Alex Rudd was an South African drug dealer who according to Special Agent Cassie Yates was a serious psychopath. In addition to that, Rudd was also an associate of drug dealing brothers, James Dempsey and Brian Dempsey. Rudd killed Stanley Hobart, the driver assigned to NCIS Director Jennifer Shepard and took her hostage before bringing the group to an airport hanger where they planned to stay in a bid to wait until the drugs and Brian Dempsey were brought to them before fleeing the country.