List of Criminal Minds characters - wikipedia List of Criminal Minds characters This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. ( Learn how and when to remove these template messages ) This article 's lead section does not adequately summarize key points of its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. Please discuss this issue on the article 's talk page. ( May 2015 ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2015 ) This is a list of characters in the television series Criminal Minds, an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS and that is also shown on A&E and Ion Television in the United States. As of the conclusion of season twelve on May 10, 2017, there have been 277 episodes. Contents 1 Main characters 1.1 Dr. Spencer Reid 1.2 Jennifer Jareau 1.3 Penelope Garcia 1.4 Emily Prentiss 1.5 David Rossi 1.6 Dr. Tara Lewis 1.7 Luke Alvez 1.8 Matt Simmons 2 Former 2.1 Jason Gideon 2.2 Elle Greenaway 2.3 Ashley Seaver 2.4 Dr. Alex Blake 2.5 Kate Callahan 2.6 Derek Morgan 2.7 Aaron Hotchner 2.8 Stephen Walker 3 Recurring 3.1 Current 3.1. 1 Agent Grant Anderson 3.1. 2 Agent Josh Cramer 3.1. 3 Diana Reid 3.1. 4 Kevin Lynch 3.1. 5 William LaMontagne Jr. 3.1. 6 Jack Hotchner 3.1. 7 Lindsey Vaughan 3.1. 8 Henry LaMontagne 3.1. 9 Mateo Cruz 3.1. 10 Joy Struthers 3.1. 11 Peter Lewis 3.2 Former 3.2. 1 Erin Strauss 3.2. 2 Haley Hotchner 3.2. 3 Jordan Todd 3.2. 4 Dr. Savannah Morgan 4 Characters from Suspect Behavior 5 Characters from Beyond Borders 6 References 6.1 Episode sources Main characters Character Actor Position Seasons 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Jason Gideon Mandy Patinkin Senior Supervisory Special Agent Main Aaron Hotchner Thomas Gibson Unit Chief Main Elle Greenaway Lola Glaudini Supervisory Special Agent Main Derek Morgan Shemar Moore Main Guest Dr. Spencer Reid Matthew Gray Gubler Main Jennifer Jareau A.J. Cook Communications Liaison / Supervisory Special Agent Main Guest Main Penelope Garcia Kirsten Vangsness Technical Analyst / Communications Liaison Also Starring Main Emily Prentiss Paget Brewster Supervisory Special Agent / Unit Chief Main Guest Guest Main David Rossi Joe Mantegna Senior Supervisory Special Agent Main Ashley Seaver Rachel Nichols FBI Cadet / Special Agent Main Dr. Alex Blake Jeanne Tripplehorn Linguistics Expert Main Kate Callahan Jennifer Love Hewitt Undercover Agent Main Dr. Tara Lewis Aisha Tyler Forensic Psychologist Recurring Main Luke Alvez Adam Rodriguez Fugitive Task Force Agent Main Stephen Walker Damon Gupton Supervisory Special Agent Main Matt Simmons Daniel Henney Special Operations Agent Guest Guest Main Jump up ^ Thomas Gibson only appeared in the first two episodes of season twelve. Jump up ^ Although appearing in only the first two episodes of season six, A.J. Cook was still billed as a member of the main cast. She later appeared as a `` special guest star '' in two more episodes that season. Dr. Spencer Reid Main article : Spencer Reid Played by Matthew Gray Gubler, SSA Dr. Spencer Reid is a genius who graduated from Las Vegas High School at age 12. He is almost always introduced as Dr. Reid, even though the others are introduced as agents, because SSA Jason Gideon understood that people would not otherwise take Spencer seriously because of his young age. After an introduction, he never shakes hands. It has been revealed that he holds Ph. D.s in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering, B.A.s in Psychology and Sociology, and is working on a B.A. in Philosophy. He claims to have an eidetic memory, and hints that he could one day suffer from schizophrenia, since his mother does. Matthew Gray Gubler confirmed that Reid has Asperger 's Syndrome. In many episodes, Dr. Reid can be seen visiting his mother in her Las Vegas Mental Help / Nursing Home. In Season 4, `` Memoriam '', Reid experiences dreams, possibly nightmares, of a young boy being murdered. This was due to a series of events that happened in Reid 's childhood. In the end, Reid saw his father after a 20 - year absence, and found out that the murders in his dreams were indeed based on a real murder case and that his baseball coach, his mother, and his father were involved in the case, some criminally ( his baseball coach ), and some not criminally ( his parents ). Matthew Gray Gubler has been known for his many hairstyles throughout the continuing show. In almost every season his hair different, whether it is a long man bob, or short Albert Einstein hair. Reid has also said that he was bullied when he was younger. Jennifer Jareau Main article : Jennifer Jareau Played by A.J. Cook, SSA Jennifer `` JJ '' Jareau originally acted as the team 's Communication Liaison with the media and local police agencies. She has two sons with her now husband Detective William LaMontagne Jr. ( Josh Stewart ), whom she met while the team was working a case in New Orleans in the season two episode `` Jones '' and married at the end of the season seven two - part finale, `` Hit and Run ''. In the second episode of season six, JJ was forced to take a promotion to the Pentagon and left the team for the rest of the season. When JJ leaves the BAU for a promotion to a position at the Pentagon, Garcia and Hotch take up her responsibilities as media liaison and retains this position when JJ returns to the BAU as a profiler. Jennifer returned to the show in the episode entitled `` Lauren '', in which she receives a call and returns to help the BAU find Emily Prentiss and capture Ian Doyle before it is too late. When Emily is stabbed by Doyle and rushed to a hospital, Jennifer announces she did not survive. However, it is later revealed that Emily is alive and Jennifer meets her at a cafe in Paris, where she provides her with three passports and bank accounts to start a new life in hiding. She returns once again in the season six finale before returning as a full - time cast member again in season seven. In 2015, the actress announced she was expecting her second child, which was written into JJ 's storyline. The character 's children is portrayed by A.J. Cook 's real - life sons Mekhai Anderson and Phoenix Andersen. Penelope Garcia Main article : Penelope Garcia Played by Kirsten Vangsness, Penelope Garcia is the team 's Technical Analyst at BAU headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. She is flamboyant and fun - loving and provides the rest of the team with comic relief whenever it is needed. She got her last name from her stepfather -- hence the Latina implication -- but she is not Hispanic. She was shot and almost killed in season three. She and SSA Morgan share a very friendly - flirty relationship but never go beyond that, although Penelope shows mild jealousy when she sees him dancing with two other women, and he responds negatively when asked for proposal advice by her boyfriend, Kevin Lynch. Penelope lost both of her parents at the age of 18. Penelope taught herself to hack after she dropped out of college and was grouped with the best hackers in the world. After being caught by the FBI, she was given a choice of living in a high - security prison for the rest of her life or working for the BAU division of the FBI as an analyst. She is in a relationship with fellow FBI employee Kevin Lynch. When Jennifer Jareau leaves the BAU for a promotion to a position at the Pentagon, Garcia and Hotch take up her responsibilities as media liaison and retains this position when JJ returns to the BAU as a profiler. After Garcia 's parents died when she was 18, she took up hacking as a hobby. In `` The Black Queen '', Penelope 's past is brought up after a series of flashbacks, in those flashbacks the viewers see a Goth looking Garcia. Her story was revealed and it became known that Penelope 's skills came from her own teachings to herself. She is now haunted by her past, so much that when her hacker ex-boyfriend needed to be caught, she became bait. In the situation she was really uncomfortable and said that she would never do it again and that she did n't know why she was ever `` that '' person. Emily Prentiss Main article : Emily Prentiss Played by Paget Brewster, SSA Emily Prentiss is the daughter of an ambassador and a U.S. diplomat. After Agent Elle Greenaway left the BAU permanently following a case when she had shot an unsub in cold blood, Prentiss showed up with papers stating she was the newest member of the BAU which caught both Hotch and Gideon off - guard as they had n't signed off on her transfer. She became a permanent member of the team in `` Lessons Learned '' where it was revealed that she was fluent in Arabic. She also has a tough relationship with her mother. She got pregnant at the age of 15 and later chose to have an abortion. Prentiss is also skilled at chess. In `` The Thirteenth Step '' ( episode 6.13 ), Prentiss receives some disturbing news from her previous boss at Interpol. In the following episode, `` Sense Memory '', after coming home from work, she notices that someone had been in her house because her cat 's back was wet and her window was open. She also received several strange phone calls, with the caller ID saying `` Caller Unknown ''. This also leaves Agent Morgan concerned for Prentiss. Prentiss appears in only 18 episodes of season 6. She faked her death to escape an old nemesis with the help of both Hotch and JJ while the rest of the team continued to assume she was dead. In season seven premiere ( `` It Takes a Village '' ), Emily returns to the team when Doyle resurfaces and she rejoins by the end of the episode. At the end of the season, she leaves the team to return and run Interpol in London. She returns for the 200th episode to help rescue a kidnapped SSA Jennifer Jareau and again in the episode `` Tribute '' ( season 11 ), where she enlists the help of the BAU in catching a serial killer who had originally killed in Europe before killing in the United States. Paget Brewster was confirmed to return for a several episode arc in Season 12. Following the dismissal of Thomas Gibson, Brewster was promoted to a series regular again starting from Season 12, episode 3 ; later Prentiss is promoted to Hotch 's position of unit chief. David Rossi Main article : David Rossi Played by Joe Mantegna, Senior Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi, a `` ' founding father ' of the BAU '', was in early retirement from 1997 until his voluntary return to the BAU in 2007, replacing Jason Gideon, who had abruptly resigned from the BAU. He had retired in order to write books and go on lecture tours, but he returned to settle some unfinished business that was not immediately specified. It was later revealed that the case involved three young children whose parents had been murdered in a possible home - invasion case that had remained unsolved. This case haunted Rossi for twenty years and prompted him to return to the BAU, where he eventually solved it. Dr. Tara Lewis Tara Lewis Criminal Minds character First appearance `` The Job '' 11x01, September 30, 2015 Created by Erica Messer Portrayed by Aisha Tyler Information Nickname ( s ) T ( by Gabriel ), Lewis Occupation FBI Special Agent Title FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent FBI Forensic Psychologist Family Albert Lewis ( father ) Unnamed mother ( deceased ) Gabriel Lewis ( brother ) Spouse ( s ) Doug Fuller ( ex-fiancé ) Seasons 11, 12, 13 Played by Aisha Tyler, Lewis is Callahan 's and JJ 's temporary replacement while they are both on maternity leave. Dr. Tara Lewis is a psychologist with an eye on forensic psychology and its application toward the criminal justice system. Her dream was to study psychopaths up close and personal -- and her psychology background, combined with her experience in the FBI, brought her face - to - face with monsters. Her job was to stare them down and interview them, in order to determine if they were fit to stand trial. In the process, she made herself find the humanity inside these broken men ( and, sometimes, women ) in order to learn if there was a conscience behind their brutal crimes. Lewis is also fluent in both French and German. Luke Alvez Luke Alvez Criminal Minds character First appearance `` The Crimson King '' 12x01, September 28, 2016 Created by Erica Messer Portrayed by Adam Rodriguez Information Nickname ( s ) Alvez, Newbie ( by Garcia ) Occupation FBI Special Agent Title FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent FBI Former Fugitive Task Force Agent Seasons 12, 13 Played by Adam Rodriguez, Fugitive Task Force Agent and Supervisory Special Agent. Alvez is a member of the FBI Fugitive Task Force that partners with the BAU to catch the escaped serial killers that escaped in the Season 11 finale. In the Season 12 premiere he works with the BAU to catch the `` Crimson King '', one of the escapees that attacked Alvez 's old partner. The team discovers the real killer is `` Mr. Scratch '' who taunts the team by turning over the real `` Crimson King '', who was tortured to the point he no longer remembered who he was. After that Alvez decides to join the BAU full - time. Alvez has a dog named Roxy ( whom Garcia thought at first was his human girlfriend ) and served in Iraq as an Army Ranger prior to joining the FBI. Matt Simmons Main article : Matt Simmons ( Criminal Minds ) Played by Daniel Henney, SSA Matthew `` Matt '' Simmons is a Special Operations agent and special agent with the IRT. Simmons is married to his wife Kristy ( Kelly Frye ) and has a total of four young children, including sons Jake and David and twin daughters. Like Garrett, Simmons ' full and fulfilling family life was a deliberate choice. Through his job, Simmons has some prior history with Derek Morgan and JJ of the FBI 's Behavioral Analysis Unit. He was a former member of a Special Ops unit, and his experience with the unit allowed him to hone his profiling skills. Former Jason Gideon Main article : Jason Gideon Played by Mandy Patinkin, Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon was the BAU 's best profiler. He helped Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid through their nightmares. He was shown to have a very close relationship with Reid, having hand - picked him from the FBI Academy for his team, helping Reid through many difficulties ( including his implied drug use ), and even leaving the good - bye letter for Reid to find. Gideon did not know Garcia well, as expressed through an episode wherein he is placed with her while he is on crutches ; after they are placed, Garcia complains about him, and he does n't know her name. Through the first two seasons, Gideon was portrayed to be very good at chess, winning against Reid many times ( only exception being Reid 's birthday ) and encouraging him to `` think outside the box ''. Prior to the series, he was said to have had a `` nervous breakdown '' ( or `` major depressive episode '' ) after he sent six men into a warehouse with a bomb in it ; all six agents were killed, and he was heavily criticized about the event. He showed particular dislike for the practice of using religion as a defense or motivation for one 's crimes. Gideon participated in some field operations during his time with the BAU and had the rest of his team `` think outside the box '' as well, as he made a major advancement by shouting at the top of his lungs with pleas of mercy and, when questioned by his team, he said that the victims were being threatened to be kept quiet as neighbors would have heard the pleas if they were unrestrained. He blamed himself for the torture Reid received from Tobias Hankel as he had ordered Penelope Garcia to add a virus warning to the videos Hankel posted. Gideon also had a son named Stephen. The nature of their relationship has not been directly stated, but it was implied that they have not seen each other very recently. Gideon began to lose confidence in his profiling skills after Frank Breitkopf murdered his girlfriend, Sarah Jacobs. During his final case in Arizona, he further lost faith in his abilities when his decision to release the unsub resulted in the deaths of both the unsub and a young woman. As a result of his actions, Aaron Hotchner was suspended, which was the final straw for Gideon. He then left his cabin shortly afterwards, leaving his gun and badge behind along with a letter for Reid to find as he sought to regain a belief in happy endings. In the season ten episode `` Nelson 's Sparrow '', Gideon was murdered off - screen, having been shot dead at a close range by a serial killer named Donnie Mallick ( Arye Gross ), which prompts the BAU team to investigate Gideon 's murder. During the flashbacks focusing on a young version of him for the episode which show him working at the BAU in 1978, he is played by Ben Savage. Elle Greenaway Main article : Elle Greenaway Played by Lola Glaudini, SSA Elle Greenaway was formerly assigned to FBI Field Office in Seattle, Washington and was assigned to the BAU, being an expert in sexual offense crimes. Her father was a police officer but was killed in the line of duty. She is half Cuban and speaks Spanish. She was shot by an unsub. Though she had physically recovered, the event still left her with psychological scars. As a result of those scars, Elle began acting even more harshly in season two, especially during a case involving a serial rapist. Ultimately, she killed the suspect before he could even be properly arrested. During this episode, she mentioned that the unsub wrote on the wall with her blood from the wound. She handed in her badge and gun in the episode `` The Boogeyman '' saying that it was not an admission of guilt. Ashley Seaver Ashley Seaver Criminal Minds character First appearance `` What Happens at Home '' 6x10, December 8, 2010 Last appearance `` Supply & Demand '' 6x24, May 18, 2011 Created by Edward Allen Bernero Portrayed by Rachel Nichols Information Nickname ( s ) Seaver Occupation FBI Special Agent Title FBI BAU Special Agent FBI Domestic Trafficking Task Force Agent Family Charles Beauchamp ( father ) Unnamed mother ( née Seaver ) Season 6 Played by Rachel Nichols, Ashley Seaver is an FBI cadet assigned to the BAU. Her father, Charles Beauchamp, was a horrific serial killer from North Dakota known as `` the Redmond Ripper '' who killed 25 women over the course of 10 years before Ashley was a teenager. He was caught by David Rossi and Aaron Hotchner. Because North Dakota does not have capital punishment, he was sentenced to life in prison. She has not been to see him. Though he writes to her sometimes, she never reads his letters, though she does keep them and admittedly still finds herself unable to hate him for what he did. In the episode `` What Happens at Home '', the BAU investigate a series of murders in a gated community and bring Ashley along because of her understanding of the family dynamics of a serial killer. In the end, the suspect commits suicide by cop in front of her. In the next episode, she requests that the rest of her remedial training be done with the BAU and is attached to the team. In the season seven premiere `` It Takes a Village '', it was revealed that Ashley transferred to the Domestic Trafficking Task Force, which is led by Andi Swann. Dr. Alex Blake Main article : Alex Blake ( Criminal Minds ) Played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, FBI Linguistics expert Dr. Alex Blake replaces SSA Emily Prentiss. She is introduced in season eight. Her appointment at the BAU was met with some mixed reactions as the team was close to Prentiss. She retired in 2001 until she rejoined the BAU in 2012 to restore her reputation after Blake was blamed for arresting the wrong suspect in the Amerithrax case and Section Chief Erin Strauss let her take the fall. As a result, she and Strauss do not get along, with Strauss accusing her of joining for selfish reasons, but they eventually make amends. The rest of the team recognize her expertise and are generally less antagonistic towards her. As season eight progressed, Blake found herself in danger when she was threatened by a serial killer, ' The Replicator ', who turned out to be John Curtis : a fellow former FBI agent disgraced due to the events of the Amerithrax case, who targeted Blake out of envy that she had restored her reputation while his own was still in ruins. Curtis killed Strauss, kidnapped Blake, and tried to blow up the entire BAU team, but the team rescued her, and Rossi locked Curtis in the house to die when the bomb exploded as vengeance for Strauss 's death. Blake graduated from Berkeley with a double major and also holds a PhD. She was recruited to the FBI at the age of 24, making her one of at least two team members to join the Bureau in their early 20s along with Spencer Reid. Blake is also a professor of forensic linguistics at Georgetown, where Reid had previously guest lectured, and an SSA in the Washington field office. During her initial time at the FBI, Blake was involved in some high - profile cases, particularly the Unabomber case. Blake understands and speaks American Sign Language. In the season nine episode `` Bully '', it is revealed that Blake is estranged from her father Damon ( a retired police captain of the Kansas City Police Department ) and younger brother Scott ( a current homicide detective there himself ) ; after the death of her older brother Danny ( a cop killed in the line of duty ) and her mother, she found it too painful to be near her father and brother, and distanced herself from them. However, after Scott is injured by the UnSub, the two siblings start to reconnect, and by the end of the episode, she reconciles with both Scott and Damon when she and the rest of the BAU team have a barbecue at her father 's home. In the season nine two - part finale, Blake becomes distraught and depressed when Reid is shot in the neck by the UnSub after pushing Blake out of the way and nearly dies, even commenting that it should have been her who was shot instead. She is also further upset when rescuing a young boy who was being used by the UnSub as leverage against his mother. Though Reid survives, Alex is greatly shaken by the case, and reveals to Reid that both he and the young boy reminded her of her deceased son Ethan, who died of an unnamed neurological disease at age nine. Her guilt and distress over Reid 's brush with death touched a major nerve with her, seemingly pushing her to the breaking point. At the end of the `` Demons '', she sits apart from the rest of the group on the plane ride home, and it is implied that she sends a text message to Hotch handing in her resignation. After taking Reid home, telling him about Ethan, and departing, Reid finds her FBI badge in his bag, and watches her leave, saddened but accepting, from his window. Kate Callahan Kate Callahan Criminal Minds character First appearance `` X '' 10x01, October 1, 2014 Last appearance `` The Hunt '' 10x23, May 6, 2015 Created by Erica Messer Portrayed by Jennifer Love Hewitt Information Nickname ( s ) Callahan Occupation FBI Special Agent Title FBI BAU Supervisory Special FBI Undercover Agent Family Unnamed mother Liz ( sister, deceased ) Joe ( brother - in - law, deceased ) Spouse ( s ) Chris Callahan Children Meg Callahan ( niece / adopted daughter ) Unnamed child Season 10 Played by former Ghost Whisperer star Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kate Callahan has been in the FBI for eight years and has experience as an undercover agent, which has allowed her to establish a prior friendship with members of the BAU. Her sister and brother - in - law were killed in the September 11 attacks, leaving Kate as the legal guardian of their infant daughter, Meg, whom she raised for thirteen years along with her husband, Chris. This tragedy shaped her patriotic attitude. She is described as `` smart, charming, and wise for her years '' and holds a passion for making the world safer, according to showrunner Erica Messer. In the episode `` Breath Play '', Kate reveals she is pregnant. In the season ten finale, `` The Hunt '', Meg is abducted by human traffickers who are connected to a previous case that Kate had researched. Though Meg is eventually brought back safe, Kate decides to take a year off to spend with Meg, Chris, and her soon - to - be-born child. Derek Morgan Main article : Derek Morgan ( Criminal Minds ) Played by Shemar Moore, SSA Derek Morgan is a confident and assertive everyman character, the son of an African - American father and white mother. He went to Northwestern University on a football scholarship, holds a black belt in judo, runs FBI self - defense classes, and served in a bomb squad unit and as a Chicago police officer. In season two it was explained that after the death of his father when he was ten, Derek struggled somewhat : youthful fighting earned him a juvenile offender record. He was taken under the wing of a local youth center coordinator, Carl Buford ( Julius Tennon ), who acted as a surrogate father to Derek and helped him to obtain a college football scholarship. But he also sexually abused him ; the episode `` Profiler, Profiled '' revealed this. In season three, it was revealed that he hated religion because, as he said, something bad happened to him when he was 13. He went to church every day and prayed for it to stop, but it did not. Because of this, he had a resentment towards God and church. He prayed for the first time in 20 years at exactly the time, he later found out, that Penelope Garcia was being operated on after being shot. Former Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner promoted him to unit chief in his place, a promotion Derek saw as only temporary until the `` Boston Reaper '' was captured. Aaron again took his place as unit chief when he returned after grieving over his ex-wife's murder. He resigned to care for his family. Aaron Hotchner Main article : Aaron Hotchner Played by Thomas Gibson, Unit Chief SSA Aaron `` Hotch '' Hotchner used to be a prosecutor and was formerly assigned to the FBI field office in Seattle. After stepping down for a period, he returned to lead the unit. He has a son named Jack ( Cade Owens ) by his deceased wife Haley ( Meredith Monroe ). The two eventually divorced and remained on good terms until Haley was murdered by George Foyet ( C. Thomas Howell ), Aaron 's Nemesis. Aaron 's attempts to balance his family life and his job have been something of an ongoing struggle on the show. When Jennifer Jareau leaves the BAU for a promotion to a position at the Pentagon, Garcia and Hotch take up her responsibilities as media liaison and retains this position when JJ returns to the BAU as a profiler. But in the episodes `` Closing Time '', `` A Family Affair '', and `` Run '', it is shown that he has moved on and is currently in a romantic relationship with Beth Clemmons ( Bellamy Young ). It is known that `` Hotch '' is rarely seen smiling throughout the show. His most notable smiles are when he is with his now girlfriend and his son. Gibson appeared in 1 - 2 episodes in the forthcoming season ; he was then immediately removed as a cast member. Stephen Walker Stephen Walker Criminal Minds character First appearance `` Scarecrow '' 12x08, December 7, 2016 Last appearance `` Red Light '' 12x22, May 10, 2017 Portrayed by Damon Gupton Information Nickname ( s ) Walker Occupation FBI Special Agent Title FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent Spouse ( s ) Monica Walker Children Maya Walker ( daughter ) Eli Walker ( son ) Seasons 12 Played by actor and conductor Damon Gupton, Walker is a Supervisory Special Agent with the BAU. Walker was a member of the Behavioral Analysis Program. He was contacted by Emily Prentiss about joining the BAU to assist in the manhunt for Peter Lewis, a.k.a. `` Mr. Scratch ''. Walker is an experienced profiler, with about twenty years under his belt, and a member of the FBI 's Behavioral Analysis Program before his transfer to the BAU. He is married to a woman named Monica and has two children with her, Maya and Eli. He met Emily Prentiss, then the chief of Interpol 's London office, during his line of work. He was also mentored by David Rossi. Stephen 's first case concerned a terrorist cell in Belgium, and three agents were sent undercover to infiltrate it. However, Stephen 's profile was wrong, and this resulted in the deaths of the undercover agents. He eventually moved on from the trauma and improved as he went along in his career. He and other BAP agents, including his longtime friend Sam Bower, were sent undercover to investigate corruption in the Russian government. Walker 's skills include being fluent in Russian and playing the trombone. In `` Wheels Up '', Walkes dies from injuries during a crash accident with a semi-truck by Peter Lewis a.k.a Mr. Scratch. Recurring Character Actor Seasons 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Haley Hotchner Meredith Monroe Recurring Recurring Guest Agent Grant Anderson Brian Appel Recurring Guest Recurring Recurring Guest Agent Josh Cramer Gonzalo Menendez Guest Diana Reid Jane Lynch Guest Recurring Recurring Recurring William LaMontagne Jr. Josh Stewart Guest Recurring Guest Recurring Recurring Guest Guest Erin Strauss Jayne Atkinson Guest Recurring Recurring Guest Jack Hotchner Cade Owens Recurring Guest Recurring Guest Kevin Lynch Nicholas Brendon Recurring Guest Lindsey Vaughn Gia Mantegna Guest Recurring Jordan Todd Meta Golding Recurring George Foyet / The Reaper C. Thomas Howell Recurring Guest Henry LaMontagne Mekhai Andersen Guest Recurring Guest Clyde Easter Sebastian Roché Recurring Ian Doyle Timothy V. Murphy Recurring Guest Beth Clemmons Bellamy Young Recurring Maeve Donovan Beth Riesgraf Recurring Guest Mateo Cruz Esai Morales Recurring Guest Savannah Morgan Rochelle Aytes Recurring Joy Struthers Amber Stevens Recurring Guest Peter Lewis / Mr. Scratch Bodhi Elfman Guest Recurring Guest Cat Adams Aubrey Plaza Guest Recurring Monica Walker Tracie Thoms Guest Kristy Simmons Kelly Frye Recurring David Simmons Declan Whaley Recurring Current Agent grant Anderson Played by Brian Appel, Agent Anderson appears in `` Plain Sight '' ( episode 1.4 ) ``, The Fisher King '' ( 1.22 and 2.1 ), `` The Big Game '' ( 2.14 ), as well as `` Honor Among Thieves '' ( 2.20 ), `` The Crossing '' ( 3.18 ), `` 100 '' ( 5.9 ), `` The Slave of Duty '' ( 5.10 ), `` Hope '' ( 7.8 ), `` Hit '' ( 7.23 ), `` Run '' ( 7.24 ), `` Carbon Copy '' ( 8.16 ), `` The Replicator '' ( 8.24 ), `` To Bear Witness '' ( 9.4 ), and `` 200 '' ( 9.14 ). Agent Anderson was told to drive Elle home in `` The Fisher King '', and he dropped her off at her front door and left. She was soon shot by The Fisher King, as he had already been there, waiting for her. Hotch scolds Anderson briefly for not doing more, and quickly sends him back to the scene of the crime. Agent Josh Cramer Played by Gonzalo Menendez, Agent Josh Cramer runs the FBI Field Office in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as the Organized Crime division in that city. The two episodes which take place in Baltimore, `` Natural Born Killer '' ( 1.8 ) and `` Honor Among Thieves '' ( 2.20 ) both have him liaising with the BAU. Diana Reid As played by Jane Lynch, Diana Reid is Dr. Spencer Reid 's mother. She first appeared as a potential target of serial killer Randall Garner, the man who shot SSA Elle Greenaway. Like her son, Diana has a genius level IQ. She was once a university literature professor, but is no longer since her diagnosis of schizophrenia. She currently resides at the Las Vegas - based Bennington Sanitarium, where Spencer committed her when he was eighteen. Her husband, William Reid, left her when Spencer was a child. The reason William left is because he was aware Diana witnessed a murder, as a family friend avenged his own son 's murder. He was unable to live with this knowledge though he claims he tried ; he said `` the weight of knowing what happened was just too much ''. Much of Diana and Spencer 's time while he was growing up was spent with her reading to him. Spencer writes her a letter every single day because he feels guilty about not visiting her. In season 11, Spencer takes some time off from the BAU to visit her. In `` Entropy '', he reveals she has early signs of Dementia and when he first walked in her room, she did n't know who he was for three seconds. Kevin Lynch Played by Nicholas Brendon, Kevin was Penelope Garcia 's replacement when she was briefly suspended and hospitalized. He is a former hacker like her, but he is far messier. Garcia is denied access to her system during her suspension from the BAU. Kevin takes over in the interim. He is immediately impressed with the system she has set up and her GUI. Garcia attempts to hack into the database under his watch. Kevin is unable to block her. They are each impressed with the others work, but Garcia establishes dominance. When they finally meet face - to - face, they fall in love instantly. Kevin remains in awe of Garcia. They 've developed a dating relationship in spite of Garcia 's ' special ' relationship / mutual admiration with Agent Morgan. This is revealed at the beginning of Damaged, when Agent Rossi shows up at Garcia 's apartment only to find the quirky twosome showering together. In the season six finale `` Supply & Demand '', they profess their love for each other. Later in the show Penelope brings him in for a case in season 6. William LaMontagne Jr. Played by Josh Stewart, LaMontagne is the husband of Special Agent Jennifer Jareau. He is a homicide detective who worked for the New Orleans Police Department and is now with the Metro PD. In the season two episode `` Jones '', it is revealed that his father William Sr. was a detective himself in the NOPD and was killed during Hurricane Katrina as he was working a case in his home and refused to leave during the mass evacuations. The case later resurfaced and LaMontagne enlisted the help of the BAU. While they were there, he and JJ became romantically involved, although he was n't mentioned again until `` In Heat ''. In that episode, he was brought to Miami where the unsub had killed a friend and colleague of his. During the episode, it was revealed that he and JJ had been secretly contacting each other since `` Jones ''. JJ did n't want to reveal their relationship since she believed it would complicate their personal lives, but in the end, they went public with it. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that Prentiss, Morgan and Reid already knew about it. In the episode `` The Crossing '', JJ discovered she was pregnant and they have a boy named Henry. The actual status of JJ and Will 's relationship ( engaged, married, etc. ) has not been disclosed, though they exchanged rings with Henry 's birthstone in season four. In the season three finale, it is revealed that he transferred to Metro to move to Virginia to be with JJ and raise Henry together. To conclude season seven, he and JJ marry in a small ceremony in David Rossi 's back yard. The character was written back in after A.J. Cook told the writers she was pregnant, and as such JJ needed a love interest. In addition, one of the original plans for the season seven finale was to kill off Will. However, this idea was scrapped due to Paget 's impending departure. Jack Hotchner Played by Cade Owens, Jack Hotchner is the son of series regular Aaron Hotchner, his first appearance being in `` The Fox ''. His mother, Haley Hotchner, is killed in season five by George Foyet ( a.k.a. `` The Boston Reaper '' ) but is spared when his father gives him a secret signal to `` work the case '' ( hide in the trunk in Hotch 's office ). It is shown in season seven 's `` Painless '' that Jack is being bullied. Jack is shown to have become good friends with Beth Clemmons, his father 's new girlfriend. Lindsey Vaughan Lindsey Vaughan ( real Name unknown ), is the daughter of a hitman and first appears in the season three episode 3rd Life. The BAU initially believe her to be a victim of `` Jack '' until they track her to a school and discover that she is a willing accomplice. She reappears in season twelve as Diana Reid 's nurse using the name Dr. Carol Atkinson. Reid immediately recognises her as Lindsey Vaughan and later remembers that she was Mr. Scratch 's accomplice from the hotel in Mexico but is taken back to his cell before he can warn Diana, later being revealed that she is the accomplice of Cat Adams. Henry LaMontagne Played by Mekhai Andersen ( A.J. Cook 's son ), Henry LaMontagne is the first son of Jennifer Jareau and William LaMontagne Jr., his first appearance being in `` 100 ''. Mateo Cruz Played by Esai Morales, Cruz is the new Section Chief of the BAU. All that is known about him is that he worked at the Pentagon prior to season nine and has a past with JJ. It was revealed in `` 200 '' that the two had worked on a task force together in the Middle East. He was the only person to know of her pregnancy and her miscarriage during her time on the task force. In the same episode, they are both kidnapped by Tavin Askari, who was a traitor within the task force. They are both physically and mentally tortured into giving the access codes given to them during the mission. He is shocked to discover that Michael Hastings, one of the men they had worked with on the task force, was the mastermind behind the plan and threatened to rape JJ in order to give him the access codes. He gives in and is later stabbed by Askari, who was quickly killed by Hotch. Cruz is taken to the hospital following the incident and survives. Cruz later appears in the season nine finale `` Demons '', where he accepts a case from the sheriff who is a personal friend. When the sheriff is killed and Reid is shot, both Cruz and Garcia fly to Texas to meet with the rest of the team. He is next seen in the pilot episode for the upcoming spinoff, entitled Criminal Minds : Beyond Borders, which was the nineteenth episode of season ten. He enlists the BAU to help the international team find a vicious international killer in Barbados. Joy struthers Played by Amber Stevens, Joy is Rossi 's daughter from his short - lived second marriage to French diplomat Hayden Montgomery. When they divorced, Hayden did n't tell him she was pregnant and Joy thought her father was her mother 's second husband, who finally told her the truth before dying from cancer. In the episode `` Fate '' ( 10x09 ), Joy sought Rossi out and they 're getting to know each other. Joy is a reporter and true crime writer and is married with a 2 - year - old son named Kai. Peter Lewis Played by Bodhi Elfman, Peter Lewis ( aka Mr. Scratch ) is a proxy killer who poisons his victims causing them to kill people for him. He is first hunted by the BAU in season 10. He escapes from prison in season 11 and continues killing in season 12. He and an unknown female accomplice, later revealed to be Lindsey Vaughan, framed Spencer Reid for the murder of Mexican doctor, Nadie Ramos and he was imprisoned pending trial. He also stalked SSA Aaron Hotchner 's son, Jack, forcing them to go into witness protection. In the episode of September 27, 2017, he is cornered by the team and then falls to his death off the edge of a building. Former Erin Strauss Played by Jayne Atkinson, Erin Strauss was the BAU Section Chief, the direct superior to SSA Aaron Hotchner. Her job lies in administration, and she has little field experience. She is an alcoholic, as revealed in the seventh - season episode `` Self - Fulfilling Prophecy '' when she rants at the commandant of a military academy and Morgan smells alcohol on her breath. At the end of the episode, Hotchner and Morgan arrange for her to check in privately at a treatment facility, thus protecting her from losing her job. Strauss becomes more prominent in season eight. It is revealed in `` The Silencer '' that the newest member of the BAU team, Alex Blake, worked with her during the Amerithrax case, during which Strauss left her to take the fall when a linguistics flub led to the arrest of the wrong suspect. As a result, Blake did not get along with her afterwards. At the end of `` The Silencer '', Strauss tries apologizing to her, but Blake turns Strauss down. In `` Carbon Copy '', she specifically oversees the investigation into the Replicator, and by the end of the episode, she apologizes to Blake again, and this time, her apology is accepted. In `` Brothers Hotchner '', she is abducted by the Replicator, later revealed to be a former FBI agent named John Curtis, whom she left to take the blame along with Blake following the Amerithrax case. In `` The Replicator '', Curtis poisons her with spiked wine and leaves her to die. She is found on the streets by Hotch, and she admits that the Replicator forced her at gunpoint to drink again. She dies in Hotch 's arms after begging him to stay with her as she does not want to die alone. Strauss indirectly helps defeat Curtis post mortem when Rossi uses her sobriety chip to escape his trap, leaving him to possibly die in an explosion. After her funeral, the team celebrates her life during dinner at Rossi 's garden, discussing happy stories of her time with them and acknowledging her as a good woman, friend, and mother. Haley Hotchner Played by Meredith Monroe, Haley Hotchner was the wife of Aaron Hotchner. She and Hotchner have a son, Jack. They divorced due to her inability to cope with Hotch 's job and duties. In season three, Aaron Hotchner picks up his home phone when someone calls, but when he answers it, the caller hangs up. Haley 's cellphone starts ringing immediately afterward. Hotch looks at Haley, but she does not say anything. It is implied that Haley might be cheating on Aaron, and that is why the person who called the home phone did not speak when a man answered. She is shot and killed by Hotch 's nemesis, George Foyet ( a.k.a. `` The Boston Reaper '' ). She returned in season nine, episode five, in a vision while Hotch was recovering from complications from his stabbing 100 episodes earlier. Jordan Todd Played by Meta Golding, Todd is JJ 's replacement while she 's on maternity leave. She was introduced to the team in Catching Out and was mentored and trained by JJ until JJ went into labor. Prior to that, she had spent 7 years working for the FBI 's counter-terrorism unit. In the end, she announced that she would return there and that JJ would end her maternity leave and return to the team. Dr. Savannah Morgan Played by Rochelle Aytes, Savannah Morgan ( née Hayes ) is Derek Morgan 's wife and she works as a Doctor at Bethesda General Hospital. Savannah first appeared in Season Nine 's `` The Return '' and it is presumed Morgan and Savannah started dating prior to Season Nine, and first met after she approached him when he was depressed over a case that ended badly. Before they started dating they used to be neighbors. She was introduced to the show because Shemar Moore, the actor who portrays Morgan, had requested that his character should get a romantic partner. She was last seen giving birth to her and Derek 's son, Hank Spencer Morgan, after she was shot by Chazz Montolo. Characters from Suspect Behavior Samuel `` Sam '' Cooper -- portrayed by Forest Whitaker Beth Griffith -- portrayed by Janeane Garofalo Jonathan `` Prophet '' Sims -- portrayed by Michael Kelly Gina LaSalle -- portrayed by Beau Garrett Mick Rawson -- portrayed by Matt Ryan Jack Fickler -- portrayed by Richard Schiff Characters from Beyond Borders Main article : List of Criminal Minds : Beyond Borders characters Jack Garrett -- portrayed by Gary Sinise Clara Seger -- portrayed by Alana de la Garza Matthew `` Matt '' Simmons -- portrayed by Daniel Henney Russ `` Monty '' Montgomery -- portrayed by Tyler James Williams Mae Jarvis -- portrayed by Annie Funke References Jump up ^ Vick, Megan ( June 20, 2017 ). `` Criminal Minds Adopts Beyond Borders ' Daniel Henney as Series Regular ''. TV Guide. Retrieved June 20, 2017. Jump up ^ Thomas, Rachel ( October 3, 2016 ). `` Interview with Matthew Gray Gubler ( Dr. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds ) ''. Thought Co. Retrieved May 13, 2017. Episode sources ^ E104 `` Plain Sight ''. Criminal Minds. Season 1. Episode 04. 2005 - 10 - 12. CBS. ^ E111 `` Blood Hungry ''. Criminal Minds. Season 1. Episode 11. 2005 - 12 - 14. CBS. ^ E122 `` The Fisher King, Part 1 ''. Criminal Minds. Season 1. Episode 22. 2006 - 05 - 10. CBS. ^ E201 `` The Fisher King, Part 2 ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 01. 2006 - 09 - 20. CBS. ^ E204 `` Psychodrama ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 04. 2006 - 10 - 11. CBS. ^ E205 `` Aftermath ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 05. 2006 - 10 - 18. CBS. ^ E206 `` The Boogeyman ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 06. 2006 - 10 - 25. CBS. ^ E212 `` Profiler, Profiled ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 12. 2006 - 12 - 13. CBS. ^ E215 `` Revelations ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 15. 2007 - 02 - 07. CBS. ^ E217 `` Distress ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 17. 2007 - 02 - 21. CBS. ^ E218 `` Jones ''. Criminal Minds. Season 2. Episode 18. 2007 - 02 - 28. CBS. ^ E309 `` Penelope ''. Criminal Minds. Season 3. Episode 09. 2007 - 11 - 21. CBS. ^ E314 `` Damaged ''. Criminal Minds. Season 3. Episode 14. 2008 - 04 - 02. CBS. ^ E405 `` Catching Out ''. Criminal Minds. Season 4. Episode 05. 2008 - 10 - 29. CBS. ^ E407 `` Memoriam ''. Criminal Minds. Season 4. Episode 07. 2008 - 11 - 12. CBS. ^ E408 `` Masterpiece ''. Criminal Minds. Season 4. Episode 08. 2008 - 11 - 19. CBS. ^ E413 `` Bloodline ''. Criminal Minds. Season 4. Episode 13. 2009 - 01 - 21. CBS. ^ E509 `` 100 ''. Criminal Minds. Season 5. Episode 09. 2009 - 11 - 25. CBS. ^ E601 `` The Longest Night ''. Criminal Minds. Season 6. Episode 01. 2010 - 09 - 22. CBS. ^ E613 `` The Thirteenth Step ''. Criminal Minds. Season 6. Episode 13. 2011 - 01 - 26. CBS. ^ E614 `` Sense Memory ''. Criminal Minds. Season 6. Episode 14. 2011 - 02 - 09. CBS. ^ E617 `` Valhalla ''. Criminal Minds. Season 6. Episode 17. 2011 - 03 - 02. CBS. ^ E618 `` Lauren ''. Criminal Minds. Season 6. Episode 18. 2011 - 03 - 16. CBS. ^ E701 `` It Takes a Village ''. Criminal Minds. Season 7. Episode 01. 2011 - 09 - 21. CBS. ^ E723 `` Hit ''. Criminal Minds. Season 7. Episode 23. 2012 - 05 - 16. CBS. ^ E724 `` Run ''. Criminal Minds. Season 7. Episode 24. 2012 - 05 - 16. CBS. ^ E801 `` The Silencer ''. Criminal Minds. Season 8. Episode 01. 2012 - 09 - 26. CBS. ^ E816 `` Carbon Copy ''. Criminal Minds. Season 8. Episode 16. 2013 - 02 - 27. CBS. ^ E818 `` Restoration ''. Criminal Minds. Season 8. Episode 18. 2013 - 04 - 13. CBS. ^ E824 `` The Replicator ''. Criminal Minds. Season 8. Episode 24. 2013 - 05 - 22. CBS. ^ E914 `` 200 ''. Criminal Minds. Season 9. Episode 14. 2014 - 02 - 05. CBS. ^ E923 `` Angels ''. Criminal Minds. Season 9. Episode 23. 2014 - 05 - 07. CBS. ^ E924 `` Demons ''. Criminal Minds. Season 9. Episode 24. 2014 - 05 - 14. CBS. ^ E1001 `` X ''. Criminal Minds. Season 10. Episode 01. 2014 - 10 - 01. CBS. ^ E1013 `` Nelson 's Sparrow ''. Criminal Minds. Season 10. Episode 13. 2015 - 01 - 28. CBS. ^ E1023 `` The Hunt ''. Criminal Minds. Season 10. Episode 23. 2015 - 05 - 06. CBS. Criminal Minds Criminal Minds Episodes Season 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Characters Jason Gideon Aaron Hotchner Elle Greenaway Derek Morgan Spencer Reid Jennifer Jareau Penelope Garcia Emily Prentiss David Rossi Alex Blake Matt Simmons Video game Suspect Behavior Sam Cooper Penelope Garcia Beyond Borders Episodes Season 1 Characters Jack Garrett Clara Seger Russ Montgomery Matt Simmons Mae Jarvis International South Korean Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Criminal_Minds_characters&oldid=804753147 '' Categories : Criminal Minds characters Lists of drama television characters Lists of American television series characters Fictional characters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hidden categories : Wikipedia introduction cleanup from May 2015 All pages needing cleanup Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from May 2015 All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify Articles needing additional references from May 2015 All articles needing additional references Articles using Infobox character with multiple unlabeled fields Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 10 October 2017, at 22 : 48. 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Question: who plays spencer reid's mother in criminal minds
Answer: Jane Lynch