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• Jeremy Horton debuted in 1989 as Mike Horton and Robin Jacobs’ son.
• He returned in 2007 with a troubled past and shady business ties.
• His schemes included counterfeit clothes and even human trafficking.
• Now played by Michael Roark, Jeremy is back in Salem in 2025.
• Stephanie Johnson feels uneasy about his reappearance.

Jeremy Horton has been away from Salem for years, but as of the October 3, 2025, episode of Days of our Lives, he’s back. His return puts the spotlight back on one of the most complicated Horton heirs — and longtime viewers may need a refresher on who he is and why his return matters.

Now portrayed by Michael Roark, Jeremy’s reappearance reconnects him to the Horton family while reopening painful memories for Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein), who remembers all too well the chaos he left behind.

Jeremy’s Roots in Salem

Jeremy first appeared in 1989 when his mother, Robin Jacobs (Derya Ruggles), returned to Salem and revealed to Mike Horton (Roark Critchlow) that she had given birth to his child while living overseas in Israel. Jeremy was just a boy at the time, and he left Salem not long after with Robin and Mike when they returned to Israel.

That meant Jeremy didn’t grow up around his Horton relatives and missed many of the family milestones that shaped the legacy.

From Horton Heir to Bad Boy

When Jeremy came back to town in 2007, he was portrayed by Trevor Donovan and had already developed a reputation as a rulebreaker. He was dating Stephanie Johnson at the time and introduced her to his pal Jett Carver (Marcus Patrick), Abe’s nephew. Together, they were pitching a business idea running private flights for wealthy Salemites between Las Vegas and Salem.

Things took a darker turn when Jeremy convinced Max Brady (Darin Brooks) to invest in a side scheme involving counterfeit designer clothes. Chelsea Brady (Rachel Melvin) immediately distrusted him, and Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) dug deeper, uncovering Jeremy’s criminal record.

That wasn’t the worst of it, though. Behind the façade of his flight business, Jeremy was secretly tied to a smuggling ring trafficking women from Eastern Europe to Las Vegas. When the truth came out, Jett revealed himself as an ISA agent, and Jeremy bolted rather than face justice, leaving Stephanie devastated.

Why His Return Matters Now

Fast-forward to 2025, and Jeremy’s name resurfaced in September when Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) mentioned he was heading back to Salem. That news immediately unsettled Stephanie, who remembers all too well the damage he caused. Now played by Michael Roark, Jeremy’s reappearance connects directly to the Horton family legacy and raises questions about what role he’ll play in Salem’s present.

Will Jeremy seek redemption, or does his return mean more turmoil for Stephanie and the rest of his family? Either way, his history ensures that his comeback is bound to shake things up.