Don't Read the News is the tenth episode of the fourth season and the 71st overall episode of Chicago P.D.
Summary[]
The Intelligence unit investigates the murder of a young woman, and later discovers that her murder may be connected to a potential serial killer who has murdered more than 10 women. Meanwhile, Voight introduces Kenny Rixton (guest star Nick Wechsler) to the unit as a temporary replacement for Ruzek while he is on an undercover assignment, and Lindsay finally meets her biological father.
Plot[]
Soon Jeanette Barnes comes in with Ricky who is subsequently detained by Burgess. He is interrogated but denies killing Grace, revealing he was not home at the time and firmly declared how much he loved her. Soon Hank and Alvin are alerted by Kot and Commander Crowley who reveal that Ricky's DNA was a 98% match to the ones on the rape. However, skepticism is brought up because of how old Ricky would've been when he committed the first murder and the subsequent rapes that followed. Meanwhile, Burgess is confronted Deanna Lewis and the families of other victims who all want to know if they are close to solving the case, as Burgess reminds her that they can only work to solve it, and Deanna puts her trust in her to solve it.
Jay tracks the first victim whose name was Cherry, but her real name is Sienna Brody. It is also revealed that Brody is the only known survivor. Kevin and Kenny visit Sienna Brody who reveals that she was formerly a teenage prostitute and says there was rumors on prostitutes being killed. She expresses trauma from her experience, which caused her to give up prostitution and turning over a new leaf that led to marriage and step kids. She also reveals that she cannot have children of her own because of the rape and did not come forward because of fear at not being believed.
Sienna is taken to the precinct, where she is shown pictures of Ricky and other men, but she states that none of them are her attacker and they decide to look through other pictures. However, she reacts with terror after spotting a picture of Ricky's father Franklin Barnes and reveals that he was the culprit, to their shock. Sienna reveals to Voight of her experience and how she was only able to survive by playing dead and after Franklin left her in the alley, she got treated at a hospital. Lindsay comes up to reveal that Franklin has gone into hiding and Voight orders for a garbage pull of his home to get a solid DNA sample to make sure its really him. Lindsay states they also have to release Ricky from jail, as he might know where his father would hide and Voight tells her to do it quietly while Sienna blames herself on not coming forward, which could have prevented all the murders. However, Voight assures Sienna that they will get her justice since she has helped out.
Searching the Barnes home, they learn from his wife that he disappears often and collect soda cans of his favorite drinks for DNA. Kenny realizes they are missing something that ties it all up, he and Kevin step outside. Kenny does a scenario of how Grace came to speak with Ricky (as her cellphone points her there) but they know he wasn't home, and she ended up being lured in by his father who shot her and likely tossed his gun in Ricky's car. Upon further search, they find a hidden room with a bloody rag and pictures of victims that implicates Franklin. They note wherever Franklin is, he is making sure to destroy evidence to cover his tracks.
In county holding, Jay and Lindsay visit Ricky and inform him that he was accused because his DNA heavily matched that of the real culprit: his father. Ricky is horrified to find out that his own father was the one who really killed Grace and committed the crimes and denies knowledge of his activities, while struggling to process this. After they bring up Grace and how Franklin took her from him and set him up, Ricky breaks down and yells he didn't know that this is reality. His reaction makes it clear to the sympathetic detectives that he was unaware, as Lindsay asks where his father would go as Ricky reveals that one of his father's friends had a garage and he'd likely go there. Intelligence locates the garage and notice a light, before they find Franklin burning the pictures of his victims. They alert him and he surrenders, after being surrounded while dropping the pictures of the victims. Examining one picture, a disgusted Voight has Franklin arrested and taken away.
At the precinct, a cuffed Franklin is questioned on why he stopped the murders, but he denies being the culprit. Alvin remarks that Franklin sounds a lot like the same person who called 911 on Grace Johnson's body but he denies that too, as that wouldn't be sensible to call in his own crime scene. Voight remarks Franklin may be resourceful but messed up with leaving DNA behind on the victims' bodies and soon condemns Franklin for letting his own son take the rap for these crimes. Franklin simply says his son will get over it and soon gives a scenario of how a possible suspect that might have been the one who did it and he gave Franklin the pictures with simply destroying. However, the detectives are not buying his story and Voight gets in his face but tells Franklin that he will not harm him, as that might jeopardize the case but states Franklin is going to prison for the rest of his life, and he will ensure that it will be a terrible experience for what he has done. In response, Franklin smugly smirks at this statement.
Ricky is subsequently exonerated and reunited with his mother who tearfully voices how she didn't know what his father was doing. Trudy also leads Ricky and his mother out the back way because of the gathered press being outside. Later on, Kim visits the relatives of the murdered victims and thanks them for their help while telling them that they got the culprit, much to their satisfaction.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Jason Beghe as Sergeant Hank Voight
- Sophia Bush as Detective Erin Lindsay
- Jesse Lee Soffer as Detective Jay Halstead
- Marina Squerciati as Officer Kim Burgess
- LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater
- Amy Morton as Desk Sergeant Trudy Platt
- Elias Koteas as Detective Alvin Olinsky
Recurring Cast[]
- Markie Post as Barbara "Bunny" Fletcher
- Barbara Eve Harris as Emma Crowley
- Nick Wechsler as Kenny Rixton
- Chris Agos as ASA Steve Kot
- Tony Crane as Jimmy Sanguinetti
- Saul Stein as Arnold Chilewich
- Keisha Champagne as Virginia Cutler
Guest Cast[]
- Jossie Thacker as Deanna Lewis
- Chris McKinney as Franklin Barnes
- Donzaleigh Abernathy as Jeanette Barnes
- Nate Aikens Jr. as Ricky Barnes
- Maryam Basir as Sienna Brody
- Ian Bratschie as Vincent Avenel
- Thomas Anthony Quinn as Walter Vollman
- E'Mon Lauren as Kimmi Johnson
- Julian Griffith as ND Patrolman
- Stacey Elaine Jackson as Friend #1
- Lisa McConnell as Friend #2
Quotes[]
Halstead: We spoke to Antonio. He had a great idea. You widen the DNA search to include familial match.
Voight: It's time to get on the bus or get under it, kid.
Voight: I want to understand the last day of Grace's life. Every minute.
Burgess: I need you to take your friend and walk away...or you'll be sleeping in lockup.
Voight: That's Kenny Rixton, he's Ruzek's replacement.
Burgess: What?
Voight: Ruzek's replacement. I'll fill you in later.
Voight: I'm not gonna lay a hand on you, 'cause I don't want to jeopardize my case but believe me where you're going; and you're going there forever. It's gonna be hell. Hell. I'm gonna make sure of it.
Jimmy: I wasn't there for you then, but I'd like to be now. If you'll let me.