20 Saddest Deaths in Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit as they work to profile serial killers and track them down. The BAU team investigates and captures some of the most dangerous criminals in each episode. As a police procedural show, Criminal Minds sees many character deaths over the show’s 15 seasons before the revival series. Every example is undoubtedly saddening, since it represents another human being whom the BAU fails to save despite the impossible circumstances and their dedication to their jobs.

However, in Criminal Minds‘ narrative context, some deaths are more memorable and painful, though not necessarily more meaningful. This is often caused by the characters in question appearing more frequently or the circumstances of an episode hitting differently. Better writing can also influence how memorable a character’s death is, even if the character appeared in a single Criminal Minds episode.

Updated on September 20, 2024, by Florencia Aberastury: Criminal Minds deaths are some of the most heartbreaking and harrowing. No matter who dies in Criminal Minds, fans will most likely feel shock, saddness, and shed a few tears. This article has been updated to include more of the saddest Criminal Minds deaths, as well as to bring the article up to current CBR standards.

20. Luke Never Meant to Kill His Own Parents

“Dorado Falls” – Season 7, Episode 3

“Dorado Falls” is a sad Criminal Minds episode, and one that introduced a mass murderer who didn’t actually want to kill anyone. Unlike most unsbus in Criminal Minds, Luke Dolan wasn’t in control of his actions and had no ill intentions. Instead, a car accident triggered a rare psychiatric disorder called Capgras syndrome in Luke, which made him think that his friends and family weren’t who they said.

The Capgras syndrome coupled with his military background made him believe his family had been replaced, and he had to kill everyone who refused to help him. This delusion made Luke kill his own parents in one of the saddest death scenes in Criminal Minds. Even though Luke’s parents were only in the episode for a few minutes, knowing that this syndrome made Luke kill his parents is extremely heartbreaking. Especially since Luke never meant to harm anyone and was only acting because he believed his family was in danger.

19. Matt Spicer Sacrificed Himself For His Daughter

“Our Darkest Hour” – Season 5, Episode 23

“Our Darkest Hour” is the Season 5 finale that introduced one of the scariest unsubs in Criminal Minds, Billy Flynn. In this episode, the BAU travels to Los Angeles to catch a serial killer that takes advantage of blackouts to attack his victims. But the local detective working the case with the BAU seems to have a bigger connection to the case.

Matt Spicer is an LAPD detective who works with the BAU to catch Billy Flynn. However, Matt doesn’t realize that he already knows Flynn, because Flynn is the one that killed Matt’s parents. Matt had repressed his memories of the event, but sadly, everything soon came back to him. Matt finally came face to face with Flynn when Flynn kidnapped Matt’s sister and daughter. But Flynn has the upper hand and Matt gives up his gun to save his daughter’s life, signing his own death sentence in the process. Matt’s death is tragic, especially since Flynn kills Matt right in front of Matt’s daughter, his sister, and even in front of Derek Morgan.

18. Evan Abby Took Matters Into His Own Hands

“Ashes and Dust” – Season 2, Episode 19

When the BAU travels to investigate the case of a serial arsonist, Evan Abby becomes one of the team’s prime suspects. Abby was the leader of a group called the Earth Defense Fronto, or EDF, who are considered an eco-terrorist group. The BAU at first believed that the fires could be a form of protest against companies that were building on contaminated land. But the investigation quickly takes a turn.

The real criminal in “Ashes and Dust” is a member of the EDF, someone who’d taken things too far. Evan Abby develops a sort of bond with Aaron Hotchner after Hotch realizes that Abby has a terminal illness. Hotch tells Abby the profile the BAU came up with, and Abby realizes who’s the criminal. But instead of telling Hotch, Abby takes matters into his own hands and sets a trap for the real criminal. And in the process, Abby dies too, taking the arsonist down with him. Evan Abby’s death is harrowing, and Hotch’s pain as he realizes what Abby has done is incredibly heartbreaking, making Abby’s death one of the saddest Criminal Minds deaths.

17. Rebecca Suffered Multiple Traumas

“No Way Out II: The Evilution of Frank” – Season 2, Episode 23

Rebecca Bryant had a troubled life. When she was only four years old, she survived a house fire that killed her mother and severely injured her father. She was then adopted by another family but soon found herself in trouble as a teen, taking to vandalism, theft, and drugs. Rebecca was then kidnapped but no one really bothered to look for her due to her history, until The Fisher King involved the BAU in the case.

The Fisher King, Rebecca’s biological father, kidnapped Rebecca due to severe delusions that made him believe he was the mythical keeper of the Holy Grail. The BAU was able to save Rebecca eventually, but sadly, her luck didn’t last long. Rebecca fell victim to serial killer Frank Breitkopf, who was targeting anyone with any relation to Jason Gideon. Rebecca’s murder was brutal and tragic. She was finally living her life after all the traumas in her past, and Frank took her entire future away.

16. Francesca’s Death Traumatized JJ

“Sick Day” – Season 12, Episode 2

“Sick Day” is a Criminal Minds episode that shakes up the known formula. Instead, audiences learn about the main case through flashbacks while JJ recounts the events to her husband Will. A child abduction case left JJ feeling extremely guilty after she wasn’t able to save Francesca, one of the unsub’s victims. The criminal in “Sick Day” was a disturbed man who burned children alive, and his latest victims were two siblings, Francesca and Roberto.

The BAU is able to zero in on the unsub’s identity and find where he’s kipping the children, but the fire has already started by the time JJ and Luke arrive. JJ does everything she can to save everyone, but before she can get to Francesca, the fire becomes even more dangerous and Luke takes JJ away before the building explodes, leaving Francesca behind. Francesca’s death is heartbreaking and leaves a mark on JJ, who has a hard time accepting what happened even if she knows there was nothing she could’ve done. The scene where JJ waits with Francesca’s brother while their parents arrive is extremely sad, and fans will probably remember Francesca’s death as one of the saddest deaths in Criminal Minds.

15. Lucas Didn’t Deserve to Pay For His Brother’s Twisted Mind

“To Hell… and Back” – Season 4, Episodes 25 & 26

“To Hell… and Back” is one of the most popular and memorable Criminal Minds episodes, and for good reason. The many twists and turns in the Season 4 two-part finale not only shook the BAU agents but audiences as well. Hotch and his team are first called to Canada after a US army vet confesses to killing ten homeless people. However, things aren’t as they seem, and the investigation leads the BAU to Mason Turner and his pig farm. But when they find out Mason is paralyzed from the neck down, suspicions turn to Mason’s brother, Lucas.

Yet even if Lucas Turner was helping his sadistic brother with his crimes, Lucas wasn’t capable of fully understanding what he was doing. Lucas was mentally disabled and by the end, even the latest victim, Kelly, realizes this. As the police arrive to save Kelly, she tries to help Lucas even though he was the one who kidnapped her. But Lucas, who is overwhelmed by the arrival of police officers and by the fact that his brother hasn’t given him any other instructions, makes a wrong move that leads to the police shooting and killing Lucas. It’s a heartbreaking and unfair scene, as Lucas’ death is one that many viewers still feel sad about.

14. Erin Strauss Earned the Team’s Trust Before Her Untimely Death

“The Replicator” – Season 8, Episode 24

Section Chief Erin Strauss’ relationship with the BAU didn’t start on the right foot. Strauss seemed to always be doing something to hurt the team, from trying to remove Hotch as team leader, to forcing JJ to take a different job offer. However, as the seasons progressed, Strauss showed another side of her and even began a romantic relationship with David Rossi. All of this made it all the more tragic when Strauss met her untimely death.

There were many Criminal Minds fans who disliked Strauss and felt she was the villain for most of the show, and they had every reason to. However, her death was still as heartbreaking, especially after finding out more about her. Strauss struggled with alcoholism and even thanked Morgan after he stood up to her about it, and then The Replicator used her struggle against her. The scene where she cries and tells Hotch she doesn’t want to die alone is as sad as it gets, and no matter the animosity between the BAU and Strauss, her death scene is truly heart-wrenching.

13. Kate Could’ve Been An Interesting Addition to the Show

“Mayhem” – Season 4, Episode 1

While Kate wasn’t part of Criminal Minds for long, she had the potential to be a great addition to the series. Kate Joyner was first introduced in the Season 3 finale “Lo-Fi” and later died in the premiere episode of Season 4, “Mayhem.” Kate and Hotch knew each other before the BAU worked alongside Kate in New York, and the team is intrigued about the apparent connection between them. However, things don’t get too far as Kate and Hotch’s car explodes, leaving Kate agonizing on the street.

What’s so heartbreaking about Kate’s death is that the BAU themselves were the ones who put in all the procedures that stopped Kate from getting the help she needed. The BAU suspected the unsubs were causing chaos because they wanted to attack first responders, and for this reason, they made sure to let everyone know that if there was an accident or attack, no one was allowed to get closer until they could assess the situation. This left Hotch alone as he tried to keep Kate alive, but by the time they were able to reach a hospital, they were too late.

12. Vickie’s Death Was Brutal and Heartbreaking

“True Night” – Season 3, Episode 10

“True Night” is an episode that sets itself apart from other Criminal Minds episodes in more than one way. This episode changes the formula and gives audiences a bigger glimpse of the main unsub and his life as the BAU’s investigation falls almost into the background. This allowed audiences to connect with the unsub, comic book artist Jonny McHale. And when Jonny finds out what happened to his girlfriend Vickie, viewers share his pain.

Vickie and Jonny were out walking one night when a group of gang members cornered them and took Vickie to an alley, where they assaulted her before killing her, all while forcing Jonny to watch. They tried to kill Jonny too, but he survived, and the pain of that night caused a psychotic break that led to Jonny going out at night to find and brutally kill the gang members who murdered his girlfriend. And while this turned Jonny into a killer as well, audiences couldn’t help but sympathize with him, most of all after finding out that Vickie was pregnant when she died, making her death even more devastating.

11. Detective Rick Ware’s Death Was Unfair and Avoidable

“Feat and Loathing” – Season 2, Episode 16

“Fear and Loathing” takes the BAU agents to New York, this time to a mostly-white suburb where they must investigate possible hate crimes. Tensions escalate, and the BAU works with local police detective Rick Ware to find their killer, while at the same time trying to stop a possible race riot, as all the victims are African-American girls. But when the BAU profile says they are looking for a black man, things escalate and one local resident takes it upon himself to defend his neighborhood, and accidentally shoots Detective Ware thinking he’s the criminal only because he’s black.

Detective Ware’s death is shocking and unfair, and truly heartbreaking. Derek Morgan’s outrage and sadness is palpable through the screen, and audiences feel his pain as well. “Fear and Loathing” is a tense and heartbreaking episode, and Rick Ware’s death leaves a powerful impact, as well as Morgan’s agony as he mentions Detective Ware’s children who now have to grow up without a father.

10. Stephen Shepherd’s Heartbreaking Death Leaves Viewers With a Bad Feeling Afterward

“Mosley Lane” – Season 5, Episode 16

Considered one of Criminal Minds‘ best episodes, “Mosley Lane” tells the story of a couple who kidnaps children and imprisons them in their home. If any child misbehaves or becomes too unruly, the wife cremates them in the old family crematorium. When the newest victim is taken, one of the other captured children tries to protect her.

Stephen Shepherd’s heroism sadly ends in his death by cremation. At the end of Mosley Lane, the FBI has tracked down the couple and rescued the surviving children. As the team reports back to the parents of the missing children, one couple is heartbroken to learn that their son is already gone and that he was alive only yesterday. This last scene with the parents is particularly harrowing and memorable, making the death of Stephen Shepherd one that Criminal Minds fans won’t forget.

9. Carolyn’s Terminal Illness Catches Rossi Off Guard

“Epilogue” – Season 7, Episode 6

A long-running joke in Criminal Minds, SSA David Rossi is known for having been married three times. One of Rossi’s ex-wives, Carolyn, had made several appearances on Criminal Minds as the two have a strong friendship. In “Epilogue,” David and Carolyn were catching up when she revealed that she was terminally ill.

Wanting to avoid a slow and painful fate, Carolyn chooses to overdose and invites Rossi to keep her company one last time. Rossi can only hold her close as she falls unconscious. Rossi then buries her next to their child, implied to be one of the factors that led to their marriage ending. As Carolyn was a recurring character in several Criminal Minds episodes, her death stayed in viewers’ memories for a long time.

8. Zoe Hawkes’ Death Leaves a Big Impact on Rossi

“Zoe’s Reprise” – Season 4, Episode 15

The titular character of “Zoe’s Reprise,” Zoe Hawkes, is a criminology student who notices a strange spike in local deaths and starts to investigate. An admirer of Rossi’s, she attends one of his lectures and brings forth her findings. However, he dismisses them as they do not meet certain standards for a serial killer case, but encourages her in her career path and praises her determination.

Unfortunately, in her bid to prove there is a serial killer, Zoe unknowingly stumbles upon him and is killed. This leads Rossi to take on the case in her honor and out of regret. Rossi’s guilt for not taking Zoe seriously powers his actions, and Zoe’s death proves to be memorable and heartbreaking due to her death’s impact on David Rossi.

7Roy Woodridge’s PTSD Makes Him a Character Audiences Wanted To Root For

“Distress” – Season 2, Episode 17

The unsub of Season 2’s “Distress,” Roy Woodridge, had been a member of the military on an overseas mission where he killed a child soldier and suffered from severe PTSD as a result. When loud construction work triggers his PTSD, Roy believes that he is still on the battlefield and leaves behind bodies as he kills in what he perceives to be self-defense.

Sadly, Criminal Minds’ “Distress” ends badly when the BAU sends in Woodridge’s military friend by helicopter to calmly bring him in. While successful at first, a child appears on the scene, and Roy runs up to him. Roy, again thinking he was on the battlefield, was trying to protect him. However, a SWAT sniper kills Roy before he reaches the kid. As he lies dying, Roy heartbreakingly asks if the child is okay before passing away.

6. Sarah Jean’s Demeanor While Walking to Her Death Left a Big Impression

“Riding the Lightning” – Season 1, Episode 14

In Criminal Minds‘ “Riding The Lightning,” Sarah Jean Mason was a death-row prisoner and the wife of another death-row inmate. Her husband murdered at least twelve girls, and she received her own sentence after she confessed to killing her son Riley. Many inmates believe Sarah Jean to be a powerful and scary prisoner. However, Gideon’s work as a profiler leads him to believe that Sarah Jean never actually murdered her son and instead gave him away to keep him safe.

Gideon eventually finds proof that Riley’s alive, but Sarah convinces Gideon to let her die even though Riley’s existence could save her. This points out that she wants him to live a happy life that’s free from his parents’ reputation. Sarah’s patience and gentle demeanor as she goes to her death enhance the poignancy even more and make her death one of the most memorable.

5. Megan Kane Made Audiences Connect With Her

“Pleasure is my Business” – Season 4, Episode 16

In “Pleasure Is My Business,” Megan Kane is introduced as someone who murders the corrupt men who deny their ex-wives and their children the alimony they deserve. Megan’s motivations make her a sympathetic unsub, even if her actions are not. While she distrusts many men thanks to her pain, Megan forms an oddly trustful bond with Hotch.

Megan respects Hotch for his attempt to always do the right thing and for Hotch’s relationship with his son. When Megan’s death comes, she poisons herself and hands over vital information about corrupt businessmen to Hotch. She calls him the first man who never let her down before quietly dying. While she was a killer herself, many viewers couldn’t help but feel sad once Megan died, making her death one that fans couldn’t easily forget.

4. Kelly Seymour’s Death Ruined a Friendship Forever

“North Mammon” – Season 2, Episode 7

Unsub Marcus Younger of Season 2’s “North Mammon” abducts three local teenage girls and throws them into a game of life and death. He locks the girls in a room with no food or water and forces the girls to choose one of them to die. Once Kelly and Polly elect Brooke, Younger makes them do it themselves. While Kelly attempts to convince Polly to kill Brooke, Brooke manages to sneak up on Kelly and strike her first.

When Younger lets the two go, the BAU locates Younger, who has not moved and is content with his victory. Claiming he didn’t technically kill Kelly, Younger bitterly points out how it showcases the town’s true nature: they turned on each other just as the town turned on him by neglecting him after his sports injury.

3. Maeve Donovan’s Death Was Hard on Reid

“Zugzwang” – Season 8, Episode 12

For the first time, Criminal Minds introduces a serious love interest for Spencer Reid. Reid and Maeve Donovan only converse over the phone and have never met, as Maeve believed her stalker would target Reid. Nonetheless, they seem happy and discuss scientific topics, literature, and philosophy throughout Season 8. When Maeve’s stalker comes out of the shadows, it is revealed to be Diane Turner.

Diane is angry at Maeve for criticizing her doctoral thesis when they were at Mendel University and is jealous of her. Wanting what Maeve has to prove her superiority, Diane attempts to come between Reid and Maeve. When this fails, she chooses to end her life, taking Maeve with her as a final blow. Reid is left heartbroken, and audiences mourn Maeve’s death as well, as Reid’s relationship is one of the highlights of the season.

2. Jason Gideon’s Death Closed the Door on His Possible Return to the BAU

“Nelson’s Sparrow” – Season 10, Episode 13

Despite being a member of the original team, SSA Jason Gideon leaves toward the beginning of season 3, haunted by the failures he has accrued in his professional life. His departure hits Spencer Reid the hardest since he looked up to Gideon as a mentor. Gideon departs unceremoniously, with only a letter left behind for Reid.

In Season 10’s “Nelson’s Sparrow,” the BAU hears that Gideon was murdered by an uncaught unsub. The BAU heads back into an old FBI case to find the killer, leaving Hotch to reminisce about their years together. Gideon’s body was carefully covered since actor Mandy Patinkin didn’t want to return to Criminal Minds. The effect is still painful as Reid struggles again with the loss of his father figure, this time for good.

1. Haley Brooks’ Murder Changed the Course of Hotch’s Life Forever

“100” – Season 5, Episode 9

Taking place in Criminal Minds‘ 100th episode, Haley’s death is both significant and memorable for being the first time a BAU teammate’s family member is killed. To taunt Hotch, George Foyet goes after his ex-wife Haley and their son, who have been sent into hiding. Foyet gets through Haley’s defenses by posing as their new Marshal, making her meet him at her house, and then claiming that Hotch has been killed to make her call him.

Haley realizes her situation, but it is too late, and she desperately sends her son to hide. The BAU team is unable to save Haley, and her death is heard while Hotch is on the phone, upping the anguish even more. Haley’s death not only left a powerful impression on fans during this episode but was a turning point for Hotch’s character as well.