On January 28, 2004 Marlena Evans was revealed to viewers as the serial killer, when she claimed Tony as her latest victim. John became suspicious of his lady love after she killed Alice and she was eventually outted as the killer to the rest of Salem.
days of our lives serial killer revealed
An unknown serial killer offing the favorites of Salem or Port Charles is a common storyline used on soaps, and as overdone as it is, it never fails to leave fans on the edge of their seats as the murderer creeps up behind their favorite character. From Ben Weston's reign of terror on Days of Our Lives to James Franco's killer character on General Hospital, some soap serial killers will never be forgotten.
In 2015, The Necktie Killer of NBC's Days of Our Lives arose with murderous plans of offing anyone who got in his way by strangling them to death with a necktie. The mystery didn't last long for viewers, however, when it was revealed Abigail's then-boyfriend Ben Weston was secretly the killer.
The Corinth Killer had a body count of six and rather than slashing with typical weapons like knives or guns, this killer found unique ways to attack his prey like poisoning candles and body powder to end the lives of Loving favorites like Stacey, Clay and Jeremy.
When James Franco made his soap opera debut in 2009, it was as a serial killer named Franco on ABC's General Hospital. As a successful artist, when he wasn't stalking Jason Morgan and his loved ones, Franco would mark his murders with the graffiti tag CO77X.
Another World kicked off its serial killer storyline in 1987 when a series of murders hit Bay City at the hands of The Sin Stalker. With a total of nine victims, the first few were unknown to the show's characters before beloved characters like Quinn, Maisie and Josie were offed.
When the killer's identity was finally revealed to be Dr. Alan Glaser, he admitted the disturbing reason behind his slashing on his way to prison, saying he was following his deceased mother's orders to purge the world of sinful women, despite there being a few men on his victim list.
In 2003, The Salem Stalker arrived on Days of Our Lives in a silver hockey mask and a Ghostface-like black gown and began killing Salem's finest one by one. This serial killer's body count rose to 10 and included Maggie, Roman, and even matriarch Alice Horton.
In early 2004, not only was the killer revealed to be Marlena Evans, but every supposed victim was found alive and well on an island called Melaswen. The twists kept coming when it was later found out that Marlena had been brainwashed into the supposed killings by Andre DiMera, who was posing as his identical twin brother Tony.
Aside from the stalking, kidnapping and tormenting on his list of crimes, not only did Ryan attempt to kill legendary GH characters like Steve Hardy and Lulu Spencer during his decades of serial killing, but he ended the lives of characters like Mary Pat Ingles, Bryce Henderson, and most devastatingly, Ava Jerome's daughter Kiki.
Longtime "Days of Our Lives" viewers have witnessed a lot of drama in Salem over the years. Some of the scariest and most thrilling storylines have involved serial killers. One of the creepiest "DOOL" serial killers of all time was Jake Kositchek. In 1982, Jake began his reign of terror as a killer dubbed "The Salem Strangler" when he murdered three women, Lorie Masters, Denise Peterson, and Mary Anderson. He later set his sights on Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), per Soap Central.
Back in 2003, "Days of Our Lives" viewers were glued to their television screens as a spooky new storyline took shape. Salem was stunned when many members of the community were tragically and horrifically killed by a serial killer who was named the Salem Stalker, per Entertainment Weekly. Viewers spent months trying to figure out who the killer could be, as they were only shown a pair of black gloves killing off some of the NBC soap opera's most beloved characters (via Soaps). Everyone seemed to have their opinions and theories about the identity of the killer. However, many viewers were completely shocked when it was revealed that the serial killer was none other than Dr. Marlena Evans, one of Salem's most loved and well-respected citizens.
"Days of Our Lives" fans were happy to see that the NBC soap opera's plethora of veteran actors was not killed off the show. Instead, their characters were alive on Melaswen Island after seemingly being murdered by Marlena Evans. Once Marlena got to the tropical location and realized she didn't kill her friends in cold blood, the truth about the situation was uncovered. Tony DiMera was actually Andre DiMera and had been the person drugging all of Marlena's supposed victims in Salem (via Soaps). He was also responsible for brainwashing Marlena into believing that she was a killer. Of course, Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) was the real mastermind behind the island, as he made it his mission to ruin the lives of many during his days in Salem, per Fame 10.
Soon after, Wilson was hired as a recast and the writers began exploring the character's dark past with the introduction of his abusive criminal father Clyde Weston (James Read). In 2015, the romantic triangle between Ben, Abigail and Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) culminates in Ben becoming a serial killer, known as the "Necktie Killer," claiming several victims, including legacy character Will Horton (Guy Wilson).
Ben (Justin Gaston) comes to Salem in 2014 where he lands a job as a waiter at Club TBD and runs into his estranged sister Jordan Ridgeway. Ben is immediately smitten with Abigail while Jordan tries to chase Ben out of town fearing someone will uncover their past but he calms her fears. Jordan tries to chase Ben out of town fearing someone will uncover their past but Ben is too smitten with Abigail Deveraux to care. Ben and Jordan are horrified when their abusive father Clyde comes to town demanding the money they stole from him. Ben is surprised when Clyde changes his tune and gives Jordan back her life's savings. Meanwhile, Ben grows closer to Abby despite her ex-boyfriend Chad DiMera attempts to sabotage his budding romance with Abigail and the life he's building in Salem. Ben gets himself arrested when he attacks Chad in public after Chad throws his sexual relationships with Abby and Jordan in his face. Clyde reveals that the DiMeras bribed the casino manager to testify against Ben. However, the witness is found dead and charges are dropped. Ben is suspicious when Chad helps Abby get her job back at the hospital and Ben in turn convinces her to move in with him. Ben follows Abigail to the DiMera mansion where he finds Abigail has slept with Chad. Instead of confronting her, Ben proposes to Abigail after Clyde gifts him with his late mother's engagement ring. Ben is even more excited to learn that Abby is pregnant. As they begin planning their wedding, Clyde offers to buy the couple a house as wedding gift. Meanwhile, Ben warns Abigail to keep her distance from Chad who has been implicated in the murders of Serena Mason (Melissa Archer) and Paige Larson (True O'Brien). Realizing Abigail can't stay away from Chad, Ben convinces her to leave town with him after the wedding. The killer then attacks Doctor Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and Chad "interrupts" the confrontation. When Chad goes on the run, Ben changes his mind about moving. On September 24, 2015, Ben is revealed to be "The Necktie Killer" when he is shown dumping evidence into the river. Ben ask Abigail's cousin Will Horton (Guy Wilson) to be the best man at their wedding. Meanwhile, Ben is furious when his future brother-in-law JJ Deveraux (Casey Moss) gets Clyde arrested for drug trafficking and they nearly come to blows. In October 2015, Ben claims another victim when he strangles Will to death as Will has discovered Ben is the killer. Ben once again, frames Chad for the murder. Chad realizes Ben is the killer and confronts him but Ben beats him into a coma. Ben claims that Chad broke in and attacked him because he is obsessed with Abby. As Clyde is extradited, Ben confesses to the killings and Clyde promises to keep his secret. Ben takes Abby to a secluded where she goes into premature labor. Ben calls a midwife Wendy (Denice Duff), to help Abigail deliver the baby. After the birth, Ben shoots Wendy and buries her in the woods. Chad comes to Abby's rescue but Ben ties them up together, sets the cabin on fire and runs off with the baby whom Ben has named Colin. However, Ben is apprehended by JJ and Lani Price (Sal Stowers) and taken back to Salem. When Chad and Abigail confront him, Ben has seemingly lost his grip on reality. Despite his condition, Ben tells Abby where he left the baby and he is then put on a 24-hour suicide watch and taken to jail.
While he was initially excited about the storyline, Wilson knew there was a strong possibility that once the story wrapped, he could be out of a job.[34] As the serial killer story was set to climax in the fall, Soaps SheKnows reported that Wilson would likely vacate the role of Ben Weston when the story wrapped. However, neither Wilson nor the producers would comment on the actor's status with the series.[43] Wilson intentionally played coy during another interview in November 2015. When asked if he was coming or going, the actor "It's a little bit of both. Maybe he's gone and then he's back and then he's gone. Maybe he's just among us. Maybe he's something that you can't get rid of."[36] Wilson seemingly vacated the role on December 8, 2015, when Ben goes to prison.[44] By the time of his departure, Wilson felt that Ben had completed his arc.[45] Despite reports that Wilson was done with the series, the actor continued posting pictures on social media of himself on the set.[44]
While the character was initially not well received, the shocking serial killer plot and Wilson's portrayal led to Ben becoming a fan favorite. One blog christened the character with the nickname "Batty Ben" while TVSource Magazine hailed Ben as "The sexiest serial killer in soap history." Wilson received critical acclaim in the soap press and many were quite surprised the actor did not receive Daytime Emmy Award nomination for his work. However, Ben's multiple return stints garnered the series multiple daytime Emmy nominations, and wins, including the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2018. The Boston Herald also praised Wilson for "bringing vulnerability, remorse and a bit of mystery" to Ben during his redemption plot in 2018. 2ff7e9595c
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