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It's already over.
~ Arthur Mitchell to his victims before he kills them.

Arthur Mitchell, better known as the Trinity Killer, is the main antagonist of the Dexter franchise. Arthur is a prolific serial killer who re-creates the deaths of his family in a cyclical series of murders.

He was portrayed by John Lithgow, who also played Burke in Blow-Out, Lord John Whorfin in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, B.Z. in Santa Claus: The Movie, Jean-Claude in Rugrats in Paris, Eric Qualen in Cliffhanger, Glenn Motch in The Campaign, Earl Talbot Blake in Ricochet, Lord Farquaad in Shrek, Lamar Blackburn in The Accountant, and Carter Nix and Carter Nix, Sr. in Raising Cain.

History[]

Past[]

In 1959, 10-year-old Mitchell was watching his older sister, Vera, take a shower. Upon seeing him, Vera panicked, slipped and broke the glass screen, cutting her femoral artery and bleeding to death. Arthur's parents blamed him for Vera's death. His mother became extremely depressed, and ultimately killed herself by jumping off a building. Following this, his father, already a heavy drinker, became an alcoholic and frequently beat his son during his drunken rages. Ultimately, his father was bludgeoned to death with a hammer - it is suggested by Mitchell himself.

Ever since, Mitchell has been recreating the deaths of his family in a cyclical series of murders: first he murders a young boy, symbolizing himself; then he kills a young woman by slicing her femoral artery, symbolizing his sister; he forces a middle-aged mother to commit suicide by leaping to her death, symbolizing his mother; and finally he bludgeons a man to death with a hammer, symbolizing his father.

He claims to take no pleasure in killing, and does seem to harbor some remorse; after each murder, he punishes himself by taking a scalding hot shower and goading a drunk into beating him up.

He has killed dozens of people over 30 years, while “hiding in plain sight” as an apparently devoted family man, church deacon and pillar of his community who runs a business building houses for the homeless. However, behind closed doors, Arthur is abusive towards his wife, daughter, and son.

Season 4[]

Dexter Morgan decides to make the “Trinity Killer” his next victim after hearing about him from FBI agent Frank Lundy. When he finds Mitchell, Dexter - who has recently become a father - sees that his quarry can apparently balance his family responsibilities with his “secret life” as a serial killer, and decides to learn from him before murdering him. He befriends Mitchell by pretending to need his spiritual counsel; calling himself "Kyle Butler", he claims to have accidentally killed someone and asks for Mitchell's help finding salvation. This strikes a chord in Mitchell, who comes to believe that God sent Dexter to him. Mitchell believes that God is punishing him and attempts suicide, but Dexter saves his life so he can kill him himself later.

Dexter has Thanksgiving with Arthur's family, and discovers that Mitchell is not the loving husband and father he appears to be; he is in fact an abusive tyrant who beats his son, keeps his wife virtually imprisoned in their home, and has repressed sexual feelings for his own daughter. When Mitchell begins hitting his son, Dexter intervenes and nearly kills him. Mitchell decides to get rid of Dexter, and discovers who he really is.

It is eventually revealed that Mitchell has an adult daughter, Christine Hill, from a previous relationship, and that she knows he is a serial killer. Rather than turn him in, however, she covers up for him and even kills Lundy, all so she can win his love. When he learns about Lundy’s death, however, he curses her for bringing the police down on him and says he wishes she had never been born. Devastated, she commits suicide.

Death[]

Mitchell begins his murder cycle again, kidnapping a young boy. Dexter saves the boy, however, forcing Mitchell to go on the run. Dexter finally subdues Mitchell and prepares to kill him. Mitchell accepts his fate and says that a similar one awaits Dexter, sooner or later. Dexter then bludgeons Mitchell to death with a hammer.

When Dexter returns home, he discovers that his wife, Rita, has been murdered, having bled to death after her femoral artery was slit; she was the Trinity Killer’s last victim. Their infant son, Harrison, is sitting in a pool of Rita's blood, crying, mirroring the childhood trauma that turned Dexter into a serial killer.

Dexter: New Blood[]

Mitchell appears in flashbacks in the limited series Dexter: New Blood, which is set 10 years after the original series finale. A now-teenage Harrison is plagued by memories of witnessing his mother's murder, particularly of Mitchell smiling cruelly at him and saying, "Don't worry, daddy will be home soon." It is suggested that this trauma created in Harrison a "Dark Passenger" not unlike his father's.

Victims[]

1964

  • Henry Mitchell - Bludgeoned to death with a hammer, possibly by Arthur Mitchell.

1976

  • 1 set of murders in Baltimore Maryland. Victims unknown.

1977

  • 1 set of murders in St. Petersburg, Florida. Victims unknown.

1978

  • 1 set of murders in Birmingham, Alabama. Victims unknown.

1979

  • 1 set of murders in Richmond, Virginia. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Miami, Florida.
    • Unknown Boy - Buried Alive
    • Vicky Noonan - Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - Jumper
    • Unknown father of two - Bludgeoned

1980

  • 1 set of murders in Charlotte, North Carolina. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Detroit, Michigan. Victims unknown.

1981

  • 1 set of murders in Seattle, Washington. Victims unknown.

1982

  • 1 set of murders in Portland, Oregon. Victims unknown.

1983

  • 1 set of murders in Grand Canyon area, Arizona. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Victims unknown.

1984

  • 1 set of murders in Dallas, Texas. Victims unknown.

1985

  • 1 set of murders in Austin, Texas. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in an unknown city in New York. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Phoenix, Arizona. Victims unknown.

1986

  • 1 set of murders in Albequerque, New Mexico. Victims unknown.

1987

  • 1 set of murders in Reno, Nevada. Victims unknown.

1988

  • 1 set of murders in Salt Lake City, Utah. Victims unknown.

1989

  • 1 set of murders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Boise, Idaho. Victims unknown.

1990

  • 1 set of murders in Duluth, Minnesota. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Helena, Montana. Victims unknown.

1991

  • 1 set of murders in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in El Paso, Texas. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Sarasota, Florida. Victims unknown.

1992

  • 1 set of murders in Sacremento, California. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in St. Paul, Minnesota. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Bloomington, Illinois. Victims unknown.

1993

  • 1 set of murders in Raleigh, North Carolina. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Daytona Beach, Florida.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • J. Lewitt - 3/12/1993 - Bathtub
    • D. Webster - 3/17/1993 - Jumper
    • S. Hunter - 3/22/1993 - Bludgeoned

1994

  • 1 set of murders in San Diego, California.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • I. Rosengard - 9/5/1994 - Bathtub
    • E. Hemming - 9/10/1994 - Jumper
    • J. Roberson - 9/15/1994 - Bludgeoned

1995

  • 1 set of murders in Biloxi, Missippi.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • A. Darakjan - 2/26/1995 - Bathtub
    • N. Reiss - 3/3/1995 - Jumper
    • D. Freiburn - 3/8/1995 - Bludgeoned
  • 1 set of murders in Little Rock, Arkansas. Victims unknown.

1996

  • 1 set of murders in San Francisco, California. 
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • Unknown young woman - Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - Jumper
    • Unknown man - Bludgeoned

1997

  • 1 set of murders in Louisville, Kentucky.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • Loretta Kellerman - 2/12/1997 - Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - 1997 - Jumper
    • Unknown father of two - 1997 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in an unknown city in Kentucky.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • M. Bogert - 9/16/1997 - Bathtub
    • J. Snisse - 9/21/1997 - Jumper
    • E. Newman - 9/26/1997 - Bludgeoning

1998

  • 1 set of murders in Atlanta, Georgia.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • L. Candace - 8/23/1998 - Bathtub
    • R. Elliot - 8/28/1998 - Jumper
    • R. Dermott - 9/2/1998 - Bludgeoning

1999

  • 1 set of murders in Columbus, Ohio.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • J. Spaan - 3/9/1999 - Bathtub
    • R. Golden - 3/14/1999 - Jumper
    • B. Ball - 3/19/1999 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in an unknown city in Ohio.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • H. Grodman - 10/7/1999 - Bathtub
    • C. Endless - 10/14/1999 - Jumper
    • F. Calvert - 10/19/1999 - Bludgeoning

2000

  • 1 set of murders in Detroit, Michigan.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • Anita Soloman - 3/03/2000 - Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - Jumper
    • Unknown father of two - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Saint Louis, Missouri. Victims unknown.

2001

  • 1 set of murders in Duluth Minnesota.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • L. Fisher - 5/11/2001 - Bathtub
    • P. Ford - 5/16/2001 - Jumper
    • A. Severse - 5/21/2001 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Dothan, Alabama. Victims unknown.

2002

  • 1 set of murders in Coney Island, New York.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • R. Goldman - 10/24/2002 - Bathtub
    • J. Lewis - 10/29/2002 - Jumper
    • C. Moreno - 11/3/2002 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Skokie, Illinois. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Richmond, Virginia. Victims unknown.

2003

  • 1 set of murders in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • K. Watkins - 4/15/2003 - Bathtub
    • A. Asarcca - 4/20/2003 - Jumper
    • J. Jones - 4/25/2003 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Portland, Oregon. Victims unknown.

2004

  • 1 set of murders in Tempe, Arizona. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Chicago, Illinois. Victims unknown.

2005

  • 1 set of murders in Wichita, Kansas.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • A. Goff - 5/11/2005 - Bathtub
    • L. Pickford - 5/16/2005 - Jumper
    • A. Roman - 5/21/2005 - Bludgeoning

2006

  • 1 set of murders in Denver Colorado.
    • Mark Wolter - 9/10/2006 - Live Burial
    • J. Meltzer - 9/18/2006 - Bathtub
    • J. Antonoff - 9/23/2006 - Jumper
    • J. Ellis - 9/28/2006 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in an unknown city in Minnesota. Victims unknown.
  • 1 set of murders in Gary, Indiana. Victims unknown.

2007

  • 1 set of murders in Denver, Colorado.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • R. Cornelius - 7/20/2007 - Bathtub
    • R. Hermosillo - 7/25/2007 - Jumper
    • B. Polaski - 7/30/2007 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in St. Paul, Minnesota.
    • Thayer Copperud - 8/11/2007 - Live Burial
    • Tamera Klaman - 8/16/2007- Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - Jumper
    • Unknown father of two - Bludgeoning

2008

  • 1 set of murders in Chicago, Illinois.
    • Unknown Boy - Live Burial
    • L. Spheeris - 7/20/2008 - Bathtub
    • J. Leiberman - 7/25/2008 - Jumper
    • R. Bear - 7/30/2008 - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Omaha, Nebraska.
    • Brody Avenir - 9/15/2008 - Live Burial
    • Julie Hillard - 9/20/2008 - Bathtub
    • Unknown mother of two - Jumper
    • Unknown father of two - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Tampa, Florida. Victims unknown.

2009

  • 1 set of murders in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    • Matthew Hicks - 7/09/2009 - Live Burial
    • Unnamed young woman - Bathtub
    • Unnamed mother of two - Jumper
    • Unnamed father of two - Bludgeoning
  • 1 set of murders in Miami, Florida.
    • Christopher Kavanaugh - 9/16/2009 - Live Burial
    • Lisa Bell - 9/21/2009 - Bathtub
    • Tarla Grant - 9/26/2009 - Jumper
    • Earl Doorman - 10/1/2009 - Bludgeoning

Additional Kill Cycles

  • Unknown year: Fresno, California
  • Unknown year: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Unknown year: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Unknown year: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Unknown year: Des Moines, Iowa
  • Unknown year: Daytona Beach, Florida
  • Unknown year: Cheyenne, Wyoming
  • Unknown year: Topeka, Kansas

Kills Outside The Cycles

  • Kyle Butler - Bludgeoned him to death with a hammer to silence him.
  • Rita Morgan - Femoral artery sliced with a razor.

Total Kills

  • 279 Confirmed Victims
    • 85 Women
    • 43 Men (Possibly 44)
    • 42 Children

Gallery[]

Dexter[]

Dexter: New Blood[]

Trivia[]

  • Arthur Mitchell is the only main antagonist in the entire series to be killed by Dexter's entire uninterrupted ritual:
    • Dexter subdued Arthur, wrapped him in plastic inside of a kill room Dexter specifically chose for him, the room was surrounded by pictures of Arthur's victims so he could see them all, his blood slide was taken and put into Dexter's blood slide box, and finally dismembered and dumped into the ocean.
  • Arthur is the oldest main antagonist in the series, being 65 years old when Dexter killed him.
  • Arthur is the second person in the entire series to have found out that Dexter uses aliases to hide who he really is, the first being Zoey Kruger.
  • Arthur could possibly be inspired by real life serial killer Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Killer, for several reasons:
    • Both had secret lives with families, consisting of two children and a wife.
    • Both had specific kill routines they always followed.
    • Both were prominent figures in their church communities.
  • Arthur Mitchell has the most confirmed kills out of anyone in the entire Dexter franchise, even more than the titular main protagonist himself.

External links[]

Navigation[]

           Dexter Logo Villains

Protagonists
Dexter Morgan | Hannah McKay | Zach Hamilton


Main Antagonists
Season One
Brian Moser

Season 2
James Doakes | Lila West

Season 3
George King | Miguel Prado

Season 4
Arthur Mitchell

Season 5
Eugene Greer

Season 6
Travis Marshall

Season 7
Isaak Sirko | Maria LaGuerta

Season 8
Oliver Saxon

New Blood
Kurt Caldwell


Secondary Villains

A.J. Yates | Alex Tilden | Benjamin Caffrey | Beth Dorsey | Boyd Fowler | Carlos Fuentes | Carlos Guerrero | Christine Hill | Clint McKay | Cole Harmon | Dan Mendell | Elric Kane | Freebo | George Novikov | Hector Estrada | Javier Guzman | Jeremy Downs | Joe Jensen | Joey Quinn | Johnny Rose | Jurg Yeliashkevych | Koshka Brotherhood | Leo Hernandez | Little Chino | Locos | Louis Greene | Marco Fuentes | Matt Caldwell | Miles Castner | Neil Perry | Nick | Nikki Wald | Oleg Mickic | Paul Bennett | Ramon Prado | Ray Speltzer | Santos Jimenez | Stan Liddy | Steve Dorsey | Viktor Baskov


Minor Villains

29th Street Kings | Albert Chung | Alberto | Alex Timmons | Andres Rodriguez | Andrew Briggs | Andy Brightman | Anthony Rodrigo | Barry Kurt | Ben and Roger | Benito Gomez | Benjamin Alvaro | Billy Fleeter | Cal Rooney | Carl | Cindy Landon | Clemson Galt | Curtis Barnes | Emmett Meridian | Esteban and Teo Famosa | Ethan Turner | Fiona Kemp | Gene Marshall | Jacques Bayard | Jamie Jaworski | Jasper Hodge | Jimmy Sensio | Joe Walker | John Henry | Jonathan Farrow | Jorge and Valerie Castillo | Jose Garza | Juan Pablo "Welsh" Aliso | Juan Ryness | Julio Benes | Kaitlyn Watson | Ken Olson | Lance Robinson | Lloyd Paulson | Marcetti | Mary | Matt Chambers | Mike Donovan | Miles O'Flynn | Nathan Marten | Norberto Cervantes | Norm | Oscar Prado | Oscar Sota | Phillip Barnes | Restaurant Shooter | Ricky | Roberta Perry | Robert Brunner | Roger Hicks | Ron Galuzzo | Sally Mitchell | Shawn Decker | Stan Beaudry | Timothy Brand | Unnamed Hitman | Walter Kenney | Walter Munro | Wayne Randall | Wiggles the Clown | Zoey Kruger


Video Game Villains

Ice Truck Killer | Jamie Jaworski | Mike Donovan | Sergei Schevchenko | Xandro Lopez


Book Villains

Main Antagonists
Alana Acosta | Bernard Elan | Brandon Weiss | The Coven | Cult of Moloch | Dr. Danco | Moloch | Raul | Robert Chase | Tamiami Slasher

Secondary Villains

Alexander Macauly | Bobby Acosta | Carl | Darius Starzak | Detective Anderson | Father Donovan | First Nurse | Frank Kraunauer | Jamie Jaworski | Patrick Bergmann | Professor Wilkins | Randy Macgregor | Steve Reiker | Steve Valentine | Victor Chapin


Comic Book Villains

Main Antagonists

Bruce Grigsby | Steve Gonzalez

Minor Villains

Deveaux | Mustached Victim | Octavio


Dexter Early Cuts

Main Antagonists

Coleman Lindquist | Max Lindquist | Peter Thornton

Secondary Villains

Robert Milson

Minor Villains

Alex Timmons | Cindy Landon | Gene Marshall | Jenna Lincoln | Sam Duke | Tony Rodriguez

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