CSI: Miami

Season 5 - Episode 23 - Kill Switch

Written by Marc Dube & Corey Miller
Directed by Scott Lautanen

A local news program shows a brutal carjacking caught on tape, as ex-CSI Ryan Wolfe gives “expert” commentary on the crime.  An hour later, Horatio and Tripp stand on the beach looking down at the dead body of the carjacker, Jason Billings.

 Alexx and Calleigh examine Jason’s bruised and beaten body.  Alexx finds a ligature mark on Jason’s ankle and wood splinters in his fingernails, along with the strong smell of urine.  Horatio questions carjacking victim Sherry Williamson.  Calleigh visits Wolfe at the television station and barely masks her disgust with him, and Wolfe gives her a list of possible suspects who called the station to threaten the carjacker.  Valera identifies the urine found on Jason as Derek Hewitt’s.  Horatio questions Hewitt, a proud vigilante who confesses to beating and urinating on Jason.  Hewitt is arrested while Paul Billings, Jason’s brother, introduces himself to Natalia. 

Delko tells Horatio that Jason died on the water before Hewitt got to him.  Delko discovers that the Billings brothers come from money, and Calleigh wonders aloud why a wealthy Jason would need to steal a car.   Alexx tells Calleigh that Jason died from a high velocity impact to the top of his head.   Horatio and Tripp examine Jason’s boat and question his employee, college student Cole Tucker.  Tripp notices the kill switch lanyard is broken.  The strap matches the ligature marks found on Jason’s ankle.  Cole admits that Jason coerced him into helping make one drug run from Cuba.  Horatio questions suspected drug cartel associate Tony Decker after a tip from Paul Billings.  Decker won’t admit to knowing Jason.

 Delko interrogates Sherry Williamson after reviewing the carjacking tape with Wolfe.  Sherry tells Delko that she set up Jason so that her boyfriend Paul could kill him as per Tony Decker’s instructions.  Sherry and Paul are arrested.  Delko identifies the wood found in Jason’s fingernails as teak which matches the wood on Decker’s boat.  Decker tells Horatio in detail how he killed Jason over a bad drug deal.  A remorseful Wolfe quits his TV job.