Robert Milson

Robert Milson, PhD is a character in Dexter Early Cuts and one of Dexter's earliest victims.

He's an associate criminology professor in criminal justice, responsible for a death in his teens and seven deaths as an adult.

Description
As a young man, Milson had attractive features with long, wavy hair. As he grew older, his face became wrinkled, and his clothes matched that of a typical professor. He also needed eyeglasses. When disposing of a victim's body parts in a swamp, he wore rubber coveralls.

Personality
Milson was responsible for the death of a girl at a young age, and grew up with killing tendencies. He followed these urges by murdering female students taking his class. He may also have raped them, as some were found naked. Others were disposed of in a nearby swamp for alligators to feast on. Apparently, Milson cared enough about his killings to teach his protege, Peter Thornton, the tricks of the trade. However, he never let Peter kill anyone.

Summary
After Harry Morgan's death, Dexter attended college and took a course with Dr. Robert Milson. He knew about Milson back when he was called "Bobby" through some of Harry's old case files and found out about his earlier transactions, which included murdering his girlfriend. His lawyer was able to convince everyone that it was rough sex gone wrong and Milson's record was expunged.

Through further research, Dexter also discovered that Milson was behind the deaths of seven missing female co-eds who took his class. Dexter was ready to kill him, so he waited at night with a line of fishing wire for Milson when he went for something to eat at a vending machine. After wrapping the wire around Milson's neck, Dexter pulled him along until he was rendered unconscious. Dexter grabbed Milson's chips for himself.

Dexter made quick work of Milson, shoving his blade into Milson's heart, though unknown to Dexter, Peter Thornton was watching him from the shadows. Dexter then sawed up the body and left it to be feasted upon by alligators in a swamp, oblivious that Peter followed him.

Later, Dexter is faced with the reality that killing Milson likely warped Peter further, after he went on to kill Jenna Lincoln as Dexter watched from a window. Dexter hurried to figure out who the young man was, and discovered that Peter killed his own father at a young age, and may be responsible for other murders.

Dexter confronts Peter, learning that he was Milson's apprentice but was never allowed to kill the girls. After letting him go, Peter killed again and this forced Dexter to take his life...thus preventing his "copycat" from killing more innocents.

Victims

 * Unnamed girlfriend, while in his teens
 * Seven co-eds, as an adult

Related Pages

 * Dark Echo (Early Cuts)
 * Peter Thornton