Father Donovan

For the television character, visit Mike Donovan.

Father Donovan (also referred to as "The Priest") is a Character in the Dexter Novels.

Although he is an outstanding citizen, he is also a serial child rapist and murderer of children.

Father Donovan is Dexter Morgan's first victim in Darkly Dreaming Dexter.

Dexter's Description
"'His name was Father Donovan. He taught music to the children at St. Anthony's Orphanage in Homestead, Florida. The children loved him. And of course he loved the children, oh very much indeed. He had devoted a whole life to them. Learned Creole and Spanish. Learned their music, too. All for the kids. Everything he did, it was all for the Kids. Everything.'"

Summary

 * Darkly Dreaming Dexter

On the night that Dexter targets Father Donovan, he is thinking of his own urge to kill. He watches Donovan joke and laugh with a young girl, before a nun takes her to play with other children.

After talking a bit with a janitor, Donovan walks to his vehicle and enters it. Dexter is waiting inside and makes his move. He quickly pulls a line of fishing wire over Donovan's neck, ordering him to follow his every command.

Donovan initially resists, despite his fear. However, he soon does what Dexter instructs, and drives out to the abandoned house where Donovan had murdered seven boys and buried them in its garden.

Dexter takes Donovan inside the house and forces him to look at the remains of the boys. For Dexter, it's essential for Donovan to see why he's there. He then injects Donovan with M99, and sets him up on a table.

Before he is killed, Donovan whispers something twice to Dexter. After the second whisper, Donovan closes his eyes, and Dexter responds, "You're welcome."

Dexter buries Father Donovan in the same garden as the boys that he killed.