Alvez’s Heartbreaking Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Premiere Shocker & Future Impact Explained By Showrunner & Star

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Be warned, this article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution! Even as the BAU team tackles new investigations, Luke Alvez will be deeply affected by the surprising events that unfolded in the season premiere.

The latest season of the popular crime drama begins a year after the previous one ended, with Voit having assisted the FBI in dismantling the Sicarius Network. While Aisha Tyler’s character, Tara, continues to help Voit recover his memories from when he was a serial killer and provide closure to the victims’ families, a new killer appears—one who seems strangely fascinated with Voit. This new UnSub presents a dangerous challenge for the team to solve throughout the season.

The second episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19, titled “Cluster,” began with Alvez (played by Adam Rodriguez) deeply grieving someone’s death. Flashbacks showed him making the difficult choice to give a dying person medication for a tumor. The episode later revealed the deceased was Roxy, Alvez’s emotional support animal and companion since returning from military service, and only Penelope (played by Kirsten Vangsness) knew about her passing.

Before the new season began, Grant Hermanns from ScreenRant spoke with Adam Rodriguez and Erica Messer about Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19. When asked about the surprising death of Roxy in the premiere, the showrunner jokingly pointed out that Rodriguez had been eager to explore these storylines, admitting she knew he wanted to delve into Alvez’s personal background.

Rodriguez admitted he was nervous when he learned about the plan for the new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution, knowing he’d have to portray Alvez’s grief with a lot of emotional depth. However, he also said those kinds of demanding roles are exactly what actors enjoy, even though they can be intimidating.

I felt fortunate that the show had been running long enough to allow this storyline to unfold naturally. It felt like the right time to address a relationship we’d been hinting at for years – a character often talked about but rarely seen. We thought this was a good way to give the audience what they wanted, and I’m hoping they respond positively. It’s a challenging story, but it felt really important and meaningful, which is fantastic.

Rodriguez explained that Roxy is Luke’s main source of support, even more so than Garcia. He believes Luke doesn’t have many close friends outside of a few Army colleagues, and lacks someone he can truly confide in and rely on emotionally. This lack of a strong emotional connection will likely make it very difficult for Luke to cope with the recent death, leaving him feeling stressed and on edge.

Despite the difficulties, Rodriguez sees potential for growth for Luke after he processes his grief. He believes Luke and Penelope’s relationship could deepen, but more significantly, this is an opportunity for Luke to become more emotionally open. Rodriguez suggests that Luke’s work with the FBI and his guarded personality have been a way to protect himself and maintain a sense of security.

I think his character deliberately takes jobs that allow him to exploit certain behaviors. When interacting with Richard Cabral’s character, he’s confronted by someone surprisingly similar to himself – more so than anyone he’s encountered before. It’s a strange situation where he’s having a deeply personal conversation with a gun pointed at the other man, and he genuinely connects with him in a way he hasn’t with anyone else, even Garcia. While it’s true he’s just doing his job, this encounter also provides a unique opportunity for him to open up, potentially find some release, and even heal – something he wouldn’t feel comfortable doing with anyone else, and something this other man uniquely understands.

Rodriguez highlighted the scene with Cabral, the criminal from episode 2, as a turning point where his character began to process his grief. He explained that their shared military background created a surprising connection that offered both of them some comfort. He finished by praising the actor, an alum of Mayans M.C., as exceptionally talented, and commended director Anthony Vietro for the outstanding way he filmed the episode.

Luke & JJ’s Shared Grief Is A Perfect Example Of Their Simpatico Personalities

It’s amazing to think it’s been ten years since you first appeared on the show! As a long-time fan, going back to your days on CSI: Miami and Criminal Minds, how does it feel to be celebrating such a significant milestone as you start this new season?

It’s amazing, honestly. I’m mostly just really grateful – grateful to be working, of course, but especially for the incredible people I work with. I could happily do this show for another decade. Time flies on set, and it always feels like my time is well spent. I genuinely never have a hard time going to work; I’m only tired sometimes. [laughs] I just love working with this group of people every day. I feel so lucky to be in such a great situation.

As a huge fan, Roxy’s death really hit me hard. I’m dying to know how her loss is going to impact the rest of the season and what we can expect to see unfold because of it.

Losing Roxy will be a major turning point for Alvez. We’re planning to challenge him further this season – issues he first faced in episode 2 will be revisited and intensified around episode 5. We’ve been building towards these storylines for Adam/Luke Alvez, and it’s a chance for him and JJ to connect deeply through their shared grief. Their friendship will evolve as they support each other through this difficult time.

ScreenRant asked about a storyline involving Luke seeking support from JJ, as Erica had mentioned JJ is still processing grief. They were curious what details could be shared about this dynamic and what it’s been like working with actress AJ Michalka on these scenes.

AJ is incredibly talented. She consistently delivers strong performances, and it’s easy to forget how much emotional depth she brings to her roles because she often plays such a tough character. It’s always a pleasure working with her. I see a lot of similarities between our characters – we both project a hardened exterior but are often the ones taking the lead in difficult situations. That shared understanding is why I think they connect so well and can offer each other support. There’s a real unspoken bond between them. Alvez finds a unique comfort and softness in Garcia that he doesn’t experience anywhere else. But with JJ, there’s a natural ease and understanding. They truly see each other, and that allows them to communicate in a way that’s unlike any other relationship on the show.

I’m eager to see how their relationship develops throughout the season, but I’ve only watched the first two episodes so far.

Okay, let me tell you, this season is fantastic. As a long-time fan of the show, I was genuinely blown away. I can’t wait for everyone to dive in and experience it for themselves. The storyline focusing on ‘The Fan’ is particularly strong, and we finally get some real closure on the Sicarius arc – it’s wrapped up in a way that’s incredibly satisfying, I think. Honestly, it’s awesome, and I’m really excited for viewers to see how it all plays out.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Criminal Minds: Evolution-related content with:

  • Erica Messer teasing Voit’s new arc in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19
  • Messer teasing the show’s new main villain, The Fan
  • Messer offering an official status update on the Sicarius Network
  • Messer explaining JJ’s new chapter of grief in season 19

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2026-05-29 01:21