Fans of the show, which is a spinoff and continuation of the original "Criminal Minds" series, had some strong reactions to the plot move and worried about how it will affect Will's wife JJ Jareau (A.J. Cook). "Criminal Minds I will not forgive you for doing this to JJ," one wrote on X.

Evolution shocked fans and characters alike in Season 18, Episode 2 by abruptly killing off Josh Stewart’s Detective William LaMontagne Jr. in a devastating twist. Will spent the majority of Season 18’s first two episodes away on a case,

The 10-episode season premieres May 8 and will release weekly every Thursday through July 10. Episode titles for the first two are confirmed: "Swimmer's Calculus" (May 8) and "The Zookeeper" (May 15). The remaining episode titles are pending release dates through early July.