  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | Wives wither... children perish... but me? I'm an excellent father. | „ |
| ~ Arnold's most famous quote. |
Karl Arnold Sr., also known as The Fox, is a major antagonist of the crime-drama TV series Criminal Minds. He is a serial killer who targets families, and the titular main antagonist of the season episode "The Fox". He returns in the season five episode "Outfoxed" when the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) visits him in prison to consult him about another serial killer who appears to be a copycat.
He was portrayed by Neal Jones.
Biography[]
Past[]
As a child, Arnold was physically and sexually abused by his father, and he grew up consumed with rage, self-hatred, and a need for power and control. As an adult, he became a family therapist, married a woman named Fay and had two children, Karl Jr. and Sarah. Fay eventually tired of Arnold's obsessive need for control and divorced him, and won full custody of the children. The loss of his family pushed him over the edge, and he became a serial killer who targeted whole families.
Arnold targets families he sees as dysfunctional, stalking them for weeks before attacking when they are supposed to go on vacation. He bypasses their alarm systems and kills the family pet if they had one before abducting the family. He keeps the family separated for days, during which he assumes the role of "head of the household". Eventually, he brings the family together and kills them all, starting with the children and ending with the father. Prior to the killings, he beats the male children and rapes the female children. After killing the families, he takes the fathers' wedding rings as trophies.
Defeat[]
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is called to investigate after Arnold has murdered eight families, mainly to investigate the disappearances of the Millers and the Crawfords. They find Arnold in the basement of the Dunken family's house, and he takes the Dunken infant as a hostage. He eventually releases the child and attempts to flee, but is quickly captured and taken to BAU headquarters. At headquarters, Agent Derek Morgan tricks him into confessing his crimes by switching the places of two crime scene photos on the board. Arnold can't stand anything being out of order, so he puts them in the correct sequence, unwittingly revealing his guilt. Realizing that he is caught, Arnold gives a detailed confession of the murders.
Return[]
Arnold returned in Season 5, where he helps the team with a spree-killer case, as they suspect the killer is copying his M.O. During the episode, it is revealed that the serial killer known as The Reaper is secretly working with Arnold, who is covering up the Reaper's crimes.
Victims[]
- Christopher Crawford - Shot in the head by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Allison Crawford - Stabbed to death by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Emily Crawford - Stabbed to death by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Sam Crawford - Stabbed to death by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Unnamed Miller Stepfather - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Reese Miller - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Ty Miller - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Reese's Unnamed Daughter - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, body shown in a photograph.
- Mr. Harris - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mrs. Harris - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Both of Harris' Children - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mr. Boyd - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mrs. Boyd - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Both of Boyd's Children - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Harry Dunken - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Robin Dunken - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Jackie Dunken - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Unnamed Male Dunken Baby - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mr. Ness - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mrs. Ness - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Both of Ness' Children - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mr. Linford - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mrs. Linford - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Both of Linford's Children - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Mr. Kegan - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned. Evidenced by seventh wedding ring.
- Mrs. Kegan - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Both of Kegan's Children - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned.
- Unknown Family of Four - Killed by Karl Arnold off-screen, mentioned. Evidenced by an eighth wedding ring.
- Total - 36 People
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- While Karl Arnold has 8 rings, its mentioned by Aaron Hotchner that most family annihilators start with invading homes and only killing one victim, and in the episode "The Fox" he kills 3 of 4 family members and frames the dad of the household, meaning he might not even have claimed 4 and might have claimed 3 or 1 then the 8 rings he had.
- Arnold is inspired by two real-life family killers:
- Daniel LaPlante, a murderer of a mother and her children who was beaten and raped throughout childhood, being warped into both the murderer and squatter of the family he targeted.
- Joseph Kallinger, a serial killer and victim of childhood domestic violence, who eventually murdered whole families with the assistance of his son.
- Tommy Lynn Sells, a.k.a. "The Coast to Coast Killer", a serial killer and a victim of child sexual abuse responsible for several murders, including those of families and involving sexual violence against women and children.
- Nathaniel Code, a.k.a. "The Ceder Grove Killer, a serial killer of families of four profiled by FBI veteran John Douglas as murdering for control
- Robert Napper, a.k.a. "The Plumstead Ripper", a serial killer/rapist of mothers in front of their children, and once a daughter of one of the mothers, with increasing sexual and physical violence and posthumous mutilations. Napper left an innocent man to be framed for the murder of Rachel Nickell.
- Cameron Boney, a killer guilty of a massacre that resulted in the wrongful conviction of David Camm, a sheriff's deputy whose wife and daughters were killed while he was out of the house and for which he was wrongfully convixtsd of for years.
External links[]
- The Fox on the Criminal Minds Wiki
