‘Criminal Minds’ Takes on Mummies, Serial Killing Couple in New Clip

Criminal Minds is moving on from killer cults and tackling mummies in its latest episode.

Coming off the heels of a dramatic season 14 premiere, which also happened to be the CBS crime procedural’s 300th episode, the Behavioral Analysis Unit will be taking on a serial killing couple who mummify their victims.

“So as far as anyone knows Karl and Dorothy Elgin live totally isolated. No kids , no family, no friends,” JJ (AJ Cook) tells the team as they are discussing the case of the week on the plane.

“50 years? I mean they must have had some interaction with other people,” Alvez (Adam Rodriguez) comments.

Prentiss interrupts the briefing to announce the five bodies and counting of young women have been uncovered and that the victims have been there for a while.

“We’re looking at a husband and wife killing team here,” Tara (Aisha Tyler) said. “It’s rare but it does happen.”

“In England, Rosemary West assisted her husband Fred in the murder of 12 individuals over a 20-year span without detection,” Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) added.

Prentiss gave her own theory on the serial killing couple: “Dorothy Elgin could be a homegrown version of that. Female, accommodating the psychopathic urges of the man.”

“But why mummify? Forensic countermeasure?” JJ asks, before Alvez says throwing the bodies in a swamp might have been more effective.

“Luke’s right. It was a deliberate choice to preserve those corpses,” Tara added. “Keep the victims close to home.”

Maybe the killer thought he was sending the bodies into the future,” Reid suggested. “Ancient Egyptians believed the souls of the deceased would return from the afterlife to rein habit their original bodies, so the human form was kept intact and recognizable.”

Prentiss splits the team up for next steps on solving the gruesome murders, which include Tara talking to the mysterious wife of the killer.

The new episode will also feature the return of Rossi’s (Joe Mantegna) ex-wife Krystall (Gail O’Grady), whose relationship might have rekindled after the couple reconnected last season. But why is Rossi keeping it from the team?

The official synopsis for “Starter Home,” released by CBS reads: “When the mummified remains of numerous victims are found in the walls of an elderly couple’s remote South Carolina home, Rossi, J.J. and Simmons are dispatched to track down a trail of clues that date back over 20 years. The hunt becomes urgent after BAU learns the killer has a specific ritual of when to strike, and like clockwork another person goes missing. Also, Rossi reconnects with his ex-wife, Krystall .”

Criminal Minds airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Photo Credit: CBS