Synopsis  

A horrific murder caught on film and the discovery of a skeleton covered with fire ants are the focus of this first-rate episode. Catherine is called in by a pornographic-film developer to view graphic footage from a snuff movie in which a woman is brutally slain. But the clues are scant: The murderer isn’t clearly seen, the cheap-looking hotel room could be almost anywhere and the film was sent to the developer anonymously. Outside of town, Grissom investigates another killing when a body, smothered with fire ants, is found stuffed inside a large toolbox. The initial findings indicate that the person died well over a year earlier.

Review  

Sara and Catherine investigate the snuff film. Sara checks the film for prints, can’t find any, and Catherine tells her about ‘short ends’; Catherine also tells her the facts about snuff films. Sara, Catherine and Warrick check out the hotel where the killing occured, and discover the (freshly painted) room where the killing took place. When she’s going over the film with Warrick to try and determine who the killer is, Sara repeats what Catherine told her about short ends as if she had known it all along. Sara and Catherine find the end of the film in the trash, and Catherine tells her about the porno quarantine list; later they find the victim’s name on that list. Warrick gets frustrated with the case and throws a phone book out into the hall, barely missing Sara – he apologizes to her, and she lets him know that they got a warrant based on his findings… then suggests that he apologize to the phone book. At the end, Sara gets a little vindictive when she and Catherine confront the suspect.

Notes  

• Sara repeats facts told to her by other people (in this case, Catherine as if she had known them all along.
• Sara offers support to Warrick, letting him know that his findings helped the case.
• This is the first of several instances where Sara gets a bit vindictive when confronting a suspect.

Quotes  

Sara: Biology determining pathology.
Warrick: Yeah. Some people are just born bad.

Sara: I’m fine.
Warrick: I’m sorry. Are you okay?
Sara: Yeah. You missed me by a mile. … You might want to apologize to the phone book.

Sara: I guess she killed you back.