| “ | Oh, everything's okay. You're a part of something now. | ” |
— Kathy
| ||
Kathy Gray, also known by her Romanian title of "Sylvia", is an abductor and a member of a Romanian killer family, who appeared in Bloodline.
Background
In 1971, it was believed that Kathy's parents were killed by a transient and that she was abducted by the same person. In actuality, Kathy's parents were killed by a Romani family, who then abducted her from her hometown of Vienna, Virginia. As part of their ritual, she was inducted into the family by marrying the son, who rechristened her with the name "Sylvia". Kathy soon developed Stockholm syndrome, slowly growing accustomed to the family's superstitions and rituals and came to participate in them as well as fully accepting her new identity as Sylvia. She eventually had children with her husband and helped in the ritual of acquiring her youngest son a wife.
Bloodline
Years later, in 2009, Kathy participates in the ritual of gaining a wife for her son. Her husband and son murder Geoff and Nancy Hale, and all three abducted the daughter Cate. In their RV, she and the others treat Cate normally, ready to induct her into the family. However, when they realize she is epileptic after suffering from a seizure, they discard her at the side of a lonely road, where she is eventually rescued by a passing motorist. Meanwhile, Kathy aids her husband and son in abducting Lynn Robillard, with Lynn's parents being killed by the latter two. When the BAU begins handing out flyers with Kathy's face on it, Kathy's husband convinces her to turn herself in, as she would be easily recognizable and therefore a loose end, while he hides the son and Lynn.
Kathy turns herself in to authorities, and she is eventually interrogated by Prentiss and Hotch, who are initially unable to get anything from her due to her loyalty to the family. They eventually intimidate her into revealing Lynn's location by showing her the crime scene photos of her murdered parents, which elicit an emotional response from her. At the end of the episode, Kathy reunites with her son and says something in Romanian. An appointed translator reveals that the sentence meant that the son shouldn't tell a word about his brothers. Due to her voluntary involvement in the murders, Kathy was either incarcerated or institutionalized, though most likely the former.
Modus Operandi
Kathy didn't directly participate in the murders of the parents. Instead, she helped her husband and son abduct the chosen girl by driving up in a car, helping them stuff her in the trunk, and then drive away. She would then help the captives calm down by informing them that she went through the exact same process and that it would all be fine in the end.
Known Victims
- 2009, Alabama:
- January 19, Harvest: Cate Hale (abducted; was released)
- January 20, Madison: Lynn Robillard (abducted; was rescued)