| "Pixies" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 2.09 | → |
| Production number: E1416 First aired: 12 January 2001 | ||
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| Teleplay By Tracey Stern Story By Tracey Stern, Clifton Campbell & Jeff Eckerle Directed By Jean de Segonzac | ||
Summary
The investigation of a gymnast's murder involves her strict trainer, a wealthy benefactor and a competitor.
Plot
A 13-year-old Jane Doe was found dead behind Dumpster, bruised, raped, and killed from a blow to the head with a nearby brick. Stabler and Benson investigate and discover that the Jane Doe is Kristy Meyerson, a 16-year-old gymnastics hopeful whose parents sent her to New York to train with Ilya Korska, one of the leading gymnastics coaches in the country.
Further investigation finds an expensive, custom-made bracelet among Kristy's personal effects; Munch investigates it and the trail leads to the Millers, parents of Hannah Miller, one of Kristy's fellow gymnasts and where Kristy lived in exchange for Hannah receiving free coaching from Korska.
The bracelet was engraved and, by questioning Hannah, Benson thinks that Korska had a sexual relationship with Kristy, especially since Hannah's mother stated that Kristy would have done anything for Korska and some of her fellow gymnasts think that she would have done too much. She also told them that Kristy ran with Lori, another gymnast, every night and was usually home by 10 pm.
The trail continues to Kyle Hubert, a large donor to Korska's foundation, and he was the one who gave Kristy the bracelet. He also admitted that he gave the girls scholarships and other expensive gifts "if they deserve it." Benson and Stabler began to see Hubert as the possible rapist and ask for a DNA sample. He refuses and Benson and Stabler go back to Korska's gym to question Korska and some other gymnasts, including Lori. One gymnast admitted that Hubert gave her body lotion, and asked her to think of him when she used it. Lori stated that Hubert gave Kristy more presents than the other girls, and that Christy liked the attention.
Munch and Fin looked in Hubert's financial records and found an apartment registered to Hubert that was not his primary address; they find a room in the apartment that is decorated in frills, unicorns, and other girly things, and found videos of him having intercourse with various underaged girls--including Kristy.
Hubert got pulled in for questioning and admitted to a sexual relationship with Kristy, and stated that Kristy was actually 19 instead of 16, and that they kept their relationship secret to protect Korska's gymnastics program. He gave a DNA sample. Kristy's age meant that it was no longer statutory rape, and Hubert was off the hook for that.
The lab stated that the stains on the sheets matched Kristy, but not Hubert. Kristy's parents arrived to the station and her father admitted that Kristy had a boyfriend, but didn't say who, but only that she was in love with him; the mother was upset because she didn't know. Kristy's father accused Kristy's mother of pushing the girl for her own purposes, not Kristy's.
Stabler and Benson went back to the gym and questioned Lori, who admitted that she watched Kristy upon Korska's request, in exchange for getting a starting spot in the next competition. She told Korska about Kristy and Hubert, and he caught Kristy leaving out of Hubert's apartment. He demanded that she break it off or he would no longer train her, and dropped her off prior to the time of her murder.
Benson and Stabler bring Lori in for questioning while she was taking her normal nighttime run. Apparently, Lori and Kristy met for their usual nighttime run and Kristy told her about breaking things off with Hubert,at Korska's request, and thus keeping her spot on the team.
Lori got mad at Korska for reneging on his promise to give her Kristy's spot, and mad at Kristy for standing in her way at being a better gymnast. They argued, Lori chased Kristy and hit her in the head with a brick, killing her.
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
- Stephanie March as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
- Welly Yang as CSU Technician Georgie
- Erin Broderick as Maureen Stabler (uncredited)
Guest cast
- Kate Mara as Lori
- Armand Schultz as Kyle Hubert
- Barbara Garrick as Hannah's Mother
- Blythe Auffarth as Amanda
- Steven Marcus as Willie Maxwell
- Peyton List as Patsy
- Courtney Jines as Hannah Miller
- Philip Casnoff as Ilya Korska
- Elaine Bromka as Nancy Meyerson
- Richard M. Davidson as Sterner
- Julia McNeal as Ann Brice
- Terry Layman as Martin Meyerson
- Ariel Arce as Danielle
- Fidel Vicioso as Detective Reynolds
- Daniel Stewart as Jewelry Salesman
- Alba Oms as Mrs. Pappas
- Gregory Porter Miller as Sanitation Worker #1
- Frank Bonsangue as Sanitation Worker #2
- Noah Bean as Shoe Store Clerk
- Tom Cappadona as Apartment Manager
- B.J. Crosby as Ruth Jay
- Antone Pagan as Hot Dog Vendor
References
- Kristy Meyerson
- Bulgaria
Quotes
| “ | Guess what? She's dead. | ” |
–Melinda Warner about Kristy | ||
- Gymnast: Then why'd I get my period?
- Benson: Because it's natural?
- Gymnast: No, because I'm not training hard enough.
| “ | Love your open door policy. | ” |
–Tutuola regarding having to be buzzed into a jewelry store | ||
- Cragen: What ever happened to just hanging out on the jungle gym?
- Stabler: Went the way of your eight-track tape.
| “ | Impossible! My girls don't have relationships! | ” |
–Ilya Korska | ||
| “ | Why don't we go pay Munch's hunch a visit? | ” |
–Donald Cragen | ||
- Benson: Lori confessed to killing Kristy.
- Korska: Lori's an imbecile.
- Tutuola: Talking in Greek, you're full of surprises.
- Munch: If I don't keep some mystery you might grow bored and stop loving me.
Background information and notes
- Actress Erin Broderick is uncredited for her role as Maureen Stabler in this episode.
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brice Residence |
Missing Persons Squad |
Chelsea Athletic Club |
Petrie's Jewelers |
Meat Packing District |
| Previous episode: "Taken" |
"Pixies" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 2 |
Next episode: "Consent" |