Charles Markham

**Charles Markham** was a well respected prosecutor, he was also the father of theatre actor Leon Markham. He was handling the murder case of Sharon Brooks and charging Greer Kemp for the murder. He and his son also appeared as suspects in the murder of a detective named Mark Villiers in the episode "The Mind Of The Innocent" (S05E08).

In the episode, it was revealed that Leon was the boyfriend of Sharon Brooks, and Charles knew about their relationship. However, when Leon suspected that Sharon had been cheating on him, he asked his father to investigate. Charles hired detective Mark Villiers to stalk Sharon.

It turns out that Sharon was seeing another man – undergraduate Greer Kemp. Charles did not want his son to become upset and do something he would regret, so he decided to take matters in his own hands. Charles arrived in Sharon and Greer's meeting place to meet Sharon. When Sharon arrived, the two had an argument which led to Charles killing Sharon. Charles left before Greer had arrived.

However, Charles discovered another loose end – Villiers. Villiers took interest in Sharon's murder case and he managed to connect Charles to the murder due to being hired by him. Charles knew that Villiers would be reinstated back to the police force in a week, he decided to take the risk of letting the week pass for Villiers to return in the force, then kill him. This is because Charles also knew that Edwin applied for a reinstatement and he was not accepted, plus Villiers had joined the Homicide Division, permanently replacing Edwin.

A week has passed and Charles met Villiers in his apartment, Villiers bragged to Charles that he was going to reveal that he was Sharon's killer through a confession, otherwise he would incriminate Leon. Charles then killed Villiers with a single gunshot wound with the gun that is the exact model as Edwin's gun. Charles then disposed incriminating evidence regarding Sharon's murder or any connections to Leon.

Eventually, Edwin was incriminated as Villiers' murderer and was arrested. But then he was bailed out of custody by Villiers' partner Sam Hanna. The duo began investigating discreetly – discovering that Villiers had been investigating Sharon's murder. The two discovered that Leon was Sharon's lover through the ring that was found in Sharon's jewellery box – the insignia ring of Leon's former acting class.

Finally, Edwin was able to pinpoint Charles as the murderer through the fax address that was printed on Sharon's photo in Villiers' office; the only photo of Sharon that was shredded. Leon's connection to Sharon would eventually link Charles to Sharon's murder and the incriminating fax number would indicate that Charles hired Villiers to investigate Sharon regarding her cheating on Leon, and when heard that Sharon was murdered, he knew Charles was the killer.

In order to make Charles confess, Edwin explained to Lt. Lawson the entire scenario and had him removed from suspicion as Villiers' murderer. He also had Charles place him as an investigating officer to pull off the denouement. When Edwin was called to the stand, he stated that Leon Markham was the guilty suspect and presented evidence that Leon was Sharon's boyfriend before Greer, incriminating Leon. Out of his love for his son, Charles denied Edwin's suspicions towards Leon and insisted that he killed Sharon. Charles confessed in the middle of the trial that he also killed Villiers as he hired Villiers to investigate Sharon and that he knew Charles killed her. Lt. Lawson arrived to present the gun Charles used to kill Villiers, the one similar to Edwin's. She then placed Charles under arrest for Sharon and Villers' murders.