Dexter Character Angel Batista

Angel Batista is a homicide detective who works closely with Dexter Morgan. Like everyone else, Angel is oblivious to Dexter’s dark side and has no idea that he moonlights as a serial killer at night. Dexter is not sure why officer Batista considers him a best friend, considering that he did nothing to build such a relationship.

Batista is a good cop, a great person and a best friend to the resisting Dexter. Like Deborah Morgan, Angel is quick to stand up for Dexter, especially against James Doakes as everyone is aware that he hates Dexter for reasons unknown.

When the series began, Angel Batista constantly talked about his family and more specifically his wife. He shows Dexter a four leaf clover ring that he plans to give her for their anniversary and talks about the wonderful relationship they shares.

When Batista goes to give his wife her present, we learn that they are separated; something that angel has constantly lied about to his colleagues who have no idea that the marriage is rocky. Angel and his wife are separated for three months when the series began. The separation occurred after Batista cheated on his wife and then told her about the affair because he’s too honest for his own good.

Dexter finds out that Angel is lying after he takes home a drunken Batista. The wife explains the situation and Dexter takes Angel back to his apartment to let him sleep off the liquor. In the morning Angel is back to his sunny persona and goes on to talk about his wonderful wife and their relationship. Dexter is glad to know that he is not the only one who wears a mask to hide the truth.

Angel’s honesty comes into play when he is partnered with Doakes. Although they were both chasing the same suspect, Angel was far behind Doakes when gunshots were fired. The suspect was dead and although Doakes gave his side of the story, Dexter’s blood analysis shows that Doakes may have been lying.

Angel trusts Dexter and knows that he’s a great blood expert. He also knows that Doakes was not telling the whole story. Faced with having to lie or tell the truth and ruin another cops career, Angel stayed true to his moral code and told Internal Affairs the truth as he knew it. Later Angel would find that the case against Doakes was dropped due to Special Forces and sensitive information. We never learn if Doakes unfairly killed the suspect or what really happened that day.

Angelo “Angel” Batista was nearly murdered during a run in with the Ice Truck Killer when he came too close to discovering serial killers identity. He hoped that the incident would get him back with his wife but she held firm to the fact that she is getting a divorce from him.

Truly separated from his wife, Angel continues to visit their young daughter while trying to move on with his life. Once he meets Lila Tournay, the ex-lover of Dexter and all around nut job, he begins to date her in hopes of gaining a sexual relationship. Angel refused to listen to Dexter when he explains that Lila is using him to get back at Dexter.

Angel Batista’s role was low key in season two until Lila had him falsely arrested for rape and assault. She would only drop the charges if Dexter breaks off his relationship with Rita and comes back to her. Besides his false arrest and problems with Lila, Angel worked hard with Deb and FBI agent Lundy to find out the identity of the Bay Harbor Butcher.

After he finds a case in which the Butcher killed a married couple, Angel pledged to Dexter that he would shake the butcher’s hand because the couple deserved to die for their crimes kidnapping and killing illegal immigrants who could pay their surprise fees. Talking to himself, Dexter thinks that Angel says that now but if he knew the real killer, he would not be all that pleased to congratulate him on a job well done as Angel is too honest.