In 2003, Abe is supposedly dead on the day of Theo's christening, becoming the first victim of the Salem serial killer. Months later, he is revealed to be alive – his death having been faked – on a remote tropical island, Melaswen, which is a complete replica of Salem. He works together with Roman and the others to escape the island. Abe is reunited with Lexie and Theo but goes blind and learns that he is impotent. His anger shines through and he becomes paranoid that Lexie is cheating. Eventually, Abe's eyesight is restored but an anonymous note leads him to a motel, where he finds Lexie having sex with his protege Salem Police officer Tek Kramer. Their marriage is in turmoil for a while until Abe uses Lexie in the investigation of her half-brother, EJ DiMera, and Abe falls back in love with her. They stay together until Lexie disappears on December 29, 2006.