Her next boyfriend was shady businessman Ray Mullan. Louise was happy with Ray and moved in with him but Ray wasn't the man Louise thought he was. Wanting to control her, Ray made her think she was being stalked so she would agree to emigrate to Italy. As they drove to the airport, Louise discovered Ray was her stalker and a vicious fight ensued, culminating in her accidentally killing Ray and concealing it in Boxing day 2002. Terry Woods, helped by making it look like someone had broken in (which the police believed as he mixed with many dangerous criminals.) Besotted, Terry would do anything for her but her gratitude didn't mean she was prepared to date him so Terry had to accept that they would only be friends. Louise was further shocked when Ray's brother came to the village and told her she was the only woman to survive her relationship with Ray and following the ordeal Louise spent much of 2003 on a downward spiral of depression and self-destruction alienating those around her. Diane acknowledged she had become a cold, cruel woman since Ray's murder and a bitter tension arose between them, particularly after Louise began seeing local married man, Ronnie Marsden. When their affair was exposed, the rift got stronger and Louise was humiliated and hated being the centre of local gossip but she and Diane eventually reconciled when Louise told Diane what had really happened. She soon found herself in the thick of it again when she began dating vicar, Ashley Thomas. Their affair was short-lived and Louise agreed to a date with Carl King, but dumped him when she realised he was married.