Audrey Henson

Audrey Henson (née Sawyer) is a killer who appeared in Season Three of Criminal Minds.

Background
Audrey married Philip Henson in 1987 and the two lived together in a small house in Boston, Massachusetts. Audrey gave birth to their daughter Sarah a few months after being married and their son Nathan was born two years later. Philip was extremely controlling and psychologically abusive towards Audrey and constantly criticized and belittled everything she did. Philip also made Audrey cut off all contact with the outside world (leaving barely any documentation of her existence) and, over time, caused their children believe she was as worthless as he though she was.

After years of being abused by her husband and children Audrey finally snapped in 2008. While putting away clothes she saw Philip sleeping in their bedroom and, grabbing a rifle he had on display, shot him in the back, killing him instantly. After killing her husband Audrey meticulously cleaned up his blood, not to destroy evidence but out of her belief that Philip would have been extremely mad at her if she let the police in and they saw what a mess their room was. Eventually, Sarah returned home and, after finding her mother calmly sitting next to her father's body, called 911.

The Crossing
Audrey was going to be charged with murder and likely get life in prison when her lawyer claimed she killed Philip due to suffering from battered woman syndrome, despite there being no evidence she was ever physically harmed by Philip. As a favor to the district attorney Rossi and Hotch were asked to interview Audrey to see if the claim of BWS had any basis. Talking to Audrey the agents realized that while Philip may not have hurt her physically he essentially destroyed her emotionally. Becoming somewhat sympathetic towards Audrey after Rossi and Hotch have her attend a second interview with her the district attorney reduces Audrey's charge to Criminally Negligent Homicide, meaning she will get time served and be eligible for parole

Profile
Being constantly battered psychologically by her husband and children caused Audrey to develop a severe inferiority complex. Audrey also showed signs of Stockholm syndrome and was overly neat, to the point of being obsessive, which is shown when she used a ruler to make sure clothes and shoes she put away were exactly an equal distance apart from each other.

Modus Operandi
Philip's murder was completely spur of the moment, Audrey going from putting laundry away to shooting him in the back with a .22 rifle (which Philip had on display in the bedroom) in a matter of seconds.

Known Victims

 * Philip Henson

Appearances

 * Season Three
 * "The Crossing"