Although the murder of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ first wife and daughter, Shannon and Kelly, is never shown on NCIS: Origins, this prequel has revealed new details about their deaths to supplement what was parceled out during the original NCIS. For example, it turns out that Gibbs’ teammate Randy was originally the agent assigned to protect Shannon and Kelly, but he asked off the assignment, resulting in drug dealer Pedro Hernandez shooting fellow NIS agent Kurt Mitchell instead of him. Gibbs doesn’t know about this, but the Origins showrunner informed CinemaBlend that will change later in Season 1, and I’m already pleased with how this big moment will be handled on the 2025 TV schedule.
During a conversation with NCIS: Origins’ David J. North that included him opening up about the new villain teased in the midseason finale and sharing what’s coming up for Mike Franks, I asked the showrunner, who shares that duty with Gina Lucita Monreal, if Austin Stowell’s Gibbs will eventually learn about how Caleb Foote’s Bernard “Randy” Randolph is connected to his late wife and daughter. North responded:
Yeah, eventually we will see that and have that moment. But at the end of the day, that’s not really what it was about for Gina and I. If Randy hadn’t asked off that case, Randy would be dead. Shannon and Kelly would still be gone. This is just guilt [Randy’s] carrying more about agent Mitchell and then the family that agent Mitchell left behind. But yes, we will have that moment where Gibbs knows that, but that’s not something that Gibbs would hold against him ever.
As we learned in “Sick as Our Secrets,” Randy asked off of Shannon and Kelly’s protection detail because his newborn son was suffering from colic, which was keeping Randy awake at night. Afraid his sleep deprivation would result in him making a mistake during the detail, he requested someone else handle the assignment instead. Kurt Mitchell was selected, and he shot in the head by Pedro Hernandez as he was driving Shannon and Kelly to a safe house because Shannon was witness to Hernandez killing a Marine at a gas station. Mitchell instantly died, and Shannon and Kelly were killed in the ensuing car crash.
Randy felt so guilty about what happened that he volunteered for a lot of protection details as a way of seeking atonement, although after talking with Father Bobby in “Sick as Our Secrets,” it seemed like most, if not all of his guilt was alleviated. Whenever the time comes on NCIS: Origins that Gibbs learns that Randy was once going to look after his wife and daughter, and however it happens, I’m glad David J. North told me there won’t be any hard feelings. Shannon and Kelly still would have died no matter which agent was in the driver’s seat, so Gibbs wouldn’t take issue with Randy declining the protection detail. So thankfully, we don’t have to worry about their professional relationship going sideways.
NCIS: Origins will resume airing on CBS Monday, January 27. While we count down to its return, break out your Paramount+ subscription to stream the first half of Season 1 or any of the NCIS franchise’s other shows.
