| “ | I used to tell Riley, that no matter where we were, the man in the moon would be looking down on both of us. | ” |
— Mason
| ||
Sarah Jean Mason, also known as The Ice Queen, was the wife and reluctant accomplice of serial killer Jacob Dawes. They appeared in the Season One episode of Criminal Minds, "Riding the Lightning".
Background[]
Born in Florida, Mason was the daughter of Deb Mason and her unnamed husband and was described as a shy, quiet, and smart child. A strict military man, Mason's father abused his wife, but according to Deb, never laid a hand on his daughter, despite the two often not seeing eye to eye. Eventually, Mason got a job as a housekeeper, working primarily for wealthy families in Hampton, and met a carpenter named Jacob Dawes, who she was attracted due to her seeing "freedom" in him. In reality, Dawes was a sadistic serial killer who torture-murdered teenage girls in his workshop, burying the bodies under it and the places he renovated. While Mason had at least some knowledge of what Dawes was doing, she never did anything to stop him. In 1988, between February 13th-September, the two had a child, who they named Riley, and three years later, Mason, overcome with guilt, made an anonymous call to the police, saying she had seen Dawes with several girls who were reported missing. After the police interviewed him, Dawes, intending to flee, told Mason to kill Riley, believing him to be nothing more than a liability. Refusing to kill Riley, Mason gave him to the Sheffield's, a couple she cleaned for, afterward telling Dawes she had killed him and disposed of the body.
Three hours later, the police arrested the two, after getting a search warrant and discovering the remains of twelve girls under Dawes' workshop. Mason falsely confessed to murdering Riley, but never mentioned taking part in any of Dawes' murders, despite his claims that she brought him victims. Dubbed "The Ice Queen" due to her seemingly apathetic demeanour during the trial, Dawes and Mason was sent to the Florida State Penitentiary, and sentenced to death. Kept in isolation for her own protection, Mason spent her time painting, with some of her paintings depicting a river, a bouquet of roses (twelve, for each of Dawes' known victims) and Riley running through a meadow. When Riley, now known as Byron Sheffield, had an article written about him in a newspaper, mentioning a scholarship he had gotten for his cello playing, Mason cut it out and hid it in a picture frame.
Riding the Lightning[]
While Dawes is being interviewed by Hotch and JJ for additional murders, Gideon and the BAU finds Riley/Byron and the former asks for them to hold off on Mason's execution because he believes she is innocent. After Dawes is executed (before which Hotch reveals to him that Sarah Jean betrayed him), he sent Morgan and Greenaway to go bring Riley to the jail. Mason then tells Gideon to let it go, as she did not want her son to know what his parents were. Morgan and Greenaway manage to find Riley but Gideon calls them and tells them to leave it alone. Mason smiles at Gideon thankfully and asks him to be the last face she sees before she is executed. He agrees and Mason is executed. At the end of the episode, Gideon is seen sitting in a theater, crying happily as he watches Riley play the cello.
Notes[]
- Though it doesn't seem to be a direct reference to her, Mason's name closely mirrors that of Sara Jane Moore, a woman who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford on September 22, 1975, but failed.
- Though not a direct reference by any means, a number of portions of Mason as well as Riley can be connected to Charlene Gallego, especially where classical music and the eventual 'betrayal' is concerned.
- Mason painting while on death row could be a slight nod to serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who is very similar to Dawes.
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ Though she is stated to have married Dawes, she is referred to by her birth name, also being credited in the episode casting as such