**NCIS Season 23 Episode 3 Recap: “The Sound and the Fury”**
*Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for NCIS season 23 episode 3. Reader discretion is advised.*
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**An All-New Deadly Investigation**
NCIS season 23 episode 3, titled *The Sound and the Fury*, brings an intense new investigation that takes a deadly turn for one of the team’s members. The episode centers around a mysterious death and an ongoing blackmail scheme that intersects with Special Agent Sawyer’s current case.
The NCIS team is tasked with uncovering who is targeting sailors and leaving dead bodies in their wake. As they dig deeper, they discover not just one, but multiple victims tied together by a sinister criminal network.
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**Why Does Hairy Dave Kill Keogh, Arben, and Olga?**
The case kicks off with the discovery of Petty Officer Third Class Steven Keogh’s body, found under suspicious circumstances. What’s particularly chilling is the presence of bloody brain matter streaming from his nose and ears, adding a baffling layer to the investigation.
The team soon links Keogh’s death to a blackmail operation spearheaded by an unknown woman — a case that Special Agent Sawyer is also following. Keogh’s death is just the beginning, as two more deaths soon unfold, including that of Olga, the woman appearing in the blackmail photographs.
Behind these crimes are two main culprits: Hairy Dave, a bar owner frequented by sailors, and an Albanian gangster named Arben. Hairy Dave uses his bar as a hunting ground, selecting targets to exploit. Together, they pay Olga to seduce these men, taking incriminating photos to leverage them into compliance.
In Keogh’s case, the blackmail isn’t for money — it’s about manipulating him to steal the LSAD (a lethal weapon) from his base. After obtaining the LSAD, Hairy Dave uses it to kill Keogh. He also eliminates Arben to claim full control over the blackmail money. Olga is killed because she knows too much about their illegal operations.
By the end of the episode, the team apprehends Hairy Dave, ending his reign of terror.
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**What Happens to Nick Torres? Does He Survive?**
One of the most intense moments in episode 3 involves Special Agent Nick Torres. He narrowly escapes becoming the fourth victim after Hairy Dave uses the LSAD, a weapon capable of penetrating concrete walls, to kill Olga while the team is present in her shop.
At the time, while most team members are tending to Arben’s body, Torres is questioning Olga alone. Fortunately, he is just far enough away to avoid a fatal hit. However, surviving the attack doesn’t leave him unscathed.
Torres sustains brain inflammation from the LSAD exposure, which triggers erratic and almost animalistic behavior. Throughout the episode, he suffers from headaches, blurred vision, and aggressive outbursts, including an attack on Agent Sawyer.
Although the team is unaware at the time, these symptoms are caused by the LSAD’s effects. Thankfully, Torres’ condition is milder compared to others who’ve been exposed.
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**Other Highlights in Episode 3**
Beyond the central case and Torres’s mysterious symptoms, episode 3 also explores interpersonal tensions within the team, particularly between Torres and Jessica Knight.
Torres’s jealousy surfaces when he notices Knight working closely with Sawyer. The situation escalates until an encounter in an elevator, where a shared “ghost” moment forces them to confront their feelings. Knight reassures Torres she understands his jealousy and fears, relating it to similar feelings she once had when Torres dated her sister.
On a positive note, Knight receives exciting news—she’ll be training with NCIS Elite, a prestigious assignment.
Meanwhile, other team members continue harboring secrets from Parker, hinting at ongoing storylines to come.
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**Where to Watch**
Catch *NCIS* season 23 episode 3, *The Sound and the Fury*, along with previous episodes, streaming now on CBS and Paramount+. Don’t miss the drama, action, and emotional depth that continue to captivate fans this season.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/shows/ncis-season-23-episode-3-recap-who-behind-blackmail-mysterious-killings