Mark Zabel was a reluctant spree killer who appeared in the Season Fourteen episode of Criminal Minds, "Truth or Dare".
Background
Not much is revealed about Mark's past prior to the events of "Truth or Dare" except for the fact that he was a musician before he was coerced into killing several people at the instructions of Casey Allen Pinkner or risk having his wife, Lynn, being killed.
Truth or Dare
He first appears in the episode where he is coerced to kill two drivers despite his apprehensions. He appears at a library where he breaks the librarian's car window and demands for his keys at gunpoint. He later drives off and tries to kill the third victim but the BAU tracks him down. He tries to tell the BAU and the police that his wife is held hostage and committed suicide by cop when they tried to apprehend him.
Modus Operandi
Zabel would stalk his victims and then crash into them while they're driving with stolen cars. He then approached them, waited until they made eye-contact and then fatally shoot them twice in the chest.
Profile
Zabel's attacks were described as bold and cold-blooded, and it was theorized he was out for revenge. One theory was he had Symphorophilia, while that was only true for the one who coerced him into killing.
Known victims
- February 2019
- Andrea Hinojosa (hit by a pickup truck while in her sedan; shot twice in the chest)
- Paul Burke (hit by an SUV while driving his truck; shot twice in the chest)
- Tyler (carjacked, threatened with gun)
- Charlie Sturgill (intended target, failed)