In the previous episode of Netflix’s Mindhunter, Bill and Holden interviewed Son of Sam, and Nancy learned that a body was found in the house that she was showing. In Mindhunter Season 2 Episode 3, Bill opted to stay home to support Nancy, while Holden went to Atlanta to interview two serial killers.
Not a Cult
After finding that Nancy had been unable to sleep, Bill called Holden to say he was sick. He brought Nancy’s shoes to Det. Spencer, who was at the house. Nancy wanted him to remove her information from the “For Sale” sign. Despite it being evidence, Spencer allowed him. He showed Bill the crime scene. The victim was the Dickinsons’ toddler. His body had been staged like a crucifixion.
The community gathered at the church. Det. Spencer gave some information, but people still demanded answers. There were rumors that a cult was involved. They weren’t listening to Det. Spencer, so Bill reassured everyone that it wasn’t a cult. He asked the community to be patient with Spencer. Because he had explained his job to Rod at the barbecue, they listened to him.
The Essentialist Perspective
Jim Barney met Holden at the airport in Atlanta. He had interviewed for Gregg’s position. Barney had already read through Pierce’s and Hance’s files. When speaking with Pierce, Holden had gone through the questions half-heartedly. Jim was able to get Pierce to talk by offering him Mallomars. He’d seen a picture of Pierce in his cell with a ton of junk food. With Hance, Holden was ready to end the interview, but Barney was able to get him to talk.
Back at the BSU, Dr. Carr proposed that they may need to rethink their categories. Gregg brought up essentialism. In a group, there needs to be a defining characteristic linking them together. For example, both Pierce and Hance were soldiers.
Eight to Ten
Tanya, who worked the front desk of the hotel in Atlanta, was particularly interested in Holden after discovering he was an FBI agent. She invited him to dinner, and he thought she was interested in him romantically. She brought him to meet three mothers of murdered children. He recognized a similarity in the victims – all young, African-American boys of similar builds – and thought it was worth investigating.
Jim took Holden to see Garland Periwinkle, a semi-retired agent. He felt that, with Atlanta’s high murder rate and the differences in the victims’ deaths, it was unlikely Atlanta had a predator. Garland blamed poverty and violence in their neighborhoods. When Holden brought the files back to Tanya, he assured her that GBI was following up with Child and Family Services. That signaled to her that he wasn’t going to help them.
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