In a gripping week of special episodes, the long-running mystery of who killed the despicable Ray Walters on Emmerdale has finally been solved. The revelation came in episodes that aired from January 12, 2026, rewinding to the scene of the crime to expose the truth.
The Three Prime Suspects
The ITV soap dedicated episodes to exploring the motives and actions of three villagers with strong reasons to want Ray dead. The spotlight fell on Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy), Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry), and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock).
Ray, played by Joe Absolom, was a deeply unpopular figure, exposed as a drug dealer and people trafficker who ran a modern slavery ring from Butler's Farm. His reign of terror included coercing teenagers like Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) into his drug network and extorting money from families.
Laurel's Heartbreak and Rage
Viewers saw Laurel's world shatter when she discovered the true nature of the man she was falling for. After Dylan revealed Ray's crimes, a horrified Laurel screamed at him to get off her property. In the special episode, Ray burst back into Mulberry Cottage, begging for forgiveness by invoking his traumatic past. When Laurel refused to let him play the victim and walked away, it set in motion a chain of events with deadly consequences.
Her furious son, Arthur (Alfie Clarke), was determined to make Ray pay for terrifying his mother. Urged by her friend Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) to set a trap, Laurel faced an impossible choice about how far she would go for justice.
Rhona and Marlon's Desperate Fight
For Rhona and Marlon, the motive was the protection of their daughter, April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan), who was ensnared in Ray and Celia's drug ring. After confronting Ray, they were blackmailed into paying £2,000 a week to keep April safe. Rhona's episode showed her in despair at home, unaware of a shadowy figure lurking behind her—leaving viewers to wonder if it was Ray or perhaps her resurrected ex, Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough).
Marlon's paternal rage reached its peak when Ray threw him to the ground and sneered that his "little girl was gone forever." The normally gentle chef was pushed to his absolute limit.
The Truth Unfolds
The climactic episode on Thursday replayed Ray's final moments. It showed him standing over the body of his adoptive mother and partner in crime, Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths), in a state of shock. After wiping his fingerprints from the knife, he grabbed a distinctive red sports bag and prepared to dispose of Celia's body.
Compelled to check upstairs, he was grief-stricken to discover that Celia had also killed his father figure, Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards). However, Ray had not accounted for one final, unexpected suspect: Arthur Thomas.
Blinded by rage over the pain caused to his mother, Arthur snatched Ray's distinctive red holdall. Laurel was aghast when Arthur returned with the stolen bag, and the shock of finding drugs inside led to a major confrontation. The episode left viewers questioning whether the young boy was responsible for the criminal kingpin's ultimate demise.
This special week of Emmerdale delivered high drama, exploring the depths of desperation in a community pushed to the edge by a truly vile villain. The unmasking of the killer brings closure to a major storyline that has kept audiences guessing for months.
