Rod Ross

Rod Ross (Dwight Gordon) is one of villains of Death Note and the leader of the mafia in which Mello joins when Mello decides to investigate Kira on his own.

Plot
In episode 27 (Abduction), Ross is seen accompanying Mello while other members of the mafia interrogate the director Takimura whom they have kidnapped. Mello reveals his knowledge of two notebooks, and Ross trusts that Mello is right. Later, when Takimura dies, Ross becomes angered since a dead hostage has no value, but Mello does not seem upset because he learned more about Kira, and has a backup plan to kidnap Sayu Yagami (the daughter of Soichiro Yagami, the Japanese Police Chief).

In episode 28 (Impatience), Ross has Y462 test the notebook and retrieve it from Soichiro. In order to test the notebook, Y462 writes Miller’s name on the notebook. When Miller dies in front of the rest of the mafia, some members of the mafia show concern but Ross only mocks Miller’s death. After verifying that the notebook is real and exchanging Sayu for the notebook, Y462 puts the notebook onto a missile and leaves the area with a helicopter. It is revealed that Y462 was following Ross’s orders to redeem his past mistakes, but Ross orders the helicopter to be blown up.

In episode 29 (Father), Sidoh finds the mafia hideout and lifts the notebook to make it touch Snydar. Mello notices that the notebook is moving, and tells Ross. Ross is not surprised because the book is already known to have supernatural powers. After Snydar tells the entire room that he sees a shinigami because he touched the notebook, Ross orders everyone in the room to touch the notebook. The mafia members shoot at the shinigami but the shinigami simply tells them that humans cannot kill him. Meanwhile, Light writes down the name of Ross and schedules him to die a specific day. Seconds after Ross dies, the Japanese task force move in on the hideout, and the notebook is right under Ross.