Lagoon Park

Lagoon Park is a location in Season Eight of the Showtime series DEXTER.

It’s where the body of Robert Bailey, the first victim attributed to The Brain Surgeon, is found.

Season Eight

 * “A Beautiful Day”

The Miami Metro Homicide unit arrives at a crime scene where a man’s corpse is lying near a body of water. Angel is still wearing the suit he wore earlier at Maria LaGuerta’s memorial service.

Dexter looks through the victim’s wallet and says, “Robert Bailey, 42 years old, Miami resident. Killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest, right above the heart.” Masuka adds, “Judging from the stippling on the wound, it looks like the muzzle of the gun was in contact with the victim's chest when fired.” Angel asks if it was suicide with Dexter replying, “No, the victim was killed elsewhere and dumped here.”

When Dexter lifts Bailey’s head, he’s surprised when it separates into two pieces. He tells the others that the parietal and occipital bone were sliced through and the back of the cranium removed. As Dexter holds up the head to examine it, he notices that a piece of the brain had been scooped out, likely with a melon baller. Angel and Quinn comment on how weird it is.

The murder weapon, a gun, is found discarded in a bush not far from the body. Angel asks why someone would “shoot the guy, cut his head open, and mess with his brain.” Quinn asks why the killer “would take the body and weapon all the way out here.” Dexter answers that “people are crazy.”

Angel orders Masuka to process the gun for DNA and prints, even though Masuka protests because it had rained.

At a briefing later, Dr. Evelyn Vogel says the missing brain section processes empathy. Dexter reports that the autopsy proves the brain was drilled into postmortem, and bruising on the knuckles and knees indicate the victim was held captive in an enclosed space. Masuka says there were no contents in the stomach, along with signs of dehydration. Because Bailey had been missing for five days and there was a pre-kill ritual, Dr. Vogel believes a serial killer is responsible, despite there being only one victim.

Quotes

 * Is this how I’m going to find Deb? Dead and alone? - Dexter to himself

Related Pages

 * Brain Surgeon Case
 * Oliver Saxon
 * Robert Bailey

Trivia

 * The real-life location is Colorado Lagoon Park in Long Beach, CA. It’s the same filming place where Miguel Prado’s body was found.