"Desperate Houswife" fans I have a question

My wife and I haven't watched since the very first show-thought it was good but lost track of the show- but we tuned in last night.

What is the story behind the guy being held in chains in Alfre Woodard's basement and why was Michael Ironside trying to rescue/abduct him?

Any information will be greatly apprecited.

and he killed someone in another town. They are keeping him hidden (they have arrested someone else for the murder) until they think he can be "safely" reintroduced into society. He obviously has some sort of mental disorder.

He also got out and broke into Gabriel's house and made her fall down the stairs (he didn't touch her though) and she had a miscarriage.

Anything else?

Please advise on how to spell "Desperate Housewives" in the future thank you.

I think?

Anyway, we don't know much. He should be in jail, but Alfre Woodward and son keep him locked up downstairs for reasons we don't know. She has said to him in the past that once he admits what he did they may be able to change the situation. He didn't.

Last night was the first time I heard him refer to her as "mom"--as far as I know we've never seen that he's her son (maybe he is?).

After something bad happens, he eats ice cream, which is why he was doing that before he says "I didn't do it."

Michael Ironside caught sight of him... on tv I think? (Alfre and son had to break him out of the mental ward he was put in, he escaped a few eps ago, I think he showed up in....Gabrielle's house eating ice cream and she freaked? Sorry for the fuzzy memory!)