If you are a true fan of Derek Morgan, his absence made you curious about “What happened to Morgan on Criminal Minds?” Did he die, or will he return in new seasons?
Shemar Moore plays this drama as Derek Morgan, who worked as an FBI Special Agent in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) in 2005. He worked for 11 consecutive seasons, 251 episodes, of Criminal Minds after the first episode premiered on 22 September.
But suddenly, he disappears after season 11, and his role is replaced by Luke Alvez, who works as a Supervisory Special Agent. But he did not disappear and still appears in a few episodes in the next three seasons.
So, let’s explore why Morgan left the show Criminal Minds, did he die, and how the last episode is.
What Happened to Morgan on Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American series based on American Police services and how they deal with crimes. It was produced by Jeff Davis, an extraordinary creator in the American television industry, who cast Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan’s leading character.
The Derek Morgan character specialized in dealing with odd behaviors, explosives, and obsessions. His role was mind-blowing, how he dealt with his team, helping them solve the worst cases in America till 11 seasons.
However, Morgan felt that he had played his character well as much as possible, and now it was time to explore other opportunities. In an interview with TV Guide, he said
“I wanted to explore the next chapter of my acting career and establish a little balance in my life to pursue other directions.” He added, “I want to get married soon and have kids. I want to travel the world.”
Did Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds Die
No, he did not die. He just decided to explore other opportunities and focus on his personal life. We all saw Dark Morgan performing his duty sincerely for Criminal Minds for 11 seasons. But suddenly, he disappeared and left his fans curious, and they wanted to know: Did Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds die?”
In the last episode of Criminal Minds, the producer shows that Morgan did not want to continue his full-time job as he severely ignored his family because of his career. The producer beautifully keeps the Derek character alive and continues the storyline.
However, he said he wanted to take a break from Criminal Minds as he explored his role as far as possible. So, there is no chance he will return until CMS 17 because he is looking for more opportunities and wants to make his career in different television series.
Who Plays Derek Morgan in Criminal Minds
Shemar Moore portrayed Derek Morgan in the Criminal Minds series. He is a highly professional actor and has played many other outclass roles, such as Malcolm Winters in The Young and Restless and Harrelson on S.W.A.T (2017-present).
Beyond acting, he also did a voice-over in the video game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for G.U.N Agent Randall Handel and is also expected to appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Beyond acting, he also did hosting from 1999 to 2003 for Soul Train.
If we look at his achievements, he won eight NAACP Image Awards, which clearly shows how perfect an actor he is.
| Name | Shemar Franklin Moore |
| Hometown | Oakland, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 20 April, 1970 |
| Age | 55 years, as of 2025 |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Height | 6’4” |
| Profession | Actor, Host |
| Qualification | Bachelor of Arts |
| Net Worth | $22 million |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Partner | Jesiree Dizon |
Last Episode of Criminal Minds with Derek Morgan
After working 11 successful seasons of Criminal Minds, Shemar Franklin, also known as Derek Morgan, decided to leave and explore other opportunities. Therefore, the producer chose to end his duty services reasonably. So, his character was not killed off, but he was captured and tortured brutally.
Somehow, he managed to escape, but later in the 18th episode of season 11, A Beautiful Disaster, his pregnant wife, Savannah, was shot. However, the culprit was captured, and Savannah gave birth to Hank; the FBI special agent said goodbye to the team and left the Criminal Minds to spend time with his family.
Final Words
Derek Morgan worked as a special FBI agent for Criminal Minds till season 11. But after doing 251 episodes, he decided to explore other opportunities and leave the series. However, in the next three seasons, he appears in Criminal Minds, which makes it clear that he did not die. Even the last episode is perfectly crafted with the storyline that Derek Morgan wants to spend life with his family. We hope the above explanation clears your query about what happened to Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds.
