David Rossi

David Rossi
Criminal Minds character
First appearance	"About Face" 3x06, October 31, 2007
Created by	Edward Allen Bernero
Portrayed by	Joe Mantegna
Information
Nickname(s)	Dave
Gender	Male
Occupation	FBI Special agent
Title	FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent
Spouse(s)	Carolyn Rossi (first ex-wife, deceased); two other ex-wives
Children	James David Rossi (son, with Carolyn, deceased)

David Rossi is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Joe Mantegna. The character first appeared in the sixth episode of the third season, replacing Jason Gideon.

Storylines

Backstory

Rossi was born and raised on Long Island, New York, in the town of Commack.^E503 As a child, he was friends with a young Emma Taylor, who he refers to as the "one who got away." He was also close with Ray Finnegan, who eventually grew up to be a prominent local mobster. Rossi, however, avoided the lure of organized crime, and joined the Marine Corps, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major.^E703 After being discharged, he was recruited by the FBI. He subsequently cut most ties with his former life, not even returning to Commack for Emma's funeral in early 2009. Rossi has had an apparently illustrious FBI career and sterling reputation, even outside the BAU confines. He claims to have "written the book" on hostage negotiation, and stepped in as a negotiator in when his fellow agents Reid and Prentiss were held hostage.^E403 He takes an annual leave to do cross-country lecture and book-signing tours, which apparently attract a lot of female fans, "if Barry Manilow isn't in town."^E402E415 He worked with Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) prior to his retirement from the Bureau. Rossi has been married 3 times, but has said the only people he knew how to make happy were "divorce lawyers".^E318

Despite growing up on Long Island, Rossi is a Chicago Cubs fan, as indicated by the Cubs gear in his Quantico office.^E319

Personality

In contrast to Hotchner and Gideon, Rossi is decisively extroverted, abrasive, and much less cerebral, though still highly disciplined and focused. In one episode, Emily Prentiss describes him as a "fussy, anal-retentive neat-freak." While intelligent and quick-witted, he seems to favor less polished, more traditional police methods in profiling and interrogation. Nevertheless, he, Reid, and Gideon are the only characters who are known for being prolific writers.

Rossi was known for being something of a playboy, as mentioned by Agent Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau when she says to Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia: "From what I hear, Rossi is the reason most of these fraternization rules even exist."

It is implied that Rossi is quite wealthy. At times, he has flaunted his financial security to his superiors - for example, mentioning to Section Chief Erin Strauss during an interrogation session his grievances about how gold is going up, and having to figure out when to sell. His wealth is also indicated by Rossi's favorite type of shoe: Italian suede. In one episode, he also gives a young Catholic girl a check for $500 when she takes her First Holy Communion.

On the job

Rossi was in early retirement until his voluntary return to the BAU in 2007, replacing Jason Gideon. Rossi had retired in order to write books and go on lecture tours, but returned to "settle some unfinished business". As he had served in an early form of the BAU, it was initially hard for Rossi to acclimatize to the current team structure, but he eventually adjusted.

Rossi revealed to a local sheriff his reason for returning to the BAU, holding out a charm bracelet with the names of three children from one of his first cases.^E314 The children had found their parents stabbed to death in the family home with an axe. Rossi had promised the children he would find out who killed their parents, but the BAU was unable to solve the case. Each year on Christmas Eve, Rossi called the children to let them know he hadn't forgotten them and hadn't given up on solving their parents' murders. He kept with this tradition through his return to the BAU, though none of the children had replied to his most recent calls. After going unsolved for 20 years, the case was finally solved when the BAU found that a mentally handicapped carny clown had committed the murders accidentally when he broke into the house to play with the oldest daughter. The father had surprised the man in the parents' bedroom and triggered the resulting attacks.^E314 After the murders, Rossi had purchased the family's home to assist the children's grandmother, who was raising them following their parents' death. Rossi returned the house to the children, with the request that they use the proceeds to better their lives. After finally solving the case, Rossi also attempted to return the charm bracelet to the children, but they requested that he keep it. Although he had identified the need to solve this case as his reason for returning to the BAU, Rossi continued to work after it was solved.

In the episode "Hanley Waters", as he is being interviewed about Prentiss' "apparent death" by Hotch instead of Strauss, he reveals that he feels more married to his job than to his three ex-wives. He even proposes a toast with Hotch about Prentiss and Hotch's wife Haley.

In the Season 6 finale, he is almost shot in the face by an unsub pretending to be a victim of human trafficking; luckily Morgan's quick reaction saves his life. Later he meets JJ in his office after solving the case. She meets him to let him know that she is returning to the team.

In Season 7 Rossi is just as surprised as the others to learn that Prentiss is alive. However, in episode "Proof" he mentions to Hotch that he had an inkling that Prentiss wasn't dead. As he has no children from his previous marriage, Rossi has adopted the BAU team as his own family and invites them to his house for dinner.^E702

In From Childhood's Hour, Rossi was having breakfast with his first ex-wife, Carolyn, but before she can tell him something, the BAU calls. Before Rossi leaves he invites her to dinner at his place when he gets back.She agrees. At the end of the episode, Carolyn is at Rossi's house for dinner. After, Carolyn reminds David that the promise that they made to each other after their divorce, saying that they'd be there for one another. She tells him that she has ALS for about a year and its getting worse (she has 18 months to live) then asked Rossi to end her life when the symptoms grow too unbearable. Without saying anything,he sitting, holding both of her hands ( with both of his hands), and begins to cry. After some personal deliberation, Rossi comes to the conclusion that he cannot assist Carolyn in ending her life. He goes to her to tell her this, and she reveals that she always knew that he would refuse, saying she is just glad that he could be with her tonight. Rossi then asks, horrified, "what have you done?" and looks to the bedside table to see a bottle of pills. Carolyn begs him not to call 911 and to let her die as she lived, not in a hospital. Tearfully, Rossi holds her as she slips away. Just before falling asleep, Carolyn asks "Do you think he'll be there?" to which Rossi replies, "I'm sure he will." Later, he is seen sipping a glass of wine at her grave, and next to her grave is shown a gravestone reading "James David Rossi," with the same birth date and death date, implying he and Carolyn had a stillborn son in 1979.

References

^E514 "Damaged". Criminal Minds. No. 14, season 3.

^E319 "Tabula Rasa". Criminal Minds. No. 19, season 3.

^E402 "The Angel Maker". Criminal Minds. No. 2, season 4.

^E514 "Minimal Loss". Criminal Minds. No. 3, season 4.

^E503 "Zoe's Reprise". Criminal Minds. No. 15, season 4.

^E503 "Reckoner". Criminal Minds. No. 3, season 5.

^E702 "Proof". Criminal Minds. No. 2, season 7.

^E703 "Dorado Falls". Criminal Minds. No. 3, season 7.

External links

• David Rossi at the Internet Movie Database