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This is proof! This is proof that I can protect our new baby! This is proof. Proof that I'm never, never going to let anything or anyone ever hurt him!
~ Johnson pleading for his wife to come back to him.

Tanner Johnson is the main antagonist of the Criminal Minds episode "Gatekeeper". He is a serial killer who murders people he views as "bad influences" on his community in a delusional attempt to persuade his ex-wife to forgive him for their son's death and come back to him.

He is portrayed by Jack Plotnik.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Johnson worked as a freelance photographer and a part-time doorman. He and his wife, Hannah, had a 10-year-old son named Jeremy. One day, Johnson was watching over Jeremy and a friend who had come over as they playfully wrestled each other and stepped away for a moment to answer a phone call. When he came back, he discovered that Jeremy had lost consciousness after his friend put him a chokehold, and he tried in vain to revive him. Jeremy was hospitalized, but doctors told Johnson and Hannah that their son was braindead, and so they took him off of life support to end his suffering. Hannah blamed Johnson for Jeremy's death, accusing him of being "too weak" to protect his family, and divorced him, leaving him alone and devastated by grief and guilt.

In his isolation, Johnson gradually lost contact with reality and became deeply paranoid; he grew obsessed with the idea that his community was full of "bad influences" like the boy who killed his son, and began spying on his neighbors, convinced that he was the "guardian" of his community.

Johnson's breaking point occurred, and He became obsessed with proving to Hannah (who was pregnant with their second child), that he was strong and capable enough to protect her and the baby, which he deluded himself was his, and so began killing people in the community he saw as "bad influences", beginning with Michael Dunsmore, who smoked marijuana, and Ryan Maxford, a homeless man who panhandled for money in the neighborhood. His modus operandi was to stalk his victims, blitz-attack them from behind, and strangle them to death. He then took Polaroid photos of his victims' corpses, stole their wallets, and cut off pieces of their hair to keep in a scrapbook as trophies.

"Gatekeeper"[]

Johnson kills womanizer Scott Delfino and juvenile delinquent Colin Kirkland within days of each other, taking their pictures and wallets and cutting off locks of their hair. He then goes to work, where he encounters Ashley Foulani, Delfino's last conquest before Johnson killed him. Foulani, whom Delfino had manipulated into believing he loved her, inadvertently finds Johnson's scrap book and realizes that he killed Delfino; she then threatens to call the police. During the ensuing struggle, Johnson accidentally knocks Foulani over a railing, sending her falling to her death three stories below. He panics and garrotes the body post-mortem so the police will not think she was killed by the same person as Delfino and Kirkland, but he also covers her body with a blanket out of remorse.

Meanwhile, the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) investigates the murders of Delfino and Kirkland, profiling the killer as a male voyeur in his 30s or 40s who preys on people he views as immoral, and who keeps trophies of his victims to create and preserve a fantasy version of himself as righteous and powerful. They also deduce that the killer lives in same the area where he dumps his victims' bodies, and that he has a job that allows him to observe people unnoticed. Finally, they theorize that Foulani's murder, which seems impulsive and sloppy in contrast to the others and displays signs of remorse, means that the killer is devolving as an important event in his life, such as the birth of a child, fast approaches. Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia cross-references expectant fathers with men who work in solitary jobs such as service workers, groundskeepers, and security guards, and eventually finds Johnson.

Johnson breaks into Hannah's house, where she is going into labor, and kills her brother. He shows a terrified Hannah his murder scrapbook, saying that it is "proof" that he is strong enough to protect her and the baby, which he refers to as "ours"; he even offers to deliver the child himself. Between contractions, Hannah curses Johnson, saying that he is still weak, and is now a murderer who she would not let near her child. Just then, the BAU bursts into the house to arrest him. Panicked, Johnson takes Hannah hostage by holding a pair of scissors to her throat, but BAU Agent Spencer Reid persuades him to let her go by lying that he can tell the baby's umbilical cord is wrapped around its neck. As Johnson is taken into federal custody, Reid and fellow BAU Agent Derek Morgan deliver the baby, a perfectly healthy boy whom Hannah named "Reid" in gratitude to Agent Reid for saving her life and that of her child. Johnson, meanwhile, is imprisoned for life.

Trivia[]

  • Johnson is inspired by multiple real-life and fictional serial killers:
    • Cleophus Prince, Jr., a.k.a. “The Clairemont Killer”, a serial killer/rapist of women near where his girlfriend lives and whom he stalked when they all went to the same gym.
    • Edward, the main antagonist of the slasher film Too Scared to Scream; another doorman and serial killer of the tenants in his building to impress his co-worker and former intimate partner.
  • Johnson's son's death is inspired by the Lionel Tate case.

External links[]

Navigation[]

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Season 1
Adrian Bale | Bruno Hawks | Clara Hayes | Cory Bridges | David Walker | Donald Curtis | Eddie Mays | Edward Hill | Hassan Nadir | Jackson Cally & His Tribe | Jacob Dawes | L.D.S.K. | Maggie Lowe | Mark Gregory | Mary Mays | Michael Russo | Pablo Vargas | Richard Slessman | Ted Bryar | The Fisher King | The Footpath Killer| The Fox | The Keystone Killer | The Seattle Strangler | The Tommy Killer | The Vigilante | Vincent Perotta | Vincent Shyer | Will Sykes


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Amber Canardo | Carl Buford | Charles Holcombe | Charles Hankel | Frank Breitkopf | Hayden Rawlings | Jamal Abaza | Jeffrey Charles | Joe Mulford | Kenneth Roberts | Lyov Lysowksy | Marcus Younger | Michael Earlson | Mulford Brothers | Nathan Harris | Rodney Harris | Ronald Weems | Roy Woodridge | Sarah Danlin | Steven Foster | Terrance Wakeland | The Fisher King | The Hollow Man | The Mill Creek Killer | The Stripping Bandit | Tobias Hankel | Tony Canardo | Vincent Stiles | William Lee


Season 3
23rd Street Killers | Anna Begley | Charlie Wilkinson | Chester Hardwick | David Smith | Francis Goehring | Gary and Ervin Robles | Glen Hill | Henry Frost | Jason Clark Battle | Jeremy Andrus | Joe | Joe Smith | Lucky | Mike Hicks | Nathan Tubbs | New York Terrorist Cell | Owen Savage | Peter Redding | Phillip Hensen | Richard Jacobs | Robert Wilkinson | Ryan Phillips | Stanley Howard | Steven Fitzgerald | Susan Jacobs | The Blue Ridge Strangler | The Campus Killer | The Have-You-Seen-Me Murderer | True Night


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Adam Jackson | Animal | Armando Ruis Salinas | Ben Abner | Benjamin Cyrus | Chad Brown | Chloe Kelcher | Claire Bates | Danny Murphy | "Diablo" | Eric Ryan Olson | Floyd Hansen | Gary Michaels | Henry Grace | Hugh Rollins | Ian Coakley | Leo Kane | Lucas Turner | Mason Turner | Megan Kane | New York Terrorist Cell | Paul Silvano | Robert Parker | Roderick Gless | Romani Family | Sam | Separatarian Sect | Shara Carlino | Sid Rutledge | Steven Baleman | The Angel Maker | The Reaper | The Road Warrior | Tommy Wheeler | Vincent Rowlings | William Harris


Season 5
Anita Roycewood | Arthur Malcolm | Bill Hodges | Bosola | Boyd Schuller | Connor O'Brien | Dale Schrader | Darrin Call | Earl Bulford | Gina King | Joe Belser | John Vincent Bell | Juliet Monroe | Miranda Dracar | Omar Morales | Owen Porter | Patrick Meyers | Prince of Darkness | Ray Campion | Robert Burke | Robert Johnson | Roger Roycewood | Ronald Boyd | Samantha Malcolm | The Fox | The Hollow Creek Killer | The Reaper | The Reimanns | Turner's Group | Wade Hatchett | William O'Brien | Will Summers


Season 6
Ben Foster | Bill Thomas | Blake Wells | Brandon Stiles | Colby Bachner | Drew Jacobs | Greg Phinney | Hollis Walker Jr. | Ian Doyle | James Barrett | James Stanworth | James Thomas | Jane Gould | Jeremy Sayer | Kaman Scott | Lucy | Michael Kosina | Prince of Darkness | Ray Donovan | Rhett Walden | Robert Bremmer | Shane Wyland | Shelley Chamberlain | Steve | Sydney Manning | Syd Pearson | The Butcher


Season 7
Ben Bradstone | Bill Rogers | Caleb Rossmore | Chase Whitaker | Chloe Donaghy | Chris Shelton | Clark Preston | Colonel Ron Massey | Curtis Banks | Donald and Linda Collins | Dylan Kohler | George Kelling | Harvey Morell | Herman Scobie | Ian Doyle | Izzy Rogers | James Heathridge | J.B. Allen | Jeffrey Collins | Jimmy Hall | Lachlan McDermott | Lewis Ramsey | Lieutenant Shockley Tawes | Luke Dolan | Malcolm Ford | Margaret Hallman | Matthew Downs | Mike Janeczko | Randy Slade | Robert Adams | Rodney Garrett | Roscoe Gulch | The Face Cards | The Piano Man | The Womb Raider | Travis James | Trevor Mills


Season 8
Adam Rain | Arthur Rykov | Bryan Hughes | Carl Buford | Carl Finster | Chad Mills | Darlene Beckett | David Roy Turner | Diane Turner | Donnie Bidwell | Ellen Russell | Emma Kerrigan | Jason Nelson | John Nelson | Johnny Ray Covey | Larry Feretich | Mark Jackson | Matt and Josh Moore | Paul Westin | Peter Harper | Phillip Connor | Raoul Whalen | Rodney Harris | Russell Smith | Sera Morrison | Tess Mynock | The Replicator | The Silencer | Toby Whitewood | Tory Chapman | Willie Kestler


Season 9
Alan and Judith Anderson | Anton Harris | Carla Hines | Cesar Jones | Charles Johnson | Clifford Walsh | Colin Bramwell | Daniel Milworth | Daria Samsen | David Wade Cunningham | Eddie Lee Wilcox | Edward Ray Stokes | Eric Carcani | Ian Little | Jesse Gentry | Joe Bachner | John Nichols | Justin Mills | Leland Duncan | Marvin Caul | Michael Feehan | Michael Hastings | Michelle Fader | Nicole Jones | Owen McGregor | Ronald Underwood | Sam Russell | Sheila Harrison | Sue Walsh | Tanner Johnson | Tivon Askari | Wallace Hines | Wayne Gulino | William Harding | Woodsman Killer


Season 10
Alex Zorgen | Allen Archer | Benton Farland | Brian Stiller | Claire Dunbar | Colin Dupley | Colton Grant | Dale Shavers | Danny Stokes | Dinah Troy | Don Black | Donna Mangold | Donnie Mallick | Ellen Connell | Frank Cosgrove | Hayman Vasher | Jack Westbrook | James Burke | Jerry Tidwell | John David Bidwell | Jon Kanak | Justin Leu | Kyle Zorgen | Leo Jenkins | Marc Clifford | Miles Hendrick | Mr. Tidwell | Mr. Scratch | Patrick Butler | Patrick Jon Murphy | Peter Folkmore | Randall Jefferson Jones | Steven Parkett | Taras Yudin | The Mirror Man | Weeks


Season 11
Al Eisenmund | Andrew Meeks | Antonia Slade | Benjamin Wade | Betty Wilson | Brian Cochran | Chazz Montolo | Claude Barlow | Dana Seavers | Edgar Solomon | Eric Rawdon | Flora Martin | Giuseppe Montolo | Jacob DuFour | James O'Neill | Jillian Carter | John Bradley | Johnson | Joseph Berzon | Leonard Ennis | Lester Turner | Matthew Franks | Michael Clark Thompson | Michael Lee Peterson | Ms .45 | Mitchell Crossford | Mr. Scratch | Patrick Sorenson | Paul Larson | Randy Jacobs | Robert Boles | Sam Burnett | Skull Tattoo Man | The Bomber | The Chemist | The Sniper | Tommy Larson | William Cochran | William Duke Mason | William Taylor


Season 12
Alan Crawford | Bea Adams | Ben Davis | Bryce Jarvis | Calvin Shaw | Cormac Burton | John David Bates | John Malone | Jonathan Rhodes | Kevin Decker | Kyle Ecklund | Lindsey Vaughn | Lionel Wilkins | Mark Tolson | Mr. Scratch | Ms .45 | Sara McLean | Stuart Barker | The Bone Crusher | The Crimson King | The Day/Night Killer | The Henson Twins | The Womb Raider | Zeke Daniels


Season 13
Asclepius | Caleb Sands | Cheryl Kaline | Desi Gutierrez | Gabriel Merza | Irene Jacobs | Jake Logan | Jess Carney | Josh Martin | Justin Franco | Kevin Peck | Kevon Winters | Lawrence Coleman | Leonard Hagland | Lucky | Marcus Manning | Mark Henshaw | Mary Meadows | Melissa Miller | Michelle Gorman | Mr. Scratch | Mr. X | Sal Capilano | The Believers | The Horseman | The Central Park Ripper | The Messiah | The Neon Terror | Wick Rollins | William Lynch


Season 14
Arthur Brodie | Casey Allen Pinkner | David Smith | Dorothy and Karl Elgin | Douglas Knight | Dustin Eisworth | Edward Addison | Eduardo Ramos | Elizabeth Rhodes | Emmanuel Rask | Galina Kadlec | Grace Lynch | Jacob Wallace | James and Marcus Wells | Jeremy Grant | Jordan Halloran | Mark Zabel | Mary Meadows | Roberta Lynch | Robert Smith | Stephanie Carter | The Believers | The Chameleon | The Messiah | The Tall Man | Varnville Unsub | Wayne Hollis


Season 15
Beaumont Unsub | Brian Garritty | George Kyle Peters | Grace Lynch | Hayes Cullinan | Delvin Weaver | Juliette Weaver | Louie's Gang | Louis Chaycon | Orlando Gaines | Ms .45 | Roberta Lynch | Sebastian Hurst | Shelby Mattson | The Manner Street Killer | The Chameleon


Criminal Minds: Evolution
Aida Unlimited | Aiden Keller | Arthur Kiel | Benjamin Reeves | Brian Garrity | Cyrus Lebrun | Damien Booth | Dana Howe | Elias Voit | Frank Church | Frank Scelsa | Gael and Jude Bruneau | The Gold Star Killers | Kai Veneer | Martha Reeves | Mitch Nevins | Rick Waters | Robert Harris | Roger Song | Rory Gilcrest | Sam Pollard | Sebastian Gasper | Sicarius Network | Jade Waters |


Books
Daniel Dryden | David Yarno and Becker Chapin | Herman Kotchman | Suzanne and Lawrence Silvan


Suspect Behavior
Clark Earle Page | Davis Scolfield | Deirdre Norris | Indianapolis Unsub | Jason Wheeler | Kelvin Cornwell | Leonard Keane | Marcus Lee Graham | Matthew Keane | Margaret McKenna | Michael Vinoda | Rachel Lancroft | Rawlins | Richard Stahl | Thomas Luca | Trevor Norris | Veronica Day | William Meeks


Beyond Borders Season 1
Abu Hakim Al Badi | Antonio Cayetan | Curtis Miller | Hasina | Klahan | Marion Codwell | Natalie Knox and Nick Jamison | Neith Ghannam | The Butcher of Paris | Paul Ntombi | Pretorius | Rafael Acosta | Samraj Sabah | Saraphina Labeau | The Tuareg Brothers | Xavi and Simon Alonso | Yukio Aito


Beyond Borders Season 2
Al Gui | Bangladeshi Unsub | Bishop | Brunswick Mission Church | Damien Andrews | Elijah Ward | Lee Geon-woo | Giannis Petrou | Ian Wilson | Ivan Kozar | Linda Barnes | Metal Fang | Michael Huang | Nazmi Dushku | Onario Alighieri | Rosa Fernandez | The Gonzalez Sisters | The Monster of Florence | The Sticker | Scott Davis | Yoo Su-bin |


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