Ten Commandments Killer is an appellation for the perpetrator of the serial murders committed first by James March and later by John Lowe. He is a character in Hotel primarily portrayed by Wes Bentley.
Quick Answers
Who are the two characters that commit the serial murders as the Ten Commandments Killer?
What is the motivation behind the Ten Commandments Killer's murders?
How does James March's view on religion influence his actions as the Ten Commandments Killer?
What is the connection between the Ten Commandments Killer and the hotel murders?
How does the story of the Ten Commandments relate to the actions of the Ten Commandments Killer?
Story[]
James March despised religion, explaining to one of his victims that it was the worst thing in the world. He states he was going to have to kill God, because as long as there was a God, men like himself would never find peace. His hate of religion is what gave him motivation to collect all the bibles from the hotel bed stands and arrange them with a pile of his victims - farmers that were working on the Sabbath - to leave behind for the police; this is what started the Ten Commandments murders.
On February 25, in the early 1930s, the police came to the Hotel Cortez to arrest March after receiving an anonymous phone call assuring them that March was responsible for the first Ten Commandments murders. After shooting his servant Miss Evers, he slit his own throat, leaving the ten commandments unfinished.
In 2010, when John Lowe first visited the Hotel Cortez, he met James March who saw potential in him and started trying to make him his successor to finish his Ten Commandments murders. After five years, in 2015, he agrees and starts committing murders.
The First Murders[]
The first two original crimes that began the ten commandments pattern were committed by James March, starting in 1926. He died before he could complete his collection:
Thou Shalt Not Steal[]
An infamous thief was the first victim to be killed. March took his right hand as a trophy and put it in a hidden chamber in Room 64.
Remember the Sabbath Day To Keep It Holy[]
Migrant workers who were working on Sunday were killed. March took their teeth for his chamber.
Later Murders[]
Later murders committed by the ten commandments killer, were in 2015 by a man named John Lowe, who was a protege and successor of March:
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery[]
A dead woman was found impaled with a spear with her hands nailed to the headboard while astride her lover below. A man still living with his eyes and tongue removed and his chemically tumescent member was affixed with adhesive inside his partner. It is later revealed that they are lovers that both have families with children. They met every Thursday afternoon at the Cortez as told by Sally. John got in their room and texted them both to meet at a specific place where he would kill them. The woman first got there and he positioned her dead on the bed. Then the man arrived and he was affixed inside his partner. John took the man's tongue and eyes for the hidden chamber in Room 64.
Honour Thy Mother and Thy Father[]
Two unidentified male twins were found both disemboweled and hung crucifixion style on their respective bedposts. They killed their parents in order to inherit their family's fortune, breaking the fifth commandment, which led to John killing them. It was shown that he saw a man in a suit inside the house before finding the victims. He confessed to Andy that he saw himself manifested as James March. He took their hearts to be kept in the hidden chamber.
Thou Shalt Not Worship False Idols[]
Martin Gamboa was a movie fan, who was in possession of an old Oscar award. He was also secretly a pedophile. His head was caved in with the Oscar award and his skull was bashed. He was sexually assaulted with it, which left traces of gold paint in his rectum. John took his brain for the hidden chamber.
Thou Shalt Not Bеаr False Witness[]
The editors of a gossip website were found dead in their office with their tongue taken out and even nailed-up to their desks or to the ground. John ripped out their vocal cords for the chamber.
Thou Shalt Not Take the Lord's Name in Vain[]
A television priest was found disemboweled in a chapel with his mouth filled with coins which were also spilled randomly around his dead body. John took his spleen for the chamber. A police officer witnessed the act, but was killed by Wren, who was sent by Sally to protect John.
Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife[]
John killed Andy Hahn by stabbing him with a knife used for autopsy after finding out that he lusted after his wife, Alex Lowe. John took his penis and testicles for the chamber.
Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me[]
John killed a small community of three people worshiping "The Lady of the Shadows" at their small temple and brought their ears as a trophy to the chamber.
Thou Shalt Not Murder (Non-"Righteous" Killing)[]
John empties a magazine of bullets from his gun, killing The Countess, Elizabeth before she could flee from the Hotel Cortez. He brings her head as a trophy for the chamber, completing the ten commandments murders.