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“ | Nobody believes a slut who cries wolf. | „ |
~ Scobie taunting Diana Mitchell. |
Herman Scobie is the secondary antagonist of the Criminal Minds episode "Unknown Subject". He is a misogynistic serial rapist who sexually assaults the victims of another sexual predator, The Piano Man, in order to incriminate him and cast suspicion away from himself.
He is portrayed by Matthew Alan.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Scobie's early life is largely unknown, but it is known that he developed a hatred of women during his life. While working as a hospital orderly, Scobie came across the medical records of women attacked by a serial rapist called "The Piano Man". He realized that he could rape them and escape detection by copying the other man's M.O. so the police would think the Piano Man had returned to terrorise his victims again.
Scobie avoided leaving fingerprints and DNA by wearing Neoprene gloves; he was allergic to latex. He raped 10 of the previous victims, including one named Diana Mitchell whose head he bashed into the floor of his van. During the rape, he taunted her by saying, "Nobody believes a slut who cries wolf."
In "Unknown Subject"[]
The real Piano Man, Hamilton Bartholomew, finds out that someone is copying his M.O. and realizes that he can frame that person for the original rapes. To this end, he kidnaps one of his former victims who has not yet been attacked by Scobie. He then murders her and forces a scrap of neoprene down her throat.
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) finds the body and the neoprene, leading them to realize that the killer is allergic to latex. Technical analyst Penelope Garcia discovers that Scobie has worked as an orderly at all the hospitals where the victims were sent after the first attacks, and would have access to their records. Scobie is declared the main suspect.
BAU Agents David Rossi, Derek Morgan and Jennifer Jareau lead a team to raid Scobie's house. Scobie flees out the back door, but Morgan tackles him to the ground and arrests him. Gloves and other products made of Neoprene are found in his car.
During his interrogation, Scobie refuses to confess and says that the victims are "sluts" who weren't really raped. However, Rossi tricks him into repeating the phrase he said to Diana Mitchell: "Nobody believes a slut who cries wolf". Diana, watching from outside, realizes that Scobie is her rapist.
Soon after, the BAU realize that Scobie's attacks do not fit the Piano Man's M.O., as he did not restrain the victims with piano wire like the original rapist, and interrogate him again. They tell Scobie that unless he helps them in their inquiries, he will be charged with the original rapes as well as the recent ones. Finally caught, Scobie confesses to his crimes and reveals that he only had two targets left. One was Donna Campbell, the woman killed by the Piano Man. The other was Regina Lampert, who has disappeared (in fact, she has been trying to find the real Piano Man).
Scobie is then imprisoned for his crimes. However, it is implied that he is given a plea deal for a reduced sentence in return for helping them catch Bartholomew, whom the BAU apprehend shortly after arresting Scobie.
Trivia[]
- Scobie is inspired by Heriberto Seda, a.k.a. “The New York Zodiac Killer”, a Zodiac Killer copycat modifying the M.O. to try and make his own derivative pattern. They coincidentally share the same first and last initials.
External Links[]
- Herman Scobie on the Criminal Minds Wiki