Dexter Episode 3: Popping Cherry

A chopped-up sex worker is found at a hockey rink, and the investigation quickly points the department toward the missing security guard, Tony Tucci, even as Debra notices clues that do not fit him. At the same time, Dexter targets a recently released teenage killer he believes may murder again, while Rita is forced to deal with her ex-husband’s drug dealer taking her car.

The episode opens with the discovery of a new Ice Truck Killer victim at a pro hockey rink. Debra recognizes the victim, Cherry, as a prostitute she knew from her undercover work, which makes the case personal for her. The police then focus on finding Tony Tucci, the stadium security guard who has gone missing, and Lt. LaGuerta becomes convinced he is the killer because of his criminal record. Debra and Dexter both object, since the clues do not fully fit Tucci, including the fact that the evidence points to a vehicle Tucci does not appear to have. Surveillance footage is later recovered showing Tucci placing Cherry’s dismembered body in the ice rink, but the footage also suggests he is following instructions from someone off camera.

Dexter spends much of the episode watching Jeremy Downs, a teenage murderer who has recently been paroled. He tracks Jeremy’s movements and becomes increasingly convinced that Jeremy is on the verge of killing again, especially after seeing him acting suspiciously and preparing to act on violent impulses. Dexter follows Jeremy to a swamp, where Jeremy has taken another boy, apparently planning to repeat his first murder. Dexter is ready to intervene violently, but he stops when he learns that Jeremy’s victim is actually the man who raped him, and Dexter chooses to leave after taking back his wallet instead of killing him.

Rita’s problems escalate when Ricky, a man connected to her imprisoned ex-husband Paul, shows up demanding money. When Rita cannot pay, Ricky takes her car as collateral, leaving her dependent on buses and creating practical problems for her job and family life. Dexter offers to go to the police, but Rita asks him not to interfere. The loss of the car also causes complications at home, including a situation in which Astor is left waiting at school until Dexter picks her up. By the end of the episode, Dexter gets Rita a new car.

The episode also includes flashbacks to Dexter’s first kill, showing Harry giving him permission to kill a nurse who had been harming patients and his sick father. Dexter kills the nurse at her house, marking his first victim. Meanwhile, Sergeant Doakes continues his pressure campaign against Carlos Guerrero, and Guerrero responds by having men watch Doakes.