Ep 7. Folie a Deux

The Law and Order CI Season 8 Episode 7, Folie a Deux, opens with the murder of a college professor, Dr. Richard Stern. Detective Robert Goren and his partner Detective Alexandra Eames are assigned to the case. The detectives suspect that a graduate student, Toby Mills, may be the killer. They visit Toby's apartment to question him, but he runs away as soon as he sees them. The detectives chase him down and take him into custody.

Toby is a brilliant but troubled student who had a strained relationship with Dr. Stern. The detectives investigate Toby's background and discover that he has a history of mental illness. They also find out that Dr. Stern had refused to give Toby a recommendation letter for his PhD program. This information leads the detectives to believe that Toby may have killed Dr. Stern out of revenge.

Meanwhile, Toby's mother, Karen Mills, visits the detectives at the police station. She tells the detectives that Toby had been acting strangely and had been hearing voices in his head. She also reveals that Toby's father had schizophrenia and had committed suicide when Toby was a child. Karen fears that Toby may be suffering from the same mental illness as his father. The detectives are sympathetic but remain focused on the murder investigation.

As the investigation continues, the detectives uncover more evidence that points to Toby as the killer. They find a letter from Dr. Stern's office that Toby had forged to make it look like the professor had given him a recommendation letter. The detectives also discover that Toby had been stalking Dr. Stern and had sent him threatening emails.

However, the case takes a surprising turn when the detectives receive a call from Toby's girlfriend, Kathy Meyers. Kathy tells the detectives that she believes she is the one who killed Dr. Stern. She explains that she suffers from a disorder called Folie a Deux, which is a shared delusional disorder that affects two people who are in a close relationship. Kathy reveals that she had convinced Toby that Dr. Stern was a monster who was trying to destroy his career, and that they had both planned to kill him together.

The detectives are skeptical of Kathy's claims at first, but they soon realize that she may be telling the truth. They find evidence that suggests that Kathy and Toby had been working together to plan the murder. They also discover that Kathy had a history of mental illness and had been hospitalized in the past.

As the detectives delve deeper into the case, they learn more about Folie a Deux. They discover that it is a rare disorder that is difficult to diagnose and treat. They also learn that it can be caused by a variety of factors, including a history of mental illness in the family, stress, and trauma.

The detectives work to untangle the complex web of relationships and delusions that led to Dr. Stern's murder. They eventually arrest Kathy and Toby for the crime, but they are left with the realization that mental illness is a difficult and tragic disease that can destroy lives and families.

In the end, the case leaves the detectives with a sense of sadness and compassion for all those affected by mental illness. The episode ends with the detectives reflecting on how they can help prevent similar tragedies in the future.