| “ | I don't know this kind of psychopath, never read about him. I don't even know if he's a psychopath. He's not insensitive, he's not shallow.
— Will to Jack
|
” |
Garret Jacob Hobbs (also known as "The Minnesota Shrike") was a cannibalistic serial killer who abducted and killed eight young women. They were all from eight different Minnesota campuses and had the same eye color, hair color and were the same age. However, he risked getting caught so he could tuck Elise Nichols back into her own bed, as her body was imperfect and he couldn't "honor" it the way he did the others. Garret's resignation letter led Will Graham to investigate him. After receiving a call from Hannibal Lecter, he murdered his wife and attempted to kill his daughter but was stopped by Will Graham who shot him nine times. Graham and Hannibal saved the life of his daughter, Abigail. He is the overarching antagonist in Season One of Hannibal.
Killing method[]
Although the murders of seven of his victims weren't seen onscreen, it is known that Elise Nichols was strangled with bare hands. It is assumed that all the other victims were killed using the same method. Afterward, Hobbs took them to his cabin, where he mounted them on deer antlers and dismembered them and removed their internal organs. The flesh and organs were then consumed; Hobbs may have served some of the flesh to his family. Elise Nichols' liver cancer, however, made her unsuitable for his purposes, so he attempted to apologize for what he'd done by returning her organs and tucking her body back into bed as he couldn't honor her.
After the warning call from Hannibal, Garret killed his wife and attempted to kill his daughter out of desperation.
- "He wouldn't disrespect them that way. He doesn't want these girls to suffer. He kills them quickly, and to his thinking, with mercy." (Will to Jack)
Method of Disposal[]
He left hardly any evidence. Bodies were never found, except for the body of Elise Nichols, which was found in her bedroom. In addition to serving the victims' flesh to his wife and daughter, Hobbs used the rest of the bodies for other purposes, similarly to what he did with deer he hunted. Abigail even found that he had been using their hair to stuff pillows.
- "You're not gonna find any of those girls. He would honor every part of them." (Abigail)
Red Dragon[]
In the novel Red Dragon, Hobbs was the first serial killer Will Graham encounters. The killer attacked college girls over an eight month period using a knife. He was nicknamed by the press “ the Minnesota Shrike”. Graham discovers the killer trying to kill his daughter after killing his wife. Graham shoots Hobbs to death, deeply traumatising him.
Known Victims[]
In order of first to last:
- S. Olsen
- L. Sorenson
- D. Latimer
- P. Cohen
- R. Winn
- A. Anderson
- D. Woodward
- Elise Nichols
- Louise Hobbs (his wife; slashed her throat)
- Abigail Hobbs (attempted; slashed her throat)
Episode appearances[]
Season 1[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
Quotes[]
- "He couldn't honor her. He feels bad." (Will)
- "Sensitive psychopath." (Jack)
- "He can't stand the thought of losing her. She's his golden ticket." (Will about Abigail)
- "Our cannibal loves women. He doesn't want to destroy them. He wants to consume them, keep a part of them inside." (Will to Jack)
- "Eating her is honoring her. Otherwise, it's...it's just...murder." (to Abigail)
- "See?" (to Will, his last words)
Trivia[]
- A shrike is a carnivorous bird, known for catching and impaling their prey on thorns, spikes and other sharp points to make it easier to tear the flesh from them to feed on.[1] Hobbs' similar habit of impaling his victims on antlers, and possibly his cannibalism, earned him his nickname "The Minnesota Shrike".