Bittersweet

Christopher Murphy Reed, also known as Bittersweet or the Kentucky Taxidermist, is an American serial killer who holds the belief that he is a fictional character written by God to punish and kill predatory people. Reed's crimes gained widespread notoriety after authorities discovered the majority of furniture in his home was crafted out of human remains. Some of his more notable items are his series of notebooks that detail his crimes, some of which were made of tanned human skin and braided human hair. He was also a cannibal and a recluse, keeping meticulously perserved human meat in his basement so he wouldn't have to leave the house.

Reed was confined to a mental health facility after originally being found unfit to stand trial. After being judged competent enough to stand trial and found guilty of the murder of Jacob Anderson, he was confined to solitary confinement. He escaped during a prison riot after being placed in a temporary cell. He now lives off the grid with fellow fugitive and serial killer Joseph Ward.

He was first developed on July 1, 2020.

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Personality
Reed is a very socially isolated, quick-spoken, and disengaged person. He seems to exhibit very little interest in the lives of others. Despite this, he is still polite and mild-mannered. Chris is very meticulous and well organized; Multiple acquaintances who had come forward about the case remarked on his obsessive attention to detail. This was confirmed by the descriptions of his crimes in his journal, often mentioning inconsequential or sensory details.

Background
Reed documented his life since he was a young boy. Journaling functioned as a replacement for social interaction but quickly grew into a dedicated obsession. Most of it is coherent, explaining his thought processes, feelings, and day-to-day regular journal fair. In his later life they would grow darker, explaining his methods of selecting victims and techniques on stripping skin and making use of bodies. He hoped his writings would be used as a reference point to catch others like him. He exhibited a strong hatred for other serial killers, often using the moniker "cruel beings" as an umbrella term for predators.

Reed's father left while he was young, so he was raised exclusively by his mother as an only child. His mother was incredibly controlling and restricted his relationships with other people, often using very extreme and unusual punishments. His loneliness as a young child led to his interest in journaling, and this is when he began to document his life and thought processes.

In his teenage years he did well in school and took up hunting as a hobby, participating in many local competitions and quickly rising to the top of his county. He met some people but was still prohibited by his mother from becoming particularly close. Here he met his first victim - a hunting partner named Jacob Anderson. Reed grew a heavy resentment towards Anderson due to his crass treatment of the animals he hunted and disrespectful attitude toward nature. On camping trip together Reed led Anderson to a small clearing beside a creek, hit him over the head multiple times with a sharp rock, and then attempted to strangle and drown him. He was buried underneath a large stone and reported missing by Reed hours later.

After this initial attack he pulled away from others, scared of losing control and hurting them. He leaned back on his journals and relied on them emotionally. He became interested in horror around this period of his life. His mother had strictly banned violent material in the home, but this did not bother him. He followed the recent arrest of Joseph Ward very closely, fixating on it for a few years. Both he and his mother were becoming increasingly ill, deteriorating mentally and physically.

His mother died unexpectedly. With nobody to care for Reed's writing became more fequent, desperate, and violent. Much of his earlier writing in these years is barely legible. He fell into fits of violence often, spending nights drinking and prowling the streets. This is where his delusions sunk their teeth in hardest. He became increasingly unstable, flipping between periods of intense violence then sinking into weeks of self-loathing and isolation. This is a pattern persistant throughout his life.

Still dealing with the grief of his mother, he moved out to Tennessee to pursue a career in carpentry and explore his new violent alter ego. He began a series of planned takedowns, targeting big name predators and fellow killers. When caught, he would often commemorate his success by crafting paraphernalia out of their remains. This included journals made of human skin and hair, various chairs with bone accents, a sofa made of tanned human skin, and numerous articles of clothing including gloves, shirts, hoisery, jewelry, and masks. In his off time he would peruse various online messaging boards, stalking out creeps and offering to meet up with them under false pretenses. Rather than being kept as trophies, these bodies were regarded as meat and treated as such.

Reed's obsession with documenting his life grew stronger and he began to take photos of his victims. He tirelessly filled detailed entries in his journals explaining the way he would court and then slaughter them. This took up most of his mind. He rarely went outside.

His reign of terror ended just as suddenly as it began. He was compliant during his arrest and barely spoke during his trial. He was prepared to live happily in solitary confinement, but his feelings were stirred by the presence of Joseph Ward. During a major prison riot he personally assisted in Ward's escape. They live together off the grid in Sunfell now. Both wait patiently for the other to start the hunt.

Appearance
He is 182.88cm (6'5" ft), built stocky and muscular. He has hazel eyes and shoulder-length unkempt black hair. Wears very basic clothing - his usual outfit is a white tee, jeans, and working boots/rain boots. He will also occasionally wear a toolbelt and black disposable gloves.

Trivia

 * He has hyperdontia.
 * Despite being meticulously organized he isn't a particularly clean person. Used to living alone, he doesn't shower often.
 * His mother instilled a strong fear and respect for women in him. It is rare for him to approach one, much less kill them.
 * He is very skilled at carpentry. Sawing and forming wood is theraputic to him.
 * He is very sympathetic towards animals. He sees humans equal to cattle and vice-versa. Though not a vegetarian, it is rare for him to eat meat that isn't human.