Gregory "Greg" Searle (alias Julian Cooper) is an ephebophile who was suspected and ultimately convicted of kidnapping, raping, and murdering Rachel McGarrett.
Background[]
Greg was born and raised in Duchess County, New York. He had at least one sibling.
When he was an adult, he entered into a relationship with a fifteen-year-old girl named Lauren Molby. He eventually sneaked into her house, got her to run away from her abusive parents, and took her to his cabin. The police eventually suspected him of kidnapping and murdering her. When they searched his car, they found traces of Lauren's hair inside. Despite this, Greg was only charged with kidnapping because they couldn't find Lauren's body and he wouldn't disclose her location. After serving 20 years, he moved to Manhattan and took on an assumed name, Julian Cooper, to start a new life since he realized Lauren would be too old for him by now. He eventually opened up a bookstore that was frequented by Detective Chester Lake.
In or before 2007, Greg was introduced to a video game Another Youniverse by his employee Nestor Buchanan, and he discovered an avatar called Vixi Platinum, who was the spitting image of Lauren Molby. Over the next six months, he became obsessed with the game and used the identity of one of his customers, Tobin Willis, to set up an account. He then started stalking Vixi in Another Youniverse. When he was banned from Vixi's virtual strip club, he discovered that she was really Rachel McGarrett and started stalking her in the real world. To cover his tracks, he hung out with Nestor's avatar to frame him and Tobin, while he made preparations to kidnap Rachel.
On SVU[]
Greg sneaks into Rachel's room while she is sleeping and kidnaps her from her bed while her boyfriend lays asleep. He takes her back to a warehouse he bought with Another Youniverse currency, where he proceeds tie her to a bed and rape her. Rachel's disappearance causes her boyfriend Dan Friedich, who suffers from sexsomnia, to rape her sister Kristi in his sleep. Greg later goes back to the store, where he watches his plan succeed as Lake and Detective Olivia Benson arrest Nestor for Rachel's kidnapping. After they leave, he removes all the computer equipment from his shop and home to hide the evidence. He then leaves a key to a storage unit to send them on a wild goose chase if they discover his involvement. The police eventually unravel everything and find Rachel just as he is going to move her to his cabin. Greg then gets in his car and flees the warehouse. He drives to Queens to catch a bus to Canada, but is caught and arrested before he makes it over the border.
Greg is taken to the hospital so Rachel can ID him, but both the detectives and Greg learn Rachel died of her injuries and Greg decides to use this opportunity to escape. Benson and Detective Elliot Stabler try to get a confession out of him, but while Greg talks freely about his past with Lauren, he denies kidnapping and raping Rachel. He then waits and is eventually released. Greg prepares to flee back into Canada while Stabler follows him, determined to arrest him after they find Lauren's body. While out shopping, Greg taunts Stabler and almost walks into the airport, but Stabler arrests him after he sees him jaywalking. He is eventually reintroduced to Lauren Molby and is horrified at how old she has gotten. She presses him and he confesses to kidnapping and raping Rachel because with her Vixi avatar he could've made her last forever. After this, he is convicted of Rachel's kidnapping, rape, and murder. (SVU: "Avatar")
After serving nine years of his sentence, he is diagnosed with colon cancer and given compassionate parole and is registered as a sex offender. He lives in the Spuyten Duyvil Shelter for level-3 sex offenders. When three women are raped near the shelter, all of the residents, including Greg, become suspects. When SVU detectives arrive at the shelter, Greg asks how long they want to keep them, and both Lieutenant Benson and Detective Fin Tutuola recognize him and express shock that he is out while he explains his circumstances. Afterwards, Greg and the other residents are led into the squad room. Fin gets Greg to say the phrase "Do what I say and you won't get hurt" into a phone while Greg claims his innocence ans its confirmed when his voice isn't matched. Greg's attorney, Thomas Zimmerman, arrives to bail him and Richie Caskey out. The next day, while in group therapy, Greg tries to comfort the newest member (who is really Detective Sonny Carisi working undercover) and warns him to get used to being questioned by police.
The day after group therapy, Richie mentions his job interview and Greg asks what the job is, so he could apply. After Richie tells them, Greg starts worrying about Robin Daughtry, their counselor, as she is usually the first one in. When Robin is found raped and murdered, Fin and his partner Amanda Rollins search Greg's room while he and his roommate, Gerald Loomis, watch. They eventually find a set of keys hidden in Loomis' pillow. The police eventually find the keys are to a storage locker filled with equipment and jewelry that proves Loomis raped several women, two in Manhattan and two in Hempstead. Eventually, it is revealed that Zimmerman was a copycat serial rapist using Loomis' rapes to mask his own, and also the one who killed Robin. Greg is ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. (SVU: "Sheltered Outcasts")
Known Victims[]
- Unknown date in 1982: Lauren Molby (committed consensual statutory rape with her)
- September 24, 2007:
- Rachel McGarrett (stalked, kidnapped, and raped; later died in the hospital from her injuries two days later)
- Kristi McGarrett (Rachel's sister; indirectly caused her rape after Rachel's sexsomnia-afflicted boyfriend mistook her for Rachel)