Hit Crime Drama 'Dexter' Linked to at Least Seven Murders, Criminologists Warn

The hit U.S. crime drama 'Dexter,' which follows a forensic analyst who is secretly a serial killer, has been linked to at least seven murders since its debut nearly 20 years ago. Criminologists warn that the show may be providing a dangerous blueprint and psychological justification for real-world violence, offering a "how-to script" for aspiring killers.

Within a recent 70-day period, two British men were convicted of gruesome murders after explicitly styling themselves on the show's protagonist, Dexter Morgan. Benjamin Day, 20, admitted to murdering Maria Saceanu, 24, after luring her to a plastic-lined "kill room" in a West Midlands Airbnb, an act inspired by his obsession with the series. Shortly before Day's confession, James Desborough, 40, was convicted of murdering and dismembering two men in his Cornwall cabin, an act also attributed to Dexter's influence.

These cases are part of a pattern that includes other convicted killers such as Steven Miles and Mark Howe in the UK, Canadian filmmaker Mark Twitchell, American teenager Andrew Conley, and Norwegian Havard Nyflot, all of whom have committed killings inspired by 'Dexter' since 2009.

Behavioral criminologist Alex Iszatt told the Daily Mail that 'Dexter' provides a usable identity and ritual for individuals with violent tendencies. "They can fully become him: follow the same code and principles, wear the same clothes, and use the same methods of killing and disposing of bodies," Iszatt explained. "Dexter provides a usable identity. They are ready to perform to an imagined audience. They are Dexter."

The series depicts Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, who operates as a vigilante serial killer governed by a strict code taught by his adoptive father. This code dictates that he only kills murderers who have evaded justice and must never get caught. He refers to his urge to kill as his "Dark Passenger" and meticulously researches his targets, preparing a "kill room" lined with plastic sheeting to contain evidence. He then confronts his victims with their crimes before killing them, dismembering their bodies, and disposing of them at sea.

Iszatt noted that the show offers a powerful justification for killing. "You're not a monster with uncontrollable urges; you're a vigilante, with standards, and the people you kill deserve it," she said. "There's something inherently appealing about Dexter's dual identity; he is a dark version of the superhero fantasy, respectable and ordinary by day, secretly powerful and dangerous by night."

In the case of Benjamin Day, police noted his obsessive personality and how he had changed his university course to study forensics. He had changed into "Dexter" clothing and prepared a "kill room" with items like plastic sheeting, a staple gun, cleaning chemicals, and microscope slides, mirroring the show's modus operandi. The prosecutor highlighted the similarities, including the forensic science aspect, the "kill room" preparation, and the attempt at dismemberment, with microscope slides potentially used as trophies.

James Desborough, who murdered two homeless men and his prison cellmate, reportedly told a forensic biologist at the scene that he "particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes" in 'Dexter.' The prosecutor emphasized the significance of this comment given the discovery of dismembered bodies on his property.

Other cases include:

• In 2014, British teenager Steven Miles was jailed for murdering and dismembering his 17-year-old girlfriend, Elizabeth Thomas, with his trial revealing a fixation with horror movies and a desire to emulate Dexter Morgan.
• Also in 2014, Mark Howe was jailed for murdering his mother after an argument. His husband revealed Howe was a "fanatic for the programme" and had used a blood-splattered Dexter image as his Facebook profile picture, having searched for "Dexter's kill knife" before the murder.
• In 2008, Canadian filmmaker Mark Twitchell murdered Johnny Altinger, dismembering him and earning the moniker "Dexter Killer" due to his obsession.
• In 2010, American teenager Andrew Conley strangled his 10-year-old brother to death, telling police he had fantasized about killing and wanted to be like Dexter.
• In the same year, Havard Nyflot, one of the killers of Faiza Ashraf, claimed he was inspired by 'Dexter' and believed the victim was a "bad person" who deserved punishment.

Iszatt added that 'Dexter' "gives vulnerable individuals a language for explaining their own violence." She explained that the "Dark Passenger" narrative allows individuals to externalize violent impulses, attributing them to an entity separate from themselves, thereby providing a convenient explanation and a template for their actions.

Paramount, the owner of Showtime Networks, the original producer of 'Dexter,' was approached for comment.