Krystall Richards

RECURRING CHARACTER
Name	Krystall Richards
Gender	Female
Family	David Rossi (husband) Unnamed second ex-husband Portia Richards (daughter) Joy Struthers (stepdaughter) Shawn Struthers (stepson-in-law) Kai Struthers (stepgrandson) Unnamed brother (possible)
Occupation	Former blackjack dealer
Status	Deceased (mentioned on "Just Getting Started")
Portrayed By	Gail O'Grady
First Appearance	"The Dance of Love"
Last Appearance	"And in the End..." (on "Criminal Minds") "Dead End" (on "Evolution")

“	It must be difficult being you, seeing the monsters out there the rest of us can't.	”
	— Krystall

Krystall Richards was a recurring character on Criminal Minds who remarried SSA David Rossi.

Background

Nothing is known about Krystall's past except that she was a blackjack dealer in Las Vegas, where she met Rossi at the blackjack tables. The two went on a drunken night out together, and later got married at a drive-thru wedding chapel by an Elvis impersonator. Once they sobered up the next day, they had the marriage annulled and went their seperate ways, keeping in touch, albeit intermittently, over the years. Sometime afterwards, she moved to Los Angeles and got remarried to an unnamed man. She later gave birth to a daughter, Portia. Eventually, she and her husband also divorced. Portia grew up to be a big fan of Rossi's books and was amazed to learn that he and Krystall were briefly married. In 2018, Portia got engaged to a man named Wick Rollins, whom Krystall took a liking to. The two decided to get married in Washington, D.C., prompting Krystall to reach out to Rossi, who she hadn't seen in person since their short-lived marriage in Las Vegas.

Season Eight

Perennials

Before her appearance in Season Thirteen, Krystall is notably mentioned, though not by name, in this episode. While investigating a case, Rossi mentions that his third ex-wife once said that he had a strong sense of smell and compared his to that of a blood hound's and used this to persuade a moonshiner, who was a neighbor to one of the victims, to reveal that he had met the unsub while he was trying to locate the man.

Season Eleven

'Til Death Do Us Part

Rossi reveals the circumstances of how they met while on the way home from a case after noticing Lewis's engagement ring and how he should've known it wouldn't last on account of the fact that she spelled her name with a "K" and two l's.

Season Thirteen

The Dance of Love

Krystall and Rossi meet up for coffee a week before Portia's wedding and the two reminisce about their night out in Las Vegas, laughing about the song they got married to, which Rossi didn't remember as being Hound Dog. Krystall briefly compliments Rossi's greying hair before the conversation moves to Portia's upcoming wedding. When Rossi mentions that she must be excited, Krystall quips that is another way of saying "nervous wreck," before telling him about Wick, describing him as "a sweetheart of a guy." She then asks about his life since they last saw each other, namely Rossi's discovery that he had fathered a daughter, Joy, with his second wife, and is a grandfather to her son, Kai. Rossi describes learning about them as "a wonderful surprise" and reveals that he and Hayden, having briefly rekindled their relationship, had seperated but remained good friends. Krystall invites Rossi to go to the wedding as her guest, which he accepts after Krystall assures him that Portia would undoubtedly approve. Rossi promptly offers to give her, Portia and Wick a tour of the BAU, to which Krystall happily agrees to before leaving.

Season Fourteen

In the Season Fourteen episode "Starter Home", she and Rossi are seen rekindling their relationship, they are first seen together talking in a hotel room), before Rossi is called on a case and Krystall leaves for the airport. After Rossi and the team solve the case, he is seen in New York eating dinner with Krystall, Portia and Scott(Portia's first boyfriend since her breakup with Wick). After Portia and Scott leave, Krystall and Rossi go for a nightcap.

In "Ashley", Rossi wants to propose to Krystall and make it a surprise, but Krystall locked herself out of his house so she spent the morning with Dave(Rossi) at the office where Garcia found out from Portia that David bought an engagement ring, this way letting Krystall find out that he plans to propose. After Penelope leaves, she tells Rossi that she doesn't need a ring and that what they have is special. After Prentiss comes into his office telling him that they have a case, Krystall tells him to see if the jewelry store has a return policy. Once the case Rossi had to solve is solved and a little pep talk from Prentiss, Dave decides to meet with Krystall at the office and meets her downstairs. While they are in the elevator he stops it, gets down on one knee and proposes to which she responds with YES. The episode finishes with the whole team congratulating them on their engagement.

In "Chameleon", Rossi leaves home for work but is sent home by Prentiss. Once he gets home, he breaks down in front of his fiancée, and Krystall hugs him. After this scene the whole episode consists of Rossi telling Krystall the whole case from beginning to the end, with some necessary explanations along the way.

In "Truth or Dare", Krystall and Dave are looking around the place where their wedding will be held with the help of a pro. She says she can't wait to get married to Rossi and after that asks when the flowers will be put up. Rossi cell beeps and she asks the pro to give them a minute and Rossi leaves to solve the case promising to be back in time for the wedding. After the case is solved and JJ and Reid are safe, the wedding takes place. The newlyweds dance together, and the others as well, they cut the cake and Rossi and Krystall kissing.

Season Fifteen

In the series finale, "And in the End...", Krystall is protected by an FBI agent after the BAU discovered that Lynch survived the explosion. She is greeted by Lynch, posing as the FBI agent he killed and is soon taken hostage by him. Lynch demands a private jet so he could make his escape at the airport, the BAU arrived and Rossi convinced him to take him hostage instead. She is later seen at a party Rossi throws for Garcia.

Evolution

It is revealed in "Just Getting Started", Krystall has died a year prior to the events and Rossi has been taking it hard. It is further revealed she was diagnosed with an unspecified illness in "Sicarius". Flashbacks to the day of her funeral were seen in "Memento Mori". While held captive by Elias Voit, Rossi hallucinates Krystall telling him it's his time to live, not die.

Appearances

• Season Seven
  • "Profiling 101" (possible appearance in flashback)
• Season Eight
  • "Perennials" (indirectly mentioned)
• Season Thirteen
  • "The Dance of Love"
• Season Fourteen
  • "Starter Home"
  • "Ashley"
  • "Chameleon"
  • "Truth or Dare"
• Season Fifteen
  • "Rusty" (referenced)
  • "Family Tree" (mentioned)
  • "And in the End..."
• Criminal Minds: Evolution
  • "Just Getting Started" (mentioned)
  • "Sicarius" (mentioned)
  • "Memento Mori" (mentioned)
  • "Dead End" (in flashback)

Notes

• According to Rossi, she once said that he has a strong sense of smell and compared him to a bloodhound. ("Perennials")