timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

012. the angel maker

"This is Delilah Grennan. She was bludgeoned and raped during the night at her home in lower Canaan, Ohio." JJ informs.

"Lower where?" Emily asks.

"Small town 40 miles outside of Cincinnati." JJ informs.

"Staging the body face up with the arms across the chest like that." Spencer observes.

"Ritual." Derek says. "Nice hair, by the way." He flicks some of Spencer's hair into his face, the strands covering most of his face.

"Thanks." Spencer mutters. Bedelia quietly laughs while Spencer fixes his hair.

"Uh, there's more." JJ says. "Small puncture wounds on her stomach. Note the lack of blood."

"They were inflicted post-mortem." Emily says. "Were there any other victims?"

"Kind of." JJ says. "Victimology and signature match a serial killer from the same town 10 years ago. 6 victims spanning over 10 months. He called himself--"

"The Angel Maker." Hotch says. "I remember the case."

"They caught that guy." Spencer says.

"And executed him." Rossi adds.

"That's right. He was put to death by lethal injection a year ago yesterday." JJ states.

"Yesterday." Emily says.

"So we're looking for a copycat." Bedelia says.

"Honoring the anniversary of his hero's death." Rossi says.

"It says here they found semen at the crime scene. Perhaps locals will get a DNA match when they run it through VICAP?" Spencer suggests.

"Well, that's where it gets weird." JJ says. "They ran it already and they got a match, too." She hands Rossi the results.

"Well, if they already have a name, why'd they call us?" Emily asks.

"They've gotta be kidding." Rossi says. "The match they got back on the DNA is to a Cortland Bryce Ryan, otherwise known as... The Angel Maker."

+++

"The Angel Maker's victims were beaten with the assailant's bare hands." Spencer says. "Delilah Grennan was bludgeoned with a heavy instrument, maybe a hammer."

"Okay, so this unsub's a weaker guy, or at least someone who perceives himself that way." Derek says.

"So he brought along the hammer to make certain his victim wouldn't fight back?" Emily suggests.

"They have parachutes on board, right?" Rossi asks.

"They should." Spencer says. "It's standard on all federal air transport."

"We don't have to use them, do we?" Bedelia asks, trying to look out the window. "I'm not."

"What, you'd rather go down with the plane?" Spencer asks.

"Yes." Bedelia nods. Spencer frowns in confusion.

"Maybe we can give one to the elephant in the room, get him out of here?" Rossi suggests.

"What? That she'd rather die than jump to safety?" Spencer asks.

"Who says it's gonna be to safety? I could be jumping to my death." Bedelia says.

"Guys." JJ cuts in. "Maybe-- maybe later."

"That would be the elephant with the dead man's DNA." Derek says.

"Well, obviously somebody planted the semen on the victim." Hotch says.

"In the victim." Derek says.

"That's one theory." Spencer says.