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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Josh Stewart announced in January 2024 that he was done playing Will LaMontagne Jr., his recurring Criminal Minds role since Season 2. The series first explained Will’s absence in Criminal Minds: Evolution as an assignment; in May 2025, the show killed him off using a scene filmed earlier but never aired. Stewart later said he would have continued playing Will, so his departure should not be attributed to another role or career move.
When did Josh Stewart announce his exit?
On January 17, 2024, Stewart replied to a fan asking whether he would return for a new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution. As reported by TVLine, he wrote: “Sadly, my days of playing Will LaMontagne Jr. are over,” and thanked fans. Stewart had played Will as a recurring character since the original series’ second season in 2007.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Criminal Minds: The Complete Series | $88.78 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Criminal Minds: Seasons 5-10 | $35.03 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Criminal Minds: Seasons 1-4 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Criminal Minds: Evolution - The Seventeenth Season | $28.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![Criminal Minds: Evolution - The Sixteenth Season [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41QhCXOdV7L._SL160_.jpg)
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Criminal Minds: Evolution - The Sixteenth Season [DVD] | $25.19 | Buy on Amazon |
How did the show explain Will’s absence at first?
In 2024’s Season 17, the series said Will was away on an assignment. Showrunner Erica Messer told TV Insider that viewers would not see him that season and that the writers would decide what his absence meant if the show received future seasons. She also made clear that Will would not die in Season 17.
How did Will die in Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Will’s death was shown in an episode released May 22, 2025. A.J. Cook told TVLine that the story developed after the team learned Stewart would not return to film. Cook said Will’s family life was important to JJ’s story, so the writers had to address his absence.
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- Genre: TV Crime
- Number of Discs: 85
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Rating: NR
- Number of Movies: 0
Cook explained to Us Weekly that the production revisited a scene in which Will collapsed, filmed during an earlier storyline but left unused. That existing footage became part of the death storyline; Stewart did not return to shoot it.
Did Stewart leave for another show?
The available statements do not establish that Stewart left Criminal Minds to take another role. In a May 22, 2026, Us Weekly interview, he said, “I would have played Will and popped in and out of that show forever,” adding that he loved playing the character. Asked about Will’s death, he described it as “business.” The same report said Stewart was playing Sheriff Handy Wade on Dutton Ranch; it did not say that role caused his departure.
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Where can you watch or revisit the series?
As listed on October 4, 2026, Paramount+ offers Criminal Minds, and its episode guide lists Seasons 1–19. Streaming catalogs vary by country, so check the service in your market.
For physical media, Best Buy lists a complete-series DVD collection covering the original series’ Seasons 1–15. That collection is for the original run and should not be mistaken for the later Evolution continuation. Confirm the edition and contents of a retailer’s current listing before purchasing.
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