Dr. Claire Hartman, a talented doctor at Community General, is found strangled to death in her apartment, the primary suspect being Mark's colleague, Dr. John Foster. Foster had recently replaced her as primary physician in a surgery, and Claire in turn kicked John out of the OR for coming to the surgery absolutely drunk. Adding on the mystique that Claire lived a much more... active nightlife than her cold attitude would suggest her being capable of, and Foster being forced to check himself into the hospital's substance abuse program, and Mark finds a very troubling case indeed.
"Murder in the Dark" displays symptoms of the following tropes:
- The Alcoholic: Dr. Foster, which appears to be hereditary as John admits his father died drunk.
- Bungled Suicide: Mark is luckily able to save John from his suicide attempt.
- Domestic Abuse: Eddie Romero regualrly hits his wife, as evidenced by the black eye and bruises Jesse notices. Once Eddie is cleared of Claire's murder, Jesse and Steve warn Romero that they'll be checking up on his wife to make sure he stops attacking her, and if he doesn't, the Marshalls are more than happy to let the crooks he ratted out know just where they can find him.
- Entitled to Have You: Mr. Nolan rants to Amanda that Claire slept with so many other men, but never him, the man who "really cared for her", as if that excuses him murdering her.
- If I Can't Have You…: Likely how Mr. Nolan saw his killing of Claire.
- No Full Name Given: We never learn Mr. Nolan's first name.
- Really Gets Around: When not working as a doctor, Claire Hartman went out to a nightclub and took random guys home with her. According to the photos she took of the events, she's been with plenty.
- Stalker with a Crush: Mr. Nolan, the resident manager of Claire's building, had an attraction to her that she so did not reciprocate.
- Stupid Crooks: The Marshalls watching over Eddie Romero call him as such, as he seemed to think he could go back to his ways of fencing stolen electronics without them noticing.
- Suicide by Pills: Out of guilt, Dr. Foster attempts to kill himself by ingesting sleeping pills. Mark is fortunately able to save him.
- Witness Protection: As it turns out, Eddie Romero, the last guy Claire took back to her place (but didn't sleep with), is actually in the WPP.
- Work Hard, Play Hard: Claire was known to take her job as a doctor with strict professionalism, and noted for her ice cold demeanor. However, during her time off, she often went out to party at a night club and sleep with random guys she met there.
