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My father was a good man. Wasn't his fault that I ended up the way I did.

— Howard Ennis, "The Deductionist"

Howard Ennis is a serial killer nicknamed "The Peeler". He stalked blonde women via the Internet and killed 13 of them in New York and New Jersey before being caught and imprisoned in 2005.

Biography[]

Season 1[]

Ennis is temporarily released from prison to donate a kidney to his sister Patricia. While being prepped for surgery, he's able to block the sedation and uses a scalpel and then a gun from a corrections officer to kill the medical staff and escape. He leaves a message at the scene, "Shedir", a star. FBI profiler Kathryn Drummond becomes involved in the case having caught Ennis in 2005. Patricia provides letters from Howard and is glad Kathryn is on the case. Holmes deduces that the clue Ennis left behind is a star map which when overlaid on NYC marks the site of Ennis' next targets, however Holmes believes it is a ruse. Ennis enters a store and shoots two people before forcing a blonde woman to take his picture with a newspaper. He leaves her alive even though she's the type of woman he murdered in the past. Watson believes that Ennis' acts contrary to his profile are meant to confuse.

S01E14-Ennis attack in hospital
The anesthetic isn't entering his vein.

S01E14-Ennis points gun
Will you do me a favor?


Ennis calls Captain Gregson and reveals that his actions are meant to humiliate Drummond who blamed Ennis' actions on his father abusing him. Ennis says this wasn't true, blames Drummond for his father's suicide and says he'll stop killing if he's given Drummond. Vandalism at Patricia's house reveals to Watson that she induced kidney illness and is working with her brother. While Drummond apologizes for her allegations about her father, Patricia stabs her. Ennis calls Gregson at the hospital and says since Drummond will survive, he'll keep killing. Holmes overhears the call and deduces Ennis' location after hearing Ennis tune a radio. Holmes is waiting at Ennis' hideout and has placed handcuffs and a handgun on a table. He offers Ennis the chance to surrender or attack him to prove that Drummond's profile that he's a coward is wrong. Ennis chooses the latter so Holmes breaks his hand and beats him with an escrima stick. Gregson and the police arrive and arrest Ennis.[1]

S01E14-Holmes challenges Ennis
I will reach for you.

S01E14-Ennis beaten
I suppose rules were made to be broken.

References[]

  1. Season 1, episode 14: "The Deductionist"
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