( thunder rumbling ) ( creaking )
Eileen Jane Snow. Lady she carpools with couldn't get her to answer the door. Police broke in.
This is exactly the same as the last two. Audrey Hayes was strangled in her basement. The other one ended up in a park. Different M.O., but it's the same signature. M.O. is how he breaks in. Signature's what he does once inside. Three or four overpowering blows to the head from a homemade weapon fashioned at the scene. Forces her to drink a mixture of sodium amytal as a chemical restraint. Overligature of the victim and an object rape. Then he strangles her. Ejaculates on the bedsheets. And, as a final act of degradation he poses her like a pinup. Damn it.
Sara. Damn that guy.
Listen, no emotions in here. He's escalating, Grissom. That's the pattern; it's a continuum. Guess he wants to get caught. Signature killers never want to get caught. And they won't stop until they do.
Captioning sponsored by PARAMOUNT PICTURES ♪ Who... are you? ♪ Who, who, who, who? ♪ Who... are you? ♪ Who, who, who, who? ♪ I really wanna know ♪ Who... are you? ♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪ Who... ♪ Come on, tell me who are you, you, you ♪ ♪ Oh, you!
I have tape-lifted, roll-lifted... I'm not finding one hair. I wonder what that might mean. He vacuumed this place before he left. We've established that he utilizes materials from the victim's domicile.
Hey, guys. He took the bag.
Well, look for prints. Don't bother. There aren't any. Just like the last time. Guy's Mr. Clean. Here. Knock yourself out. Thanks. He stalked this woman. He knew how much time he had in this apartment to kill her, and to clean up after himself. I'll tell Brass to check for sex offenders in a two-mile radius. Yeah. Have him check peeping Toms, too-- five years back. That's how they get started. Peeping Toms to murderers? It's about crossing boundaries. It's like, uh, with cake, you know? You're just going to have a little bit of the frosting and you end up eating the entire plate.
BROWN: Nobody move.
Mr. Clean needs a maid.
I'm going to take this back to the lab. Gil. I need a word with you outside.
You're bringing the FBI in? Why? They offered their assistance, and I'm inclined to take it. Of course, uh, I'd want to make sure you're okay with that. I-I don't believe the investigation should go that way, Brian. I mean, roadblocks and special ops? Oh, that's a pity, 'cause I do. Maybe you'll feel different when you meet Rick Culpepper. Sheriff Mobley. Rick. Hi, Rick Culpepper. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Gil Grissom, Agent Culpepper. Special Agent. It's great to meet you. All our kids back in Quantico are always going on about your bugs. Well, listen, the FBI is here to help you and your people at CSI. Of course, uh, as SAC the investigation will run through me. Sheriff probably already told you that. No, he didn't mention that either. All rivers run through Rome so to speak. ( chuckling ) But, uh, you get an attaboy. Three women dead 'cause you couldn't get the job done. There's not many guys who would hand the case over to us fibbies. I'm not handing it over. I'm willing to work in conjunction with you. Well, that's fine. We'll work the Strip Strangler case in conjunction. The what? He strangles them near Las Vegas Boulevard then removes their clothes-- Strip Strangler. Why? What are you calling him? Unknown Signature Homicide, Metropolitan Las Vegas. He's not kidding, is he? O'RILEY: Excuse me. Guy over here's got something you might want to hear. Syd Goggle. He's a security guard. Community patrol. Says he saw a man speeding away from here last night. Mr., uh, Goggle? Gil Grissom. I know who you are, sir. I've seen you on TV. Special Agent Culpepper. You have information for us, sir? About a man fleeing the scene? I didn't get his license. I didn't think anything of it till this morning. He was really burning rubber, though. Would you please give Detective O'Riley a full statement? If we have any more questions, we'll get back to you. Listen, if you need any help in your investigation, Mr. Grissom... The last time a security guard tried to help me he ended up dead. But thank you. MAN: This way.
I'm late for an autopsy.
He'll need a little patience. Wouldn't respect him if he didn't.
What can you tell us? Nothing you don't know. Trauma to the head with a blunt object. Overwhelmed her. He got a mixture of sodium amytal in her. A hypnotic.
Allowed him to control her for up to six hours. Torture her. Look at the bruises. Purple means she was alive for all of it.
Percussive control. He choked her unconscious and then brought her to multiple times. What about the rape? Same as the others: indeterminate object caused severe internal lacerations. I did find a small trace of something creviced in the uterine wall. Looks like an everyday polymer to me.
Okay. I'll go back to the scene, try to find something like it. Be careful, Nicky. The cliché is true. Signatures return to their scenes. Will do. Are we done? Something we didn't find with the other two women.
Fibers. One in the back of her throat. One stuck between her lower left incisors. This looks like cotton. Maybe terry cloth.
Could he be silencing them with... white bath towels? Well, that would explain why no one hears the victim's screams. He brings it with him and takes it away after. So, somewhere, there's evidence of this victim on a towel. Kind of a forensic smoking gun. Mmm. Now we just have to find the guy and hope that he hasn't done his laundry. The semen taken from this morning's homicide matches the semen taken from the bedsheets of the last two female victims. So, we're looking at the same guy. Yeah, but, check this out-- the ejaculate sample.
What's the red stuff? Mystery substance. Not blood? No. So, what, this guy's got some strange chemical in his mutated DNA? Freaky, huh?
Freakiest semen I've seen in a while. Call me. Oh. Catherine, you busy? I was hoping we might be able to talk about a few things. Pertaining to the case? As a jumping-off point. Well, Sheriff, I'd say let's go to my office but I don't have one. Well, that's just the sort of thing I was hoping we would discuss.
Hey, Warrick you got a second? What's up? I got this hair that you guys found this morning and I'm trying to compare it to the one hair we recovered from the murder last week-- the Hayes girl? And you got a match microscopically but it doesn't mean a damn thing 'cause it still doesn't lead us to the guy? No. I can't even tell if we have a DNA match. There's no skin tag on either one. Whoa, whoa, whoa. A girl defending herself against a guy is going to pull that hair out by the roots. I mean, you get scalp skin filled with DNA. No scalp, no skin. It's almost like this hair was... Shed? ( beeping ) Mine. Mine.
Hey, Gil, you want to give me the skinny on this meeting of yours? I'm on my way back to the crime scene. What meeting? I'm going to Evidence. I got paged about the signature case. Hey, Warrick and I just got a break. The guy's been planting hairs. Shed hairs. He's trying to throw us off. What he doesn't realize, we got no DNA on the hairs so we can't chase down his other suspect. Grissom... are you hearing us?
You all got my page. Good. I didn't. We'll get you a new battery. I thought we'd convo about the strangler-- hear what you've got-- tell you what we think our next move should be.
Would you guys go back to my office, please? I'll be in in a few minutes.
I'll be happy to pass on any pertinent information you may have to my team. Okay. Fine. Got anything to report to us?
You first. Okay. We have an operation in place. Your CSI, Sidle has expressed an interest to my agents in availing herself. I wanted to let you know before we made the official offer. Really? What kind of operation? All this talk about your great capacity for observation. Sara Sidle matches the victim prototype to a "T." She's a young woman, brunette, tall for a female.
You're not serious. And, by all reports, she's steady. Has the right personality for a decoy operation. You're going to bait this guy with a human being? This is your big FBI plan? Before he kills again, yes. Got a better idea? Understanding him first, completely so that we can get out ahead of him. And if he kills again while we're trying to understand him? Well, I'm sorry, but he's not going to kill my CSI. I'm going to do it, Grissom. I want to. You want to put yourself in the path of a psychotic killer? I'm trained in weaponless defense. Too bad, because that's what turns him on-- women fighting back. Gives him a greater sense of power when he makes his final kill. Grissom... Sit down, Sara.
Okay. If we're to follow your line of thinking are you out ahead of him? Not yet. He knows just enough about forensics to be dangerous. He thinks he's throwing us off track by planting confederate hairs. He probably shaves his head-- maybe his entire body-- as DNA protection. He may gag his victims using a garden- variety bath towel which he then takes with him as part of his murder kit. He will go after another tall brunette and the torture will be worse. But, this time, he won't ejaculate. At least not at the scene. At home, later. Learning control. Think he knows his next victim? Signature killers always know their next victim. But they don't know him until he tortures, rapes and kills them.
( screaming ) Freeze! Hey! Get out of there. Get out of the closet. Hmm. What are you doing? I'm a reporter. What? We know the police are withholding information from us, so I came down here because... Quiet. Are you out of your mind? I could've killed you. This is a crime scene. You don't belong here. Unless you want me to get the cop at the front door you'll get out of here now. And I'd better not see any pictures of this apartment in your paper... or I'll have the D.A. on your front door. I'm sorry that I scared you. You didn't scare me. Uh-uh. Want to tell me what you found over by the window? No. ( softly ): Okay.
Fast. I'm impressed. You got a hot dog? This one of your jokes, Greg? I got the ketchup. I'm sure this is meaningful. I went back and looked at the ejaculate from the last two murders. The same thing. "Indeterminate red stuff." It's C12, H22 and O11, NaCl, H2O and tomato paste. Sugar, water, salt and tomato paste. Ketchup? Ketchup. Well, does he add it after or is it organic? Don't ask me why, but, uh... he adds it. I was expecting something a little more elemental. When we zig, he zags. Yeah, well, he's not as smart as he thinks, you know? I mean, ketchup is not going to mask the DNA in his semen. All of which I'm sure you'll share with the FBI. I'm sure. Hey... is it so bad to avail our lab to the resources of the federal government? You've been to talking to our sheriff. I've been listening to our sheriff. He says that you won't. Yeah, yeah, I know. And if I don't shape up he going to have Ecklie take over the case. No, he prefers someone from night shift and it may be more than just this case.
Ah. Now that the trees are gone, I can almost see the forest. Gil... learn to be more politic. ( knocking on door ) You guys got a sec? He's wearing latex gloves. The thick kind, too. He must know that thin ones leave prints.
When we zig, he zags. BRASS: What about Paul Millander? Maybe he's our guy. He had the latex hands and he's a serial. Millander stages suicides in bathtubs with paternal figures. This guy's signature is overkill rage against young women. It's completely different. Maybe our brethren at the FBI have some sort of special database. When did you become friendly with the feds? I didn't think you had that in you. Never make an enemy when you can just as easily make a friend. FBI's okay. I've kissed worse ass. But I got to say I don't like this decoy op the feds are talking up. I remember when Holly Gribbs died. I sent her out in the field, and she wasn't ready. I told Culpepper that he could not have Sara. I know what you told him.
CULPEPPER: All right, listen up. All personnel will be tethered to our decoy by this radio. According to Captain James Brass two of our assailant's victims patronized this specialty grocery store to which we are about to embark forthwith two days before they turned up dead. There's a very good chance our assailant will refrequent this store, looking for his next victim. This is a pretty flimsy excuse to get your circus up and running, don't you think? Lives are at stake. I'll take flimsy over nothing. This is action for action's sake Culpepper. You're risking my CSI's life. SIDLE: Look, this is my idea. I want to do something before another girl gets killed, and... Listen to me, Sara. If we study his past, we can predict his future. You've been saying that for weeks. It's taking too long. Someone else is going to die and you're still going to be figuring it out. CULPEPPER: Okay, Sidle we're good to go. Wish me luck.
Aw... three hours expended. ( clears throat ) Maybe we should reposition over at that Borders Book Store. Gets a lot of foot traffic in there according to the field agents. ♪ I recall ♪ Central Park in fall ♪ How you tore your dress... Whoa. That guy's coming back.
Would you happen to have a cigarette? Uh... yeah, actually. Culpepper... Let her play. I've been trying to quit. Didn't want to buy a pack. Me, too. This is my last pack... but, uh, I say that every week, so... Nonfiltered. The women I know smoke filtered-- you know those long, skinny cigarettes? Guess it depends on the woman. Guess it does. You got a light? Sure. Yeah.
You live around here? Maybe. I don't usually give out that kind of information. It's probably smart. I wouldn't tell me either.
You're cute. Thanks.
All right, we're on the move. Let's go. ( guns cocking ) Hey! FBI!
I'll give it back. Here.
( cell phone ringing ) Yeah. Culpepper. Time and coordinates? Yeah, will do. All right, gentlemen nothing ventured, nothing gained. I do not believe this is our man. What was your first clue? Murder at the Monaco Hotel. Woman found bound in her room stripped and strangled. Let's go.
He met the profile. Sometimes the harder thing to do is to do nothing.
Starting to look like deja vu all over again. Hmm. Not? Occasionally, I'm struck by the absence of evidence. It's there or it isn't. The lamp-- cord's still attached. All the others, he yanked the cords off. Look at the table. Books aren't even disturbed. Staged? First time in a hotel. First time he didn't come in through the window. I don't think he made a deposit... either. That just means his signature's evolving. Isn't that right, Grissom? Who's that guy? BRASS: He's the husband. His name's Brad Walden. They're locals. They come here couple times a year. He was downstairs playing poker. She was up here reading a romance novel. He comes back five grand richer and finds her like this. Husband? Let's bring him in. I'll transport the witness. Witness? Suspect.
What did you get? I posted the lady from the hotel, and I have to say it's the same menu as the last three-- chemical restraint overligature, death by strangulation. What about the object-rape? Indeterminate polymer? No. This one's different. Different how? ROBBINS: Cross-hatched leather, with tiny air holes for breathing.
I was thinking driving gloves, or weightlifting gloves, or... I'm not accusing you of anything, but a man and his wife get a hotel room for a romantic weekend then spend that whole weekend apart-- makes me wonder if there's trouble in the marriage. I like... to gamble. She liked to read. It was, you know... just the perfect getaway. You liked to play golf, too.
These are your golf clubs. We found them in your hotel room. I prefer a titanium driver, Mr. Walden. I'd like to see what you use, but your carrier is locked. Yeah, I have a key on my key chain... my car keys. So you won't mind opening it? No... Uh, uh, w-why? Well, so I can see if the leather on your club handles matches the leather from the object used to violate your wife.
Well, I-I, you know, if it does... I read that this, uh... this, uh, you know, character uses whatever is at the scene of the crime for, uh... for killing his victims.
Well, if this character... killed your wife how did he get your clubs out of the case without the keys?
Or, for that matter back into the case after he killed your wife?
Read this man his rights, please. You're under arrest for the murder of Jennifer Walden... and Eileen Snow and Tracy Berg and... Can I have a word with you outside... please?
You can't charge him for the other women. What do you mean? For the murder of his wife, maybe but I am certain that he didn't do the others. Every piece of the signature is there. He read the papers-- he piggybacked on top of the killer. For what possible reason? Who knows? Convenient way out of a lousy marriage? He's not our guy. You know, this is where I like to reference the majesty and the power of the Republic of the United States of America. Go ahead. Pull rank. But that hotel crime scene was staged to look like the Signature's. And that golfer just got lucky that the victim type fits his wife to a Texas T. Is that it? If you stop and think, you'll see it. Duly noted, Supervisor Grissom.
Duly noted.
Details of the arrest will be forthcoming in this live report. Federal Agent Culpepper is about to start his news conference. As we've been reporting, a suspect has been arrested in the Strip Strangler case. We believe that Bradley Mac Walden not only killed his wife but also took the lives of Audrey Hayes and Eileen Snow and Tracy Berg. Our field agents have divulged that Mr. Walden lived within two miles of the other victims worked in the same office building as Ms. Snow and has no believable explanation for his whereabouts on the dates of their murders. We believe that Bradley Mac Walden found and stalked these victims, and... I just talked with Brass. He said that Walden was having an affair with a dentist in his office. I'm telling you, this guy did not kill those other women.
This statement is concluded. Las Vegas, its locals and visitors can rest a little easier tonight. A suspect is in custody. Thank you. I'll take some questions. Mr. Grissom-- Linda Darby, Las Vegas Tribune. As the lead CSI on this case do you have anything to add to the FBI statement? Politic.
No. So Las Vegas can breathe easier? You do have the Strip Strangler behind bars?
No, we don't.
The FBI did me a favor being here and they have a viable suspect. He's not viable, Brian. Then further investigation will prove that out. In the meantime people will feel better about their daily lives. Now, why on earth would you want to counteract that? For those who have to ask, no answer could suffice. Look, I see we've come to an impasse. If further investigation determines that Walden didn't kill those other women then you can rejoin the investigation. Oh, do I get the weekend off? For starters. And a two-week holiday... anywhere but CSI. You brought this on yourself. Now, the next time you want to play with my career maybe you'll think twice.
( slamming locker door ) You know, it's not fair, Grissom. You know more about signatures than most of them put together. That may have been the problem. Is there's no one you can appeal to? No... I'm off. Come on, this guy's on the loose and there's nothing you can do? It's all Catherine. She's the boss.
Good luck.
Hey. Your door was open. You okay? Migraine. It's been awhile. I get them about once a year. I'm not used to having people in my house. You just don't like it when you can't solve a case or command your troops. ( sighing ) Did you come here to tell me about your new job? I told the sheriff I'd pass. You don't want to be a supervisor? Well, if I get a promotion, I want it to be on merit... not because you're politically tone-deaf.
So, our guys are outside in their Tahoes. If you're a civilian, we are.
Except we are putting in for overtime.
We should reexamine each victim-- all the evidence pertaining to each one individually. All right, well, I got dibs on Eileen Snow. And I have a strong feeling I'm going to be the one to break the case. Tracy Berg. I got Audrey Hayes, but I can tell you right now those fibers we found in the Snow lady's throat aren't going to give us anything. White cotton fibers are like oxygen-- they're everywhere. Well, then go back to your crime scenes and look for a persistence of fibers. "If you can't prove uniqueness, prove abundance." Something's better than nothing. Yeah.
SANDERS: Hunter F. Baumgartner. Our ketchup DNA guy. This guy showed up on the database. CODIS updates its database every couple weeks. Yeah, well, don't act like it's so simple. This guy could have gone another year without being picked up. What did they get him on? Indecent exposure. Caught in an alley behind the Monaco. Yeah. Suspended sentence, released two days ago. Call Grissom on his cell. I thought he was off the case. He is. Dial. Tell him to meet me at this guy's work address.
( rock music playing ) You think anything illegal goes on in here? ( Grissom chuckles )
Excuse me. Hunter? Yeah. You two look like you made a wrong turn somewhere. We're with the Crime Lab. Heard you just copped a plea for indecent exposure. Sorry. I'm working. Uh-uh. You recognize any of these women? Yeah. Strip Strangler girls. They are all over TV. Do you know them? No. How do you explain your DNA on the bedsheets they were murdered in? I don't know. "I don't know" doesn't get it, pal. DNA's like fingerprints. No two samples are alike. You were in these women's bedrooms. Believe me, mister, the last place that you will find me is in a woman's bedroom. Unless, of course, we're discussing window treatments. Hey, and my indecent was for tricking too close to the Boulevard. I don't know anything about killing women. That's straight boy stuff. Any recent trick offer you money for something a little weird? Say a portable sample of your DNA? Only about ten times this month. This is Vegas. Would you be able to recognize any of these guys? Well, I'd have to be looking at them in the face now, wouldn't I?
I guess we should have known if our guy was planting hairs he was planting semen. Yeah. Probably in little hollowed-out packets of ketchup. I didn't really find anything instructive but Warrick hit pay dirt. Well, I went to Audrey Hayes' apartment and I paid particular attention to the point of entry. I found a small persistence of white cotton fibers.
Could have been his staging area. Maybe he... wears his murder kit.
Well, I remember what you said about signature guys and how they have low self-esteem-- they're always going to the gym to work out-- so I'm thinking gym towels. SIDLE: The "Frequented Locations" report said none of the women belong to a gym where he could have spotted them. I went back to see if any of them had tried out introductory offers. Which I do all the time. It's a free workout, and you don't have to sign up. But you do have to sign in. All three women went to Strong's Gym once in the last three months. So, I'm going back there, grab some towels bring them back to the lab see if I can get a match from the crime scene fibers. And, of course, get a list of the club's male gym members. Call Brass. Tell him to meet you guys there. Let me know. Will do. ( phone rings ) Grissom. Yeah, I'm looking at a photograph of the street in front of Eileen Snow's apartment. This security guard said he saw a guy burn rubber out of there the night of Eileen's murder. I remember that guy. Yeah, well, there's no rubber here-- on the pavement or the curb. A couple of oil spots-- that's about it. And I called Brass. Nobody took any photographs of any tire marks. Not the Las Vegas PD. Not the feds. Hmm. Little lie, big lie? Mm-hmm. The only night shift CSI I can actually find. You're tampering with evidence of the United States government there, Mr. Stokes. I was just looking for a quiet spot to call my girlfriend.
Well, tell your girlfriend she's going to have you out of a job. Best thing you could do for your boss-- protect him from himself. Grissom? I got to run, Peanut. Love you, too. Bye-bye.
Goggle. If you need any help in your investigation, Mr. Grissom... Syd Goggle.
( door creaking ) ( TV playing softly ) Mr. Goggle?
Gil Grissom. Syd Goggle. I thought you were too busy with the FBI to talk to me. These investigations are always in flux. Am I, uh, interrupting your laundry? Just doing some gym towels.
You were so meticulous about so many things. Shaving. The gloves. Planted evidence. That's why I don't understand why you'd bring towels that eventually could be traced.
I don't know what you're talking about. Strong's Gym. That's where the women told you to get lost, right? Stuffing club towels down their throat make your point?
You know, the thing with women... is they work out because they want us to look at them. And then they... parade around. And you just want to... say hello.
Everybody knows white cotton fibers aren't like fingerprints. They can't be traced. You don't get a... match on a towel. In theory. But the truth is every object is changed by its owner. By his habits. His... washing machine, for instance. His detergent.
The totality of microscopic elements. It's Locard's Theory.
( washing machine banging ) Your towel is caught in the agitator.
Now, see, that's going to leave distinctive marks on the fabric, Syd. And that's just the beginning. I've had a look at your garbage. You were in my apartment.
Now nothing from there's admissible in court. Your garbage is in a public area. Plain sight.
It's enough for me to get a warrant.
You all right?
Yeah.
How did you know I was here? Nick told me.
Everybody okay?
Special Agents, we got a shooting. Notify LVPD and paramedics ASAP.
I just wanted to talk to him.
We can say unequivocally, based on statements made by a certain local law enforcement employee and corresponding evidence that the deceased, Syd Booth Goggle is the Strip Strangler. Furthermore, since Goggle was killed by a second member of Las Vegas law enforcement during his apprehension, this case is now closed. I would like to thank the FBI, along with Special Agent Rick Culpepper for his invaluable leadership in this pursuit. In short, we couldn't have done it without you. I'd like to thank you, Sheriff, Las Vegas Police. I'd also like to thank the citizens of Las Vegas for their courage. We at the Federal Bureau of Investigation are proud to have served you. Thank you. Oh, that's cool. We don't need props. At the end of the day, we know what time it is. Give me some of that. SIDLE: Do we have a breakfast budget, Grissom? I believe Catherine was going to requisition one. Good, cause our plates are up, and nobody has any money.
Right behind you. You, uh... you got me, right, War? Yeah. Picture that.
I never should have put you in that position, Catherine. I'm sorry. What position?
Never doubt and never look back. That's how I live my life.
I admire that.
SIDLE: Whole wheat and fruit? Who ordered that? Here. STOKES: How's this for service? Very good. Re... fried beans. Mmm! ( laughing )
Captioning sponsored by PARAMOUNT PICTURES n, Catherine.