Summary

• Criminal Minds episodes draw inspiration from real-life serial killers and true crime, adding chilling realism to the show's stories.
• The rebooted Criminal Minds: Evolution continues to use real cases as inspiration, prompting the creation of the docuseries The Real Criminal Minds.
• From the Zodiac Killer to the Lipstick Killer, the show incorporates infamous and lesser-known cases, delving into the dark and disturbed minds of serial killers.

Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases ensured the show covered some of the disturbing crimes of any weekly procedural drama on network television. Criminal Minds focuses on the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (the BAU) and the UnSubs (Unidentified Subjects) they hunt down. The show's serial killers are often incredibly dark and disturbed, with their sinister acts made all the more chilling in the Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases — as many are. From infamous names like the Zodiac Killer to more obscure cases like the 1940s Lipstick Killer, Criminal Minds often delves into true crime for inspiration.

While Criminal Minds ended in 2020 after its 15th season, Paramount Plus brought the show back with the rebooted Criminal Minds: Evolution. Just like the show's original run, Evolution has also drawn on true crime to inspire its stories. While the UnSubs in Criminal Minds are all fictional, many of their circumstances and crimes are based on real people and true events — a fact Paramount+ capitalized on by ordering The Real Criminal Minds, which is a docuseries about these real-life serial killers (via Deadline).

15 Season 1, Episode 11 — "Blood Hungry"

UnSub Eddie Mays Is Based On Richard Trenton Chase

This great episode of Criminal Minds based on a real case from the show's first season is "Blood Hungry", which sees the team hunting a killer who is eating the organs of his victims — a sinister act that takes inspiration from the real-life case of Richard Chase. Chase killed several people within a month in the 1970s in California, drank their blood, and ate their remains. In real life, Chase was the serial killer known as "The Vampire of Sacramento". Chase was a cannibal and necrophilic who killed six people before his arrest.

Serial killer Richard Chase operated from 1977 to 1978, and he died in 1980 when he took his only life shortly following his capture. The Criminal Minds episode doesn't go into all the grisly details of the real-life case, but it does draw inspiration from it. Reid mentioned Chase and said he was driven to kill by the belief aliens had invaded his body, and the UnSub, Eddie Mays, credited Chase as the inspiration for his killing spree. Just like Chase, Mays attempted suicide, but in the show, the BAU managed to stop him.

14 Season 6, Episode 11 — "25 To Life"

Wrongly Convicted Man Donald Sanderson Is Based On Jeffrey MacDonald

One of the more tragic cases to inspire a Criminal Minds episode is that of Jeffrey MacDonald. In real life, former medical doctor and U.S. Army captain Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and two daughters in 1970. He maintained his innocence, claiming that four men broke into the house and murdered his family. He is still incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland.

Two Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases reference Jeffrey MacDonald. Season 6's "25 To Life" sees the team interviewing a man convicted of killing his wife and daughter but claims that he's innocent and intruders murdered his family named Donald Sanderson. The character of Donald Sanderson was inspired by MacDonald. The difference is that the FBI was able to prove his innocence in the episode, and it showed he was telling the truth. Hotch also specifically mentions MacDonald when dealing with an UnSub in "Magnificent Light."

13 Season 11, Episode 14 — "Hostage"

UnSub Michael Clark Thompson Is Based On The Ariel Castro Kidnappings

The Criminal Minds season 11 episode "Hostage" is eerily similar to the real-life case of Ariel Castro kidnapping multiple women and holding them prisoner, and there's even a quote that refers to Castro by name in the episode. Castro held three women captive for almost ten years severely beating them and raping them multiple times. One woman did give birth and others suffered miscarriages. He held them captive from 2002 until 2013 when one of the girls escaped with her daughter and got to the police. One month into his life sentence, Castro died by suicide.

Castro was an influence on five episodes. These Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases portray the gruesome details pretty similarly to how it happened in real life. The closest comparison came in season 11 with "Hostage," where Michael Clark Thompson shared a lot of similarities to Castro, including abducting three girls, and his arrest came thanks to one of the girls escaping.

12 Season 7, Episode 20 — "The Company"

Criminal Minds Takes On The Kidnapping Of Colleen Stan

"The Company" was based on the kidnapping of hitchhiker Colleen Stan by couple Cameron and Janice Hooker. The couple kept her locked up for 23 hours each day, and she was sexually abused during the one hour she was allowed out. Stan agrees to be their slave after the couple convinces her of an evil organization called The Company that would torture her and her family if she didn't agree.

This Criminal Minds episode closely mirrors the real case, but with a key difference. In the show, The Company is portrayed as a real organization, although not one that the kidnappers knew much about. UnSub Malcolm Ford uses the same sort of sensory deprivation box to keep their abductee submissive. On top of the Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases, this real-life kidnapping was the basis for two movies — The Poughkeepsie Tapes in 2007 and Girl in the Box on Lifetime in 2016.

11 Season 12, Episode 15 — "Alpha Male" (12.15)

Spree Killer Elliot Rodger Was The Basis For A Chilling Criminal Minds Episode

Not all Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases are inspired by serial killers. Season 12's "Alpha Male" was based on the case of Elliot Rodger, a spree killer who murdered six people and injured 14 others in Santa Barbara, California. Rodgers was notably infamous for dubbing his actions a "day of retribution" in a video released online. The 22-year-old carried out this destructive act by shooting, stabbing, and attacking his victims with a vehicle, before taking his own life. This is also known as the 2024 Isle Vista killings, Rodger cited the inability to find a girlfriend as his motivation.

The Criminal Minds episode follows an UnSub perpetrating several misogynistic attacks by throwing acid at women because he's upset about not being in a relationship. The team mentioned Rodger while searching for their UnSub, and he was clearly the inspiration for Alan Crawford, the killer in the Criminal Minds episode. The fictionalized version of the case even involves Crawford writing a manifesto and attacking smaller targets before the actual killing spree.

10 Season 4, Episode 22 — "The Big Wheel"

UnSub Vincent Rowlings Is Based On The Lipstick Killer

The season 4 Criminal Minds episode "The Big Wheel" featured a serial killer who sent a videotape to the BAU with a hidden message, begging them to help stop him from murdering again. This was Vincent Rowlings, a man who watched his father murder his mother when he was a child, and he now kills women who look like his mother. He was based on The Lipstick Killer, who showed up in the 1940s and killed three women before he was stopped.

The real Lipstick Killer was William Heirens, a serial murdered active in 1946. Unlike the killer in the Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases, Heirens later recanted his admission of guilt and claimed he never killed anyone. Despite this, he remained imprisoned in Illinois until his death after serving 65 years behind bars.

9 Season 4, Episode 18 — "Omnivore" (4.18)

Multi-Episode UnSub George Foyet Is Based On The Zodiac Killer

One of the most terrifying killers on Criminal Minds is George Foyet, who fans knew for his long-running storyline as the Boston Reaper. He was a serial killer who murdered his parents and then went on to claim multiple victims throughout the 1980s. This was one of Hotch's first cases, and the early killings were based on the Zodiac Killer, which remains a cold case (although, thankfully, the Zodiac Killer isn't currently active). In Criminal Minds, the killer returned many years later to torment Hotch, and even killed his wife.

Of course, the biggest difference between the Boston Reaper in Criminal Minds and the Zodiac Killer is that the latter was never caught. To this day, no one knows who the Zodiac Killer was, although there are many theories about their identity. Criminal Minds isn't the only show or movie to take inspiration from the Zodiac Killer either, as there have been many based on one of history's most notorious uncaught serial killers.

8 Season 1, Episode 14 — "Riding The Lightning"

One Of The Show's Only Heroic UnSubs Is Based On Fred And Rose West

One of the best episodes of Criminal Minds based on a real case came with "Riding the Lightning" in Season 1. This episode saw the BAU head to a prison to interview a husband and wife serial killer couple who are preparing for their execution. However, what made this episode hit home was that the wife was not guilty, but had taken the wrap to protect her child — a rare heroic moment on Criminal Minds by an UnSub.

This Criminal Minds episode is based on a real case — albeit loosely — from the UK, that of Fred and Rose West. The real-life couple killed dozens of young British girls. Fred was found guilty and died in prison, but claimed he acted alone. Despite this, Rose was also sentenced to life in prison. The biggest difference is that the UnSub was innocent in the Criminal Minds episode, but asked to be allowed to be executed, so her child would never learn who she and her serial killer husband were. In real life, most believe that Rose was guilty.

7 Season 1, Episode 8 — "Natural Born Killer"

UnSub Vincent Perotta Is Based On Richard Kuklinski

"Natural Born Killer" was a Season 1 episode that had the BAU starting to investigate a case of a mob hit on an Organized Crime Unit. The team then realizes the UnSub is a serial killer connected to dozens of murders who targeted the OCU. The episode is based on the real-life serial killer Richard Kuklinski. Kuklinski was the serial killer known as The Iceman. His signature was putting his victim's bodies into freezers, and he killed anywhere between seven and 250 people because he often exaggerated his criminal career after he was arrested — even claiming he killed Jimmy Hoffa.

Vincent Perotta, the killer in the episode, shared a lot in common with Kuklinski. They were both hitmen and gangsters who came from abusive backgrounds. Neither liked killing women and both wanted to kill their dads (which Perotta did). Perotta also left one victim alive for rats to eat him, which is something Kuklinski claimed he once did as well.

6 Season 4, Episode 25 — "To Hell... And Back"

The Bizarre Season 4 UnSubs Are Based On Robert Pickton

"To Hell" and "And Back" are the final two scary Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases of Season 4 and feature the serial killers known as the Turner Brothers, who lead the BAU from Detroit to Canada. These killers were brothers Mason and Luvas and were part of one of Criminal Minds' weirdest cases, as they eliminated the bodies by feeding them to his pigs. These serial killers were based on the Canadian known as the Pig Farmer Killer — Robert Pickton.

Robert Pickton was suspected of killing over 30 people, although how and why he did it remains unknown. He was only tried for six murders because the other cases couldn't be proven, though he confessed responsibility for 49. The jury returned a second-degree murder verdict, and he ended up sentenced to life in prison. There were 20 other murders discovered, but none were tried after his sentencing.

5 Season 1, Episode 15 — "Unfinished Business"

UnSub The Keystone Killer Is Based On BTK

"Unfinished Business" was another season 1 Criminal Minds episode based on a real case. It presented the BAU with the Keystone Killer, a serial killer in Philadelphia who was out of action for 18 years and then showed back up to torment the retired FBI agent who worked his case. While some compared the Keystone Killer to the Zodiac Killer, the more apt comparison is the BTK Killer, Dennis Rader, who also took a significant break in his spree.

Dennis Rader killed 10 people from 1974 until 1991 and sent taunting letters to the media and police bragging about the crimes. He started sending letters again in 2004, which finally led to his arrest in 2005, 31 years after his first murder. Both Rader and Walter Kern (the real name of the UnSub) were in the Air Force, had jobs as alarm installers, and had the same trait of sending letters to the police. In the end, Kern was one of the most interesting serial killers on Criminal Minds.

4 Season 6, Episode 13 — "The Thirteenth Step" (6.13)

Sydney And Ray Are Based On Caril Ann Fugate And Charles Starkweather

"The Thirteenth Step" came out in Season 6 and featured a pair of serial killers, a young couple who went on an interstate killing spree. Adrianne Palicki starred in Criminal Minds as Sydney, a girl who fell for a local guy named Ray and killed his girlfriend before hitting the road with him. These UnSubs in Criminal Minds were based on the real-life serial killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. In real life, Starkweather was the aggressor at the start, killed Caril's family, and the two went on a killing spree, with a total of 11 victims.

Of the Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases, this one seemed almost more attuned to Oliver Stone's retelling of the story in Natural Born Killers than to the actual killings. Another movie was based on the murders in Badlands. One of the biggest differences between the Criminal Minds episode and real life was that Caril Ann Fugate was only 14 in real life. Also, both died in the episode, while in real life, Starkweather was executed and Fugate only served 17 years before being released from prison.

3 Season 5, Episode 23 — "Our Darkest Hour" (5.23)

Tim Curry's Criminal Minds Character Is Based On Richard Ramirez

"Our Darkest Hour" was the season finale of Criminal Minds season 5. This episode saw the BAU called to Los Angeles to face a serial killer who began pursuing victims during rolling blackouts, making him even more dangerous. This twisted Criminal Minds suspect was Billy Flynn, known also as the Prince of Darkness (Tim Curry). The Tim Curry Criminal Minds episode isn't only regarded as one of the best, but was also inspired by a real case — Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, a serial killer convicted of 13 murders in the '80s.

Ramirez killed all his victims in 1984 and 1985, often to support his drug addiction. He was also found to have murdered a nine-year-old girl, although this was not discovered until 2009 when his DNA matched a sample from the crime scene. He also left symbols at scenes indicating he was into Satanism, while also reportedly telling his victims to "swear on Satan" while killing them. Police finally arrested him after he left a survivor, who identified him. He died while on Death Row, while in Criminal Minds, Morgan gunned down Billy Flynn.

2 Season 4, Episode 3 — "Minimal Loss" (4.3)

Benjamin Cyrus And His Cult Are Based On David Koresh

In Season 4, Criminal Minds had the BAU head out to take on a cult leader in Benjamin Cyrus, played by Luke Perry. A hostage situation resulted in a state police raid causing everything to fall apart. This was one of the best Criminal Minds episodes and was based on David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and the Waco Siege from 1993, a tragedy that saw 86 lives lost. Cyrus was so popular that the character was a plot device in a Reid-centric episode years later.

There are several Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases that draw inspiration from Waco. Benjamin Cyrus was not only based on David Koresh, but the actual Brand Davidians were referenced in the episode, as they were in two previous season episodes as well ("The Tribe" and "Identity"). Both cases included the cult leaders believing they were in the right and the FBI siege that left countless people dead on both sides. One big difference is that Koresh died by suicide and Morgan killed Cyrus.

1 Season 1, Episode 16 — "The Tribe" (1.16)

Jackson Cally's Cult Is Based On The Manson Family

The 16th episode of Season 1 was "The Tribe." The BAU headed out to New Mexico to investigate a group of college students found dead and tortured and found a cult that was working to turn people against the Native Americans in the area. This cult was led by Jackson Cally, who wanted to start a race war. Out of all the Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases, this was the most famous, based on the Charles Manson Family, and specifically, the Helter Skelter scheme, where the cult tried to start a race war in the late '60s.

Charles Manson was often used as an inspiration for Criminal Minds episodes based on real cases, but it was "The Tribe" that delivered an UnSub closest to the cult leader's murderous family. In this, Cally has his "tribe" kill people on his orders, and one by one, Hotch and the police stop them and end up arresting Cally and his remaining followers. This is also similar to Charles Manson, who lived to serve out his remaining days in prison.