle quiet.
Tell me things,sunshine.
Uh,garcia,i need your brain and computer system.
They are one and the same.
Give me your question.
- I emailed you 10 names.
- Yes,you did.
Check their movements and spending habits.
Start with the cell phone records,then go to the bank accounts.
We're interested in the days the boys went missing.
Did they talk more or less those days? Did they spend any money? Ok,dregs of society dirt,show yourselves.
- Interesting.
- What is? Well,one of the dregs has not a lick of cell phone activity,credit card purchases, Or cash withdrawals for 2 consecutive days in both nomber and february.
The 15th and 16th of november and the 21st and 22nd of february? Yeah,those are the days.
What does that mean? They coincide with the days the first two boys were abducted.
He was too busy with them to make any calls or spend any money.
Our tech guys found this dishrag and a glass of water.
Kyle's fingerprints were all over it.
So,he wakes up thirsty,comes to the kitchen and gets some water.
When we got here,deadbolt on the french doors was unlocked.
That must have been his exit.
Rossi! I got something! This window is definitely broken from the outside.
Given the size of it,the unsub would have to be real slight to get through it.
What did you find upstairs? There were signs of a struggle.
It looks like kyle was abducted from his room.
The unsub went out through the family room door.
So,he finds a safe,quiet place to break in.
Everything about how kyle murphy was taken is consistent with the previous abductions.
Yeah,hotch.
Ok.
We're on our way.
They got a short list.
We've narrowed the list to 5 men.
Already? Registered sex offender hugh rollins,43,lived in camden county his whole life, In an out of foster care since he was a toddler,and acquired quite the nice rap sheet.
What's his connection to the victims? steady job installing tvs.
Have any of the families purchased a new tv? The first two did.
Garcia found something else.
Rollins had no cell or bank activity on the days the boys were abducted.
Weaven't been able to connect rollins to kyle yet.
So,what,we're gonna wait for more evidence? No,there isn't time.
We have sufficient probable cause.
Let's go pick him up.
Get bolt cutters.
Hugh rollins,fbi! Clear! - All clear.
- Clear.
Rossi,we're in.
The truck is clean.
I have child pornography on the computer.
Probably helps him sleep better at night.
Anything that connects him to the 3 boys? - Nothing yet.
- Wait a minute.
- Prentiss.
- Why? What is it? Souvenirs.
There's no sign of him.
I'm gonna check out back.
Stop! I said stop! I said stop! - What are you doing? - He's getting away! He's knows where the kid is.
Stand down! Son of a bitch! - No! - Come down! I'm fbi! Now stop resisting! Ok! Don't hurt me,please.
what the hell was that about? I thought he might get away.
I wasn't thinking.
- You're damn right you weren't.
- I know.
It was stupid.
What if you'd killed him? He's the only one who knows where kyle is.
I said I know.
Lancaster,I've been where you are.
I was a cop,too.
That's why I knew this wasn't a good idea.
You were way too close.
'Cause I'm not gonna sit still and I'm not gonna stop until we find kyle.
- Kyle's not here.
- No.
And if he isn't on this property He's already in the woods.
So,rollins goes to the trouble of breaking into the murphys' house.
It's a big risk to take kyle.
Then he only keeps him for a few hours.
This just doesn't make sense.
Maybe he saw the news,panicked.
We need to search the woods.
- Thank you for coming in.
- You got someone already? Sometimes we get lucky.
He's our prime suspect,but we didn't find kyle at his house, But we've got a team searching now.
- The evidence is bagged.
- You ready? I just need to look at the toys? And tell us if any belong to kyle.
These are jimmy seager's parents.
I'm very sorry r your loss.
- Thank you for coming in.
- Thank you.
Have they found your son yet? No.
I haven't been able to contact andy loeser's family yet.
It's ok.
We can get started.
Would you follow us,please? I'll be right in.
Does he look familiar? He's not what I pictured.
I've tried to Imagine the last thing jimmy saw.
Now I know.
Do you have kids? - Yeah.
- Then you know.
You make a promise to protect them.
When jimmy needed us-- we were asleep down the hall,13 feet away.
I need you to tell me if any of this belonged to jimmy or kyle.
Could you do that? Are any of these kyle's? - I don't know.
I'm not sure.
- It's ok.
That means that the parents have identified the toys that we found in your closet.
They belong to their boys.
It's over for you.
Where's kyle murphy? I don't know.
Well,that's not gonna help you.
Andy loeser.
He was 11.
Jimmy seager.
He was 9.
But kyle,he's-- he's only 7.
You keep going younger.
Guys like you don't last very long in trenton state.
Did you know that the inmates there watch the news every night? I bet they're looking forward to getting you all alone.
Life in trenton might as well be a death sentence.
Are you sure you don't want to tell me where kyle is? If I tell you about this kid,I'm not going to trenton? I want that written down.
He's gonna confess to killing kyle? He's desperate.
Knows he won't survive state prison.
The d.
a.
's not gonna offer a deal until he has more evidence linking rollins to kyle.
What about the toys? The seagers i.
d.
ed one,but dan couldn't.
He never delivered a television to the murphys' house.
So he saw him some other way.
Look,we have this guy.
He's about to confess.
He's done everything the same.
Let's nail him.
He won't confess without the deal.
We need more evidence.
Well,then we gotta find kyle.
That'll prove it,right? What about the woods? Well,it's 100,000 acres to cover.
He's out there somewhere.
I'm not sticking around here.
He's too close to this.
We've warned him.
I sure would like to have some physical evidence that rollins was in that house.
Take reid over there.
He's got fresh eyes.
Rollins is scared.
He's ready to talk.
I'll see what I can do.
I'm gonna take them down that way.
Why don't you sweep them in.
We've swept the entire area where the first two victims were left.
- What if he went further south? - Why? There's a service road down that way.
That's not on this map.
Yeah,it's not marked,but,uh,it would have been his fastest way in and out of here.
Well,we know rollins didn't spend a lot of time with kyle.
Let's go.
Here's your deal.
Club fed.
- Where is that? - Any federal prison of your choice in new jersey.
Where's kyle murphy? I threw him in the river.
You didn't take him back to the woods? No.
I didn't have time.
You threw him in the delaware river? Yes.
He could be anywhere.
Well,i suppose that's so.
We may never find him.
Guess that's true.
You didn't throw him in the river.
You need more control than that.
You need to know exactly where the body is so you can go back and live it over and over again.
Tell me the truth.
If he came in through the basement,this would have been his second flight of stairs.
So kyle's is the first room he comes to.
This wasn't a quiet struggle.
He probably knocked kyle unconscious.
Then carried him back downstairs.
What's through there? Danny's room.
It's interesting.
Another few feet and he would have found danny.
Danny's far more age appropriate for rollins' preference.
He's closer to the first two victims than kyle is.
If he'd been stalking these families,he would have known that.
It's weird.
What,a neat Well,that,and most kids either pick a top or a bottom bunk.
Both beds are slept in.
The top bunk blocks the view of the stars,and there's nothing decorative down here.
It's danny's room.
He probably sleeps up top.
Somebody wet the bed.
You know,maybe danny started in the bottom bunk,wet the bed,and then moved up top? This is kyle's.
It's size 6.
Kyle slept in here last night.
If he didn't sleep in his room,why was it destroyed? To make it look like the other crime scenes.
Over here! Oh,god.
That's kyle.
That's him.
I tta call dan and sarah.
We saw the pictures.
He dumped the first two boys like garbage.
This is different.
Do you think rollins started feeling guilt or remorse? You know he's not capable.
Whoever did this cared about him.
Hugh rollins definitely killed the first two victims.
But it doesn't look like he killed kyle murphy.
I just talked to rollins.
He said he dumped kyle's body in the river.
He's clearly lying.
He doesn't have any connection to that boy.
The disposal of kyle's body is very different from the other two.
He was gently placed on the ground,neatly laid to rest with his hands by his sides.
Rollins discarded these two boys like trash.
We think kyle may not have slept in his room last night.
Where do you think he was? I think in his brother's room.
Danny has bunk beds.
Both bunks were slept in,and whoever slept in the bottom one wet the bed and left kyle's bear.
So do we think someone destroyed kyle's room to make it look like he was abducted like the other two victims? Who else knows the details of all 3 cases? Lancaster.
Morgan,call garcia and see what she can find out about lancaster that we don't already know.
Reid and prentiss,watch the video of the press conference.
- See if you can find anything.
- Want me to talk to rollins again? Yes.
And I don't have to remind anybody where we are.
Please be discreet.
We found kyle murphy's body in the woods.
Why did you lie? You aren't the type to take credit for something you didn't do.
I can't go to trenton.
As long as you're straight with me,I'll tell the d.
a.
You cooperated.
Is that what you needed to hear? People don't understand.
I can't explain why I do these things.
All I know is that I can't help myself.
I don't want to die in prison! You're gonna be in one for the rest of your life,hugh.
No,I'm talking about what they do to people like me.
- I don't want to go like that.
- Then tell me the truth.
He's too young.
He's not my type.
Yeah,garcia,what do you got? - Who's there? - Just me and rossi.
Ok,i found something notable on lancaster.
Hold that thought.
Well,i just talked to dan and sarah.
I told them about kyle.
How'd they take the news? Well,about how you'd expect.
Really? Listen,,i want to thank you for all you've done for me and the murphys on this case.
But I think we can handle everything from here.
Well,we're not going anywhere,bill.
Did you know that kyle liked to sleep in danny's room or that kyle had been wetting the bed? No.
Because if you had,you would have torn apart danny's room to make it look like kyle had been taken from there.
What are you talking about? Kyle's disappearance was made to look like the two other boys.
Whoever did this had knowledge of the other two murders.
Listen to me.
Rollins murdered these two kids.
He should go away for all of them.
Losing a child is a horrible thing.
But if there was a murder,and someone is concealing a crime,they are going to jail.
Rossi,you got a killer in custody.
You got this guy.
Let's end it now.
Can we take this in your office? Yeah.
What really happened? I know dan has beena friend of yours for a long time.
But you have an obligation to protect and serve.
You gonna tell me what my obligations are.
I've been a cop for 23 years.
Rollins didn't kill kyle.
- You don't know that.
- Yes,we do.
I appreciate you coming by.
But bill was already here.
He told us about kyle.
That's not why I'm here,mr.
Murphy.
We need to talk.
Well,can it wait? You know,danny's not taking the news too well.
No.
I'm sorry.
We need to talk right now.
Hugh rollins didn't kill your son.
Why would you try and pin this on rollins? I never even heard of rollins until you thought of him as a suspect.
Look,that son of a bitch rapes and kills innocent children.
He would have hurt somebody else's kid until you caught him.
What does that have to do with kyle? I am asking you Look the other way.
Please.
No.
Detective,that would be framing somebody for murder.
Rollins didn't kill kyle,but you know who did.
They are my friends.
Well I think you left their son's body in the woods.
Now,what kind of friend does that? If rollins didn't kill kyle,who did? You tell me.
Someone broke into my house and took my boy.
When I woke up,he was gone.
Who did this,dan? I don't know! My little boy is dead,and you have a suspect in custody.
Isn't that good enough? You've been holding hands since I first saw you.
Well What's wrong with that? When couples lose a child,the grief is overwhelming.
They often blame each other,and they drift apart.
That's what happened to the seagers,but You two are different.
It's--it's like you're protecting each other.
So I'm going to ask you again What happened last night? Did you or sarah,did you get upset with kyle? - No! - Was there an accident? No! Then what are you hiding? My name is sarah murphy,and I'm kyle's mom.
My name is sarah murphy,and I'm kyle's mom.
And I'm kyle's mom.
- And I'm kyle's mom.
- Please stop.
You are kyle's mom,sarah.
Just tell me what happened to him.
Did one of you kill kyle? Were you ever gonna tell us about your family? Why would i? They've got nothing to do with this.
*** Your children were killed in a car accident 3 years ago.
Your wife divorced you right after.
Your loss has everything to do with this.
You've got nothing left.
You can afford to break the rules,take a risk,frame rollins for kyle's murder.
Rollins didn't kill kyle and you know who did.
Oh,i did it.
I killed kyle.
What? put it in writing.
Detective lancaster just confessed.
I need to see him.
First we need yo to confirm the timeline again.
We'll compare it to lancaster's statement.
From both of you.
What about danny? He doesn't need to hear any more of this.
Prentiss,do you mind? I've got him.
We can talk in here.
Have a seat.
Hey,danny,look,they're just right here.
You see them? Ok.
- Can I have a snack.
- Yeah,sure.
You didn't seem surprised when I told you that bill had confessed.
How am I supposed to act? You know,we should really be in there with danny.
Danny's fine.
First you said it's rollins,now it's bill.
The only thing I know is that kyle is gone.
You know a lot more than that.
What are you talking about? Your friend just confessed to something he didn't do.
That's enough.
What We can't do this anymore.
You,uh,got any games here? I don't think so.
Can I watch cartoons? Sure,yeah.
Let's see if we can find some.
Kyle is shy and quiet.
But ever since he joined the soccer team,he's really come out of his shell.
He's more outgoing.
He even scored his first goal.
Stop,stop,stop! I can open it for you.
Here.
Ok? There,it's open.
Do you,um,get mad like that a lot? My mom says I have a bad temper.
Did you and kyle play together? Only when I had to.
He was always breaking my stuff.
Yeah,i had a little cousin who did that.
That would make me crazy.
I'm not going to miss that.
He would always sleep in my room.
I heard kyle liked your bunk beds.
They weren't for him.
They were for my friends.
He was always wetting the bed like a baby.
Is that why you didn't want to play with him? He was a baby,wasn't he? Yeah,but he thought he was big enough to play with me.
Like today,he broke my model plane.
It took me all week to make it.
Today.
How did that happen? I woke up really early and wanted to finish it.
I had it all set up in the basement.
What time was that? It's too early.
Mom and dad are still asleep.
Go back to bed,kyle.
Can I play with it? You can look at it.
Oh--i told you not to touch it! - I'm sorry,danny.
- You never listen! Please don't hurt me! After you did that to kyle,how did you feel? Like i'd get in trouble.
He kept saying "I'm sorry.
" I'm sorry.
Kyle.
Wake up.
Danny? Danny,what happened? He broke my plane.
Sarah! No.
No No! No! No! I was so angry at danny.
But I couldn't lose him,too.
Why would you hurt him? - I'm sorry,mom.
- He loved you so much.
No Where are you going? To get bill.
What's he gonna do? I don't know.
'S not like we can say this was an accident.
Dad I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
What's gonna happen to danny? I don't know.
The state can try him as an adult,try to make an example out of him.
You gotta help us.
I got an idea.
Take danny upstairs.
What are you gonna do? I need you both to trust me.
All right? Take him upstairs now.
Ok.
How could he do this to you? Dan,we don't ha a lot of time.
Go upstairs to sarah.
Then you took kyle into the woods? They're good people.
They didn't deserve to lose both kids.
It was so Quiet Leaving him there.
And I kept telling myself that this is what happened to the others.
I had to do it.
Kyle would be the third victim.
And we would catch a baguy.
A real bad guy.
Oh,god.
And they might still be They might have a chance to be a family again.
Kyle murphy's autopsy report.
First one was shallow.
Clearly he hesitated.
Lancaster had to hit kyle to make the wounds consistent with rollins' victims.
I'm glad he spared them that part of his story.
Look on the second page.
Prentiss needs to see this.
- Can you stay with him? - Of course.
Danny told me what he did to kyle.
Do you know what he did? Yes,we know.
Everything he did? Danny stuffed plane parts down kyle's throat.
What? He couldn't do that.
You told danny to watch his temper.
What else did you worry about? Danny said you had a puppy,but he died.
God Your son is ill,and he needs help.
The truth is,the only thing danny isn't capable of is remorse.
He feels nothing.
The son you were trying to protect is a sociopath.
It's time.
I spent my life on the streets,and I couldn't be there for them.
Every day,i wonder why it wasn't me in that car And why I have to live every single day without them.
You know,when dan called,i thought Maybe this is it.
Maybe I'm suffering so he doesn't have to.
Your kids died in an accident.
Nobody can make sense of that.
This family,your friends,they lost both kids the minute danny killed kyle.
What does it even mean,anyway? What does what mean? Protect and serve.
We all say it every day.
Protect who? Serve who? That piece of human waste in the other room murdered at least two kids.
You know what he is.
You're the ones who found him.
And that decent family,that decent,loving How did anything that happened today serve anyone at all? - Who won in the end? - That's the thing.
We don't get to pick who wins,detective.
Even if that means no one does.
Andre maurois wrote, "without a family,man,alone in the world," trembles with the cold.
"
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