Karin Berquist

Karin Berquist

Karin Berquist (played by Melinda Culea) was a specialist in canine behavioral studies and ran a kennel. She published a number of books about canine behavior such as Better Than Human and Dogs don't lie.

Berquist lived in China for a while and had learned about the myth of the wanshang dhole. She also had lupus which made it more comfortable if she had long sleeves on and kept the light dark.

By 1999 she had met Fox Mulder in an online chat room and they had several exchanges online. She notified Mulder of the case of murdered people in LA on a cargo ship, the T'ien Kou, that had recently docked. After a couple more brutal murders resembling dog attacks, Mulder sought Berquist's aid in the investigation. He and Dana Scully visited her home, where she lived with many dogs.

At the scene of one crime, Berquist met the animal's supposed captor, Ian Detweiler, and instantly sensed that he was the wanshang dhole. She did not make it known, however, and instead studied a footprint to determine that the animal had a fifth toe, extremely rare and probably only occurred in a very early evolutionary period.

Scully correctly picked up on an attraction between Berquist and Mulder, thinking that each saw the other as a kindred spirit. Scully challenged Berquist, and Berquist admitted to the condition but insisted that Detweiler was the one who had other motives.

Berquist realized that Detweiler was going to attack her and wanted to tranquilize him instead of kill him. She convinced Mulder that he would instead finish his kill of Jeffrey Cahn, in the hospital. That night, Detweiler, as the animal, sneaked in as she waited with a tranquilizer gun. When faced with the animal, however, she put the gun down and tried to call to him. He jumped on her, out the second-story window, and she was killed in the fall along with him. (TXF: "Alpha")