Criminal Minds Shocks Fans with Astonishing Spoiler Twist in Latest Episode

Criminal Minds continues to captivate audiences with its dramatic twists, and the latest episode brought a revelation that could significantly alter the course of the season.

In the gripping episode aired on Thursday, June 25, on Paramount+, viewers were taken aback when Brian, played by Paul F. Tompkins, disclosed crucial information to the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). According to him, the testimony of an FBI agent was a pivotal factor in sparing Voit, portrayed by Zach Gilford, from receiving the death penalty. Instead, he was sentenced to life in prison.

The twist deepened as the team discovered that one of their own had been advocating for Voit’s rehabilitation from the shadows. This hidden ally turned out to be none other than Garcia, played by Kirsten Vangsness. The revelation sent shockwaves through the BAU, shattering team cohesion. The news particularly devastated Rossi, played by Joe Mantegna, causing a noticeable rift among the agents.

Premiering in 2005, Criminal Minds has remained a favorite for fans of crime dramas. The series revolves around a dedicated group of criminal profilers within the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, as they solve intricate cases using the power of behavioral analysis to track down elusive offenders.

The original Criminal Minds series was revived by Paramount+ after its initial conclusion in 2020. Criminal Minds: Evolution brought back most of the cast with Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster reprising their roles. Other key characters — such as Matthew Gray Gubler’s Reid — have made cameos.

The first season of Criminal Minds: Evolution (a.k.a. season 16 of the OG Criminal Minds series) introduced Voit as the main antagonist. The BAU spent the entire season hunting down the prolific killer, who they linked to 62 murders and was the mastermind behind setting up an online network of fellow serial killers.

Voit’s status as the villain was left up in the air when earlier this season he had significant memory loss that caused him to no longer be labeled as a psychopath. Gilford and the rest of the Criminal Minds cast have acknowledged that Voit can’t remain on the show for good.

“I was supposed to leave the show a while ago and I’ve been pitching, ‘Well, I have to leave at some point. If you’re not going to kill me, we should have a spinoff,’” Gilford, 44, quipped exclusively to Us Weekly in May 2025. “It’s called Criminal Mind: Voit and it follows what Voit is doing when he is out in the world. Somehow he either escapes or he gets released and he is this white whale to the BAU. So Criminal Minds can keep going and having their [unsub] of the week — but they’ll always be like, ‘I wonder if Voit had something to do with this.’”

While Gilford returned in his scene-stealing role in season 19, he previously said he is just focused on where Voit is now.

“No matter what [role] it is, I try to make people like the character. No matter what they’re doing or how bad they are. It’s fun, especially with someone like a serial killer. Or even when I worked on Good Girls, I was a guy who cheated on his pregnant wife and I was like, ‘But I want everyone to like me,’” he told Us. “The thing is just about making people likable and to draw you in.”

Gilford continued: “I feel very, very fortunate and lucky — especially as the guy who started out as Matt [Saracen on Friday Night Lights] — the nicest guy in the world. For a long time, all anyone wanted me to do was be the nice guy. I am still kind of being the nice guy, [but] I just happen to have done bad things [on screen as Voit].”

Criminal Minds: Evolution airs Thursdays on Paramount+.