 | |
| Lavinia Richter | |
| Continuity: | American Horror Story |
| Notability: | Recurring character |
| Type: | Psychopath |
| Occupation: | Cook |
| Gender: | Female |
| Race: | Ghost |
| Location: | Camp Golden Star, California |
| Relatives: | Benjamin Richter Bobby Richter Bobby Richter II |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Died: | 1948 |
| First: | "The Lady in White" |
| Final: | "Final Girl" |
| Actor: | Lily Rabe |
Lavinia Richter is a fictional serial killer, cook and ghost, a minor recurring character featured on the FX Network television series American Horror Story. She appeared in the season nine story, "1984", and was played by actress Lily Rabe. She first appeared in episode 9x07, "The Lady in White".
Biography[]
Lavinia Richter was the widow of a man who had been killed during World War II. In the 1940s, she worked as a cook at Camp Golden Star, and brought along her sons, Benjamin and Bobby.
In 1948, Bobby wanted to go swimming in the lake, and Lavinia tasked Benjamin with watching over him. Bobby promised Benjamin that he wouldn't go into the water, and Benjamin got distracted ogling two camp counselors who were preparing to have sex. Bobby went into the lake and was accidentally killed when he was struck by an outboard motor of a motor boat. Lavinia was naturally traumatized by this horrific loss and blamed Benjamin as well as the rest of the negligant camp counselors. She killed several people out of revenge and attempted to kill Benjamin. Benjamin defended himself with a knife, and stabbed his mother, killing her.
Lavinia Richter's ghost lived on at the camp, but the site was closed down after the murders. It opened back up in 1968 under the new name Camp Redwood.
By 1970, Benjamin Richter, having returned from serving in Vietnam, got himself a job as a janitor at the campground. Lavinia used her ethereal influence to manipulate a mentally unstable camp counselor named Margaret Booth into killing several counselors, and framing Benjamin for the crimes. Benjamin Richter was arrested. The media was quick to sensationalize the murders and gave Richter the nickname "Mr. Jingles", owing to the jingling sound made by his key ring. Richter spent the next fourteen years at Red Meadows psychiatric hospital. Camp Redwood was shut down a second time.
By 1970, Camp Redwood had re-opened yet again, this time under the ownership of so-called massacre survivor Margaret Booth. Lavinia's spirit maintained its presence at the campground, but did not take an active part in any of the events taking place. Instead, she remained near the area of the lake, so she could be near the presence of her lost son, Bobby.
Mr. Jingles, believing that he was actually responsible for the 1970 murders, returned to Camp Redwood to finish what he started. He eventually encountered the ghost of Lavinia, who urged him to take his own life. Benjamin committed suicide, and his ghost remained trapped at Camp Redwood, just like his mother.
Lavinia and Benjamin reconciled with one another when Lavinia learned that Benjamin had a son named Bobby, after his late brother. Benjamin remained with Lavinia for the next thirty years - isolated from the other ghosts at the campground.
In 2019, the adult Bobby Richter came to Camp Redwood looking for answers about his family. The ghost of another serial killer, Richard Ramirez, learned that he was there, and tried to kill him as a means of avenging himself against Benjamin, whom he believed had betrayed him years earlier. Margaret Booth, who had been killed earlier and was now a ghost, also sought to take Bobby Richter's life. Benjamin Richter stopped Richard Ramirez and Margaret Booth, and Lavinia likewise intervened to protect her grandson. The ghosts of Camp Redwood pleaded with Bobby to leave and to never return. As Bobby Richter exited the camp site, the ghosts of Lavinia, Benjamin and little Bobby said their goodbyes to him. [1]
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Lavinia Richter was created by director Liz Friedlander and writer John J. Gray based on concepts developed by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.
- In 1970 and 1984, the cook at Camp Redwood was a woman named Bertie.
- Lavinia Richter is a pastiche of Pamela Voorhees, who was the psychotic mother of Jason Voorhees, and a vengeful killer featured in the 1980 feature film Friday the 13th.
Appearances[]
- American Horror Story: The Lady in White
- American Horror Story: Rest in Pieces
- American Horror Story: Final Girl