Season 4 Episode 22: "The Big Wheel"

           In this episode of Criminal Minds, the officer team tracks down a serial killer who targets white, blonde women in their early thirties. The killer records each murder with a video camera that is hidden in his glasses, and sends them to the police with the message “Help Me.” By watching the videos, the officers are able to conclude that the killer suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. OCD is defined by http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/obssessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd.htm as “an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors you feel compelled to perform.”

            The killer, (Vincent), displayed many symptoms throughout the show that are linked to OCD.  He would turn door handles exactly two times before opening each door, he would make sure his bed was perfectly made and his room was spotless before leaving the house, he would have all of his food pre-made the night before and cut into perfect triangles, he would wipe public door handles and sanitize them before touching them, and he would not step on the cracks in the sidewalk while he was out walking. He is also very afraid of germs – he wrapped his steering wheel in plastic wrap, uses hand sanitizer frequently, and uses a bar of soap only once, then throws it away - he has an entire cabinet full of about 100 bars of soap in his bathroom. He would commit a murder exactly every 12 months, and would target white, blonde women by stabbing them with a large knife that he always carried around with him. Many people didn’t suspect him at first since he seemed shy, quiet and harmless on the outside. The officer team was able to finally track him down after speaking with a blind 10 year old boy whose mother was murdered. This boy was actually Vincent’s mentee, since Vincent helped out with youth in the community. After further thought, the boy was able to realize that Vincent was the one who murdered his mother, since Vincent starting acting very strange around him ever since the police started looking for serial killer that fit Vincent’s description. In the end, Vincent was finally caught by the officer team, and was put in jail. Vincent knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he was unable to stop himself because his OCD was getting too strong to ignore – that’s why he wanted the police to stop him, and pleaded for their help by sending them videos of the murders.