The Footpath Killer is a serial killer who appeared in Season One of Criminal Minds.
Background
Nothing about The Footpath Killer's past is revealed, with even his real name never being mentioned. He worked at (and likely owned) a secluded roadside gas station in Dumfries, Virginia and at an unknown point began brutally killing people on backwoods trails, beating them into submission before shooting them in the head. The Footpath Killer murdered thirteen people, though only six bodies were ever found.
Season One
Unable to catch The Footpath Killer the authorities asked Jason Gideon to profile him, which the agent did, later using his profile in a lecture he gave at Quantico in 2005, right before returning to work with the BAU to help them track down The Seattle Strangler. After the strangler is killed and his latest victim saved Gideon returns to Virginia and unknowingly stops at The Footpath Killer's gas station, immediately realizing the clerk possesses every characteristic his profile stated The Footpath Killer would have when he goes inside to pay for his gas.
After several seconds of silence, in which The Footpath Killer notices Gideon's gun, Gideon leaves, being followed out by The Footpath Killer, who forces him back inside at gunpoint. After The Footpath Killer demands to know who he is Gideon states he is an FBI agent and also claims (as a ruse) to know why The Footpath Killer stutters. Ignoring this, The Footpath Killer marches Gideon into a backroom, where he shows him pictures of his victims and demands he grab a nearby camera. When Gideon simply begins mocking him The Footpath Killer grows increasingly frustrated and begins sputtering incoherently, keeping him occupied long enough for Gideon to disarm, knock out and arrest him.
Profile
Gideon's profile of The Footpath Killer stated he would be a dishelved male in his twenties who would work a menial job and own an American made truck that would be in a state of disrepair. Despite the murders being committed in secluded hiking trails they were are all unnecessarily violent, implicating the unsub lacked confidence and felt he would be unable to charm his victims. This low self-esteem likely stemmed from the unsub being ashamed of some physical limitation he possessed, most likely a stutter.
Modus Operandi
The Footpath Killer's victims were all killed on remote hiking trails and were presumably people who stopped at his gas station. The Footpath Killer would brutally attack his victims to incapacitate them, then shoot them point blank in the forehead with a shotgun. After killing them The Footpath Killer would leave pictures of his victims, likely taken at the gas station, with their bodies. The Footpath Killer put pictures of the bodies on his refrigerator and surrounded them with nonsensical scribbles and words.
Known Victims
- Thirteen unnamed victims
- Jason Gideon (attempted)
Notes
- The Footpath Killer was likely partially based on real-life serial killer Robert Hansen who hunted prostitutes in the woods with a 223-caliber rifle. According to the profile made by John Douglas, he would stutter severely. This was proven correct.
- The DVD commentary for "Extreme Aggressor" reveals that Lucas Haas originally auditioned for the role of Spencer Reid, but instead got the role of The Footpath Killer, after he began expressing doubt about doing a series.
Appearances
- Season One
- "Extreme Aggressor"
- "Compulsion"
- "L.D.S.K." (mentioned only)