NCIS In Review - The Curse (Episode 1.5)

 NCIS In Review - The Curse (Episode 1.5)

A deer hunter pursued his quarry, a deer, but missed his mark. In his pursuit, he stumbled upon an aircraft drop tank. Venturing inside, he discovered the mummified remains of a servicemember.

“Looks like a strained Halloween metaphor, Duck.”

Episode: 1.5, The Curse

Air Date:  October 28, 2003. 

Victim:  Lt. Mark Schilz.

A deer hunter pursued his quarry, a deer, but missed his mark. In his pursuit, he stumbled upon an aircraft drop tank. Venturing inside, he discovered the mummified remains of a servicemember.

The story takes a serious turn as Gibbs promptly issues the command, "Get your gear!" upon entering the office. The team assembles with a sheriff to examine the drop tank and the body. Tony identifies the drop tank as an F-14 model, repurposed for storage.

Upon returning to headquarters, Abby uncovers partial prints and a serial number on the tank. This revelation prompts them to consider using a TFOA (Things Falling Off Aircraft) report to trace its origin in case it fell from a plane. The tank is opened, revealing dog tags identifying the body as Lt. Mark Schilz. Inside the tank are also a golf bag belonging to Lt. Lynch and a flight bag belonging to Lt. Cmdr. Farnsworth. Lt. Schilz's body also bears a wedding band.

Records indicate that in 1994, Lt. Schilz went missing at sea from the U.S.S. Eisenhower aircraft carrier. He was accused of embezzling $1.2 million from the ship's safe and was subsequently dishonorably discharged. Farnsworth, the pilot of the plane that lost the tank, and Lynch, the navigator, were both deceased due to a crash two years earlier, refuting suspicions that they were the culprits.

Ducky suggests that Lt. Schilz bled to death, but further examination is needed. Regardless, his death is deemed a murder. Gibbs and Kate speculate whether he had an accomplice in the robbery or stumbled upon the thieves unexpectedly.

Kate interviews Lt. Schilz's widow, Mary, who believes her husband was innocent of the robbery. She seeks exoneration to secure death benefits and child support for their child. Kate also learns about Lt. Schilz's last call to Mary from the carrier the day their daughter was born.

Tony retrieves a 1994 report from NCIS agent Richard Owens detailing the Eisenhower robbery and Lt. Schilz's disappearance. Gibbs is critical of Owens's lackluster investigation and arranges a meeting. In a tense encounter, Gibbs presses Owens for more effort, even calling him to travel from Hawaii to Norfolk.

Gibbs and Kate uncover that Randy Wiles, the man Lt. Schilz's widow remarried, served alongside Lt. Schilz on the Eisenhower. This detail wasn't mentioned during Kate's earlier interview. Gibbs and Kate confront Wiles, suspecting him of murdering Lt. Schilz and orchestrating the setup.

With Owens's reluctant assistance, the team traces Petty Officer Martinez, who had connections to Toner, the disbursing clerk. They discover that Martinez met an unfortunate end in Mexico. Abby's analysis of fabric on Lt. Schilz's body points to mailbags used on the carrier. Kate uncovers that Toner only won $37,000 in the lottery, suggesting a motive for the robbery.

The team confronts Toner, offering a theory that Martinez murdered Lt. Schilz and used a mailbag to move his body unnoticed. Gibbs presents the option to extradite Toner to Mexico or confess to exonerate Lt. Schilz. Toner ultimately admits to the murder.

As the case concludes, Owens realizes that Gibbs's bluff about Toner's fingerprints was successful. The episode's mystery and character dynamics earn it a positive review. The strong performances and engaging plot make it a compelling murder mystery, even with certain plot elements feeling a bit forced.

Seven Abbys for this Great Episode