Who poisoned Rey on The Young and the Restless? Who plays Rey on The Young and the Restless?
Introduction
Rey Rosales (portrayed by Jordi Vilasuso) was one of Genoa City’s most beloved residents from August 2018 until he was tragically killed off in April of 2022.
He made his final appearance on the Young and the Restless the day before he was killed off—off-screen—in a car accident.
But this fictional character’s life was not easy throughout the almost 4 years he was on the show.
From love triangles to poisonings to frenemies to heart attacks, Rey Rosales had a rough ride.
But his poisoning, and the mystery surrounding it, remained one of the biggest talking points for Y&R fans for a long time.
In fact, uncovering the culprit was a rollercoaster ride in itself.
So, who poisoned Rey on The Young and The Restless?
We’re unpacking everything: the poison, the suspects, and the truth about who poisoned Rey on Y&R.
What Was Used to Poison Rey on The Young and The Restless?
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A heavy metal called Thallium.
Many of the show’s viewers thought that Thallium was a poison that was invented just for the show, but it is actually a very real—and very deadly—compound which is known as “The Poisoner’s Poison.”
Thallium is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, which means it is pretty easy for one of Genoa City’s twisted residents to slip it into Rey Rosales’ drink and slowly poison him over time.
Thallium sulfate was also used in the 1970s in rat poison and insecticides before officials and chemists realized it could be absorbed in dust or through the skin and kill people.
While 10 mg per pound of body weight can be lethal, someone in Genoa City had put some thought into Rey’s poisoning—it was done in small doses over time.
Symptoms, like those Rey experienced, include nausea, dizziness, delirium, confusion, pain in the limbs and extremities, and shortness of breath.
Thallium poisoning can also cause hair loss, but Rey Rosales—or rather, the actor who plays him, Jordi Vilasuso—definitely wasn’t suffering with his lustrous locks.
Who Discovered Rey Had Been Poisoned?
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Nate and Elena both suspected that Rosales had been poisoned after he complained about the pain in his feet and legs.
As luck—and excellent soap opera writing—would have it, Nate knew the antidote.
Prussian Blue was ordered to counteract the Thallium poison coursing through Rosales’ body, and the blue powder worked effectively to remove the toxins from Rey’s system.
While many victims of Thallium poisoning continue to suffer from visual and neurological issues, this fictional character bounced back just fine.
Did Sharon Poison Rey on The Young and The Restless?
Things got a little sticky for Rey’s wife, Sharon, after he was treated for the poisoning.
Sharon, who had been obsessively fixated on Adam for a while at that point, was adamant that her crush was not responsible for her husband’s poisoning. Rey disagreed—he immediately assumed Adam was the culprit.
As the soap opera’s resident detective, many fans were likely to agree with him.
The majority of the evidence—and Adam’s inappropriate feelings for Rey’s wife—pointed viewers in that direction.
Sharon was unwilling to believe that Adam could do such a heinous thing. Episode after episode, she defended him, which led Rey to suspect that something was going on with his wife and his mortal enemy.
Jordi Vilasuso, the actor who plays Rey on Y&R, explained in an interview:
“In his gut, he doesn’t believe [Sharon] could do this. But he’s also thinking, ‘God, I hope she’s not turning on me like something out of Dateline.”
Did Chelsea Poison Rey on The Young and The Restless?
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Chelsea, Sharon, and Adam formed what was one of Y&R’s most riveting love triangles of 2021.
Adam was crushing hard on Sharon, Sharon was married but pining after Adam, and Chelsea is Adam’s baby mama and former love interest.
Then Chelsea caught Adam kissing Rey’s wife, Sharon, and plotted revenge.
That revenge was to slowly have someone poison Rey, and then to frame Adam for the crime and have him sent to prison.
It was the ultimate soap opera logic of “If I can’t have him, no one can.”
Unfortunately, the show’s iconic patriarch, Victor Newman, caught Chelsea, and threatened to take Connor—Chelsea and Adam’s son—away unless she confessed.
Chelsea developed a new plan: she confessed and then faked a mental breakdown in order to avoid time in prison.
Adam, who is overcome with guilt for pushing Chelsea to the breaking point, pledges to help her through her treatment.
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Did Chloe Poison Rey on The Young and The Restless?
Now, we already know that Sharon didn’t poison Rey and that Chelsea definitely confessed to it, but was Chloe involved, too?
At the coffee house following Chelsea’s admission to the mental hospital, Chloe confesses to Kevin that Chelsea’s breakdown is playing on her mind. Kevin, who suspects something more is going on, asks her point blank if she helped poison Rey and frame Adam.
Chloe admits that she was the one to pick up the poison for Chelsea but denies knowing exactly what Chelsea was doing.
She also points out that Adam had pushed Chelsea to the edge.
When Detective Rey arrives, he also suspects that Chloe knows more than she claims.
He asks her if she knows that Chelsea was faking her paralysis.
Chloe denies it, and Kevin—eager to keep Chloe out of prison—says nothing about her earlier confession.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.