The Torres family learned of the deception and targeted Roman. With Diana's help, the family was lured into a trap and arrested, but Jose Torres was later released on bail. Roman and Diana were attacked, prompting her to leave Salem for Japan. Roman then learned there was a contract on Diana's life, so he went to her and took her to the Bahamas for safety.
Roman and Diana eventually returned from the Bahamas, but Roman was plagued by vague memories. After narrowly escaping a car bombing by the Torres family, Roman didn't recognize Diana. He finally regained his memory but was having violet personality shifts. He asked Kimberly to hypnotize him, revealing a killer personality.When Diana ran a missing persons photo in THE SPECTATOR for a mysterious man named Orion, Roman thought it was him, prior to plastic surgery, but then realized Orion had been his Kung Fu master. Roman and Diana unsuccessfully searched for Orion.
Not much was heard about the ruthless Torres family again until 1992, when Rafi Torres' henchmen abducted Bo and took him to a remote mountain cabin. Roman made a daring deal with Rafi to exchange Bo for drug shipments. The swap turned into a bloody shoot out that left Rafi wounded and his brother dead. Enraged, Rafi irrationally blamed Carly Manning for the double cross and vowed revenge. Lawrence saved Carly's life when Rafi set her and Shawn-Douglas adrift on Bo's boat.
Roman (this time the real Roman)went undercover, but he and Marlena were threatened when Rafi planted a bomb at a party nearly all of Salem attended. The bomb exploded just as Shane was attempting to disarm it. Both Shane and Julie were severely wounded. Julie was saved after Chip Lakin performed surgery on her, but Shane refused an operation and was left paralyzed from the waist down. Roman couldn't stand being away from Marlena and revealed to her his disguise. She was furious that he was risking his life in this mission but she soon gave in to the passion between them.
Eventually, Roman thwarted Rafi's planned drug shipment and brought down the entire Torres crime ring. With Rafi finally out of their lives, Roman and Marlena were reunited.
