Maya Stepney murder

Maya Stepney murder?

Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) confesses to killing Maya Stepney (Louisa Clein)?

Maya Stepney (Louisa Clein) may be dead after a sinister showdown in the woods in Emmerdale left her missing without a trace – and now Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi) could be top of the suspect list for murder as she makes a big confession to Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant).

While on a night out, Maya saw David Metcalfe (Matthew Wolfenden) kissing Tracy Shankley (Amy Walsh) and stormed out, meeting up with Jacob and sharing a kiss with him. Priya Sharma (Fiona Wade) came outside and witnessed the whole thing, wasting no time in informing Leyla and Tracy what she had seen.

The women angrily confronted Maya and this led to them driving her out of town – but as she escaped into the woods, they gave chase. What happened next remains unknown but when Maya’s scarf is found but the criminal teacher remains missing, suspicions are rife that serious harm has come to her.

With Jacob having not heard from her, Leyla sits down with him and confesses the truth about what actually happened. Through flashbacks we learn that there was a struggle and a terrifying series of events took the whole thing out of hand.

But has Maya been killed and have the ladies of Emmerdale now got a murder to cover up? And, if so, will Jacob report them to the police as he remains under the spell of manipulative Maya?

Fans have been hoping for Maya to get her justice but is this what they had in mind? Show producer Kate Brooks recently told us: ‘We’ve got a responsibility. A lot of people watch the show, a lot of teenagers watch the show, and also we would never just tell one of these stories lightly, we have a duty to make sure the right protocol is carried out, and the right outcome.’

But is that right outcome death?