Emmerdale has stunned viewers with one of its darkest storylines in recent months, as John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) appeared to kill Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) in chilling woodland scenes. But while Mack’s fate looks sealed, fans believe John’s cover-up may already be starting to unravel.

John’s Chilling Attack on Mack

The tense scenes showed John pursuing Mack through the woods before striking him with a bow and arrow. Mack initially seemed to escape, but John later cornered him, delivering the final blow by dropping a rock on him.

In a sinister twist, John was later seen watching a fire rage in the forest, leading viewers to suspect he may have tried to cremate Mack’s body to erase all evidence.

Charity Left in the Dark

To cover his tracks, John sent Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) a breakup text from Mack’s phone, claiming their marriage was over and that he had left for London. Unsurprisingly, Charity was furious at the cold message—but fans suspect her heartbreak could soon turn to suspicion.

Some eagle-eyed viewers noticed a detail that might give John away: when Moira (Natalie J Robb) saw the text, she commented on the unusual way it was signed, hinting that it didn’t match Mack’s typical messaging style. This slip-up could later expose John’s deception.

Fan Theories: How John Could Be Caught

On Reddit, fans have been dissecting the storyline and speculating how the truth might come out. One theory points to Mack’s mobile phone as John’s downfall:

• Phone tracking: “If Charity has location sharing on, or if police check the GPS history, they’ll find Mack’s last movements leading straight to John,” one fan suggested.

• Fingerprints and evidence: Another added, “John’s fingerprints will be everywhere—on the car, on Mack’s belongings. He won’t be able to cover it all up.”

Others believe Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), who is currently married to John, may grow suspicious. Official spoilers already hint that Aaron will make a shocking discovery and accuse John of lying—possibly the first crack in John’s facade.

Will Moira or Aaron Uncover the Truth?

Given John’s slip with the text message and Aaron’s doubts, fans think it’s only a matter of time before someone puts the pieces together. Moira, in particular, may notice inconsistencies in John’s story and expose his role in Mack’s disappearance.

For now, Charity believes Mack has simply abandoned her—but with fan theories piling up and official teasers promising a major reveal, John’s days of hiding the truth may be numbered.