Cross episode 1 ending explained: Why was [spoiler] killed?

Spoilers ahead for Cross episode 1

Cross, Prime Video adaptation of the world created by James Patterson in the Alex Cross books, opened with "Hero Complex," an episode that set-up the first season's two central mysteries. Both plots affect the titular D.C. homicide detective professionally and personally.

At work, along side his partner and best friend John Sampson, Alex is investigating the death of Emir Goodspeed, a community activist found dead in a car. Since he had a drug record and had spent time in prison, the Metro PD wanted to take the ruling of an overdose at face value. But with Emir's sister Malika leading the charge, the city was riled up convinced that Emir had been murdered.

Looking at the evidence, such as the fact that Emir died from an overdose of meth which he wouldn't have taken because he had Type II Diabetes and knew the drug didn't mix with his meds, and that his last meal was a pork chop which didn't make sense since he was a devout Muslim, Alex also drew the conclusion that Emir neither committed suicide nor accidentally overdosed.

He called in a favor with FBI agent Kayla Craig to find out who Emir's last call was since it'd been to a burner phone. Turns out it was his friend, Tavio. Alex, John, and the MPD rolled up to a memorial for Emir to speak with Tavio, but he ran. The detectives managed to arrest him after a foot chase and a hostage situation but they didn't get a chance to speak with him. He was shot in the head as they were leading him through the crowd. But why? To cover the tracks of one of this season's villains.

Who killed Tavio on Cross?

Periodically during "Hero Complex" we got a peak into Bobby Trey's life. He's a transplant to the city, and a former cop, who's now a hired gun. Bobby killed Tavio after he found out, using the MPD's resources, that the young man had been following his client. Said client happens to be Ed Ramsey, the moneyed gentleman Alex met at a fundraising gala he attended with his girlfriend, Elle.

Ed is the main antagonist in Cross. For some reason, thought it could be tied to the mystery around how his mother died and who killed her, Ed likes to murder people that resemble serial killers. He targeted Emir because of this as he's been keeping a scrapbook of known murderers and his own kills that he's working on completing.

Bobby's aware of what he's doing as he warned Ed not to get sloppy, he's supposed to pick his kills from people who won't be missed not ones who are known and whose deaths would cause an uproar. Ed was hunting at the end of the premiere, his eyes set on his next victim who favors Aileen Wuornos.

"Hero Complex" also opened the door for Alex to find out who killed his wife, Maria. His "secret admirer" broke in his house to return the Redskins scarf that Maria had been wearing when she was shot. She took a family photo of his wife and their kids and sent it back to Alex with another bouquet of flowers that contained the picture with Maria's eyes scratched out.

The stalker called as well, taunting Alex by asking him if he knew what Maria's last words were. He demanded to know who he was speaking to and where they were but the woman only said they'd meet soon before hanging up. The lone clue Alex has at the moment is that the person stalking him is a white woman. She'd tied a single strand of hair into a thread of Maria's scarf. How unsettling.

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