Alan Cryter is a violent rapist responsible for holding a mother and her son and daughter hostage in a car. He raped and tortured the mother and daughter, before Albany cop Sam Winfield arrived at the scene in a standoff with Cryter. Cryter pulled the son out of the car and held him hostage, in front of Winfield as a human shield. The boy bit Cryter, giving Winfield time to shoot Cryter dead once the boy scrambled away. Cryter never had a gun on him despite Winfield's assumptions, and the case haunted Winfield so badly he was forced into early retirement, which ruined his chances at making it to Captain.
Winfield discussed it with Stabler when he was suspected of shooting two sex offenders, Thomas Marchek and Craig Moss, because of their HIV status. It was in his personnel file, so Stabler bonded with him over the crimes, as well as his own experience with an unnamed salesman responsible for killing children and escaping for two years, until Stabler found and arrested him in a heated moment he had to restrain himself from shooting. The common factor between the two cops is they both confronted criminals near cars, where children were witnesses, which is why Stabler decided to arrest the killer: a little girl in the car didn't need to see the horror of violence. (SVU: "Victims")
Known Victims[]
- The Albany family hostage situation
- Unnamed mother and daughter (raped and tortured)
- Unnamed son (attempted; held hostage)