Who plays Roy Walton on Chicago PD? Character arc explored in depth

NBC’s Chicago PD is a police drama that follows the Intelligence Unit of the 21st District as they handle some of the city’s most serious and violent crimes. Led by Sergeant Hank Voight, the team is a portrayal of officers trying to balance justice and personal judgment. One of the most notorious antagonists of Chicago PD, Roy Walton, was introduced in season 8.

Roy Walton, played by actor Michael Maize, made his first appearance in Chicago PD season 8, episode 15, "The Right Thing." He quickly became one of the most memorable villains in the series. Walton ran a large drug and human trafficking ring that deeply impacted the lives of both the victims and the officers trying to bring him down.

Who is Roy Walton in Chicago PD?

Roy Walton, in Chicago PD, was a man who had been arrested and released multiple times for drug-related offenses. Over time, he built a large operation by purchasing homes and clubs where he created and distributed illegal drugs. These clubs, including one run by Kent Darby, served as fronts for even darker crimes, including human trafficking.

Deputy Superintendent Samantha Miller’s son, Darrell Miller, got caught up in this world. He began selling drugs at one of the clubs and eventually lost a stash worth $10,000. Fearing for his life, Darrell reached out to Voight for help. What started as a plea from a scared young man revealed a criminal empire run by Roy Walton. As the Chicago PD team dug deeper, they learned that Darrell had tried to rescue a teenage trafficking victim named Sasha.

This led to his capture by Kent Darby. Roy, aware that the situation was spiraling out of control, killed Darrell and later murdered three other girls he had held captive in an attempt to erase evidence of his crimes. The team began hunting Roy and his network across the city. They made several arrests and gathered evidence, but Roy remained on the run.

Kim Burgess tracked a lead on her own and ended up being attacked and kidnapped by Kent Darby. He contacted Roy, who then came to the location and killed Kent. Despite Burgess begging for her life and mentioning her daughter, Roy shot her twice and left her for dead. He then dumped the car he used in a nearby lake.

What he did not know was that Burgess survived. She managed to escape and was eventually rescued by the team. Meanwhile, Voight got a tip from one of Roy’s contacts and found him at an auto shop preparing to flee. Voight confronted Roy and beat him severely while trying to find out where Kim was. Roy refused to cooperate, even taunting Voight. As Voight continued the assault, Hailey Upton arrived and urged him to stop.

She convinced him they should arrest Roy instead. But when Voight uncuffed Roy, he lunged for Voight’s gun. Upton had no choice but to shoot him, killing Roy on the spot.

Rather than report the shooting, Voight and Upton decided to hide what happened. They burned Roy’s body and buried the remains to keep it secret from the rest of the team. At the beginning of season 9, Voight and Upton pretended to continue the search for Roy, even lying to Burgess when she asked about him.

In an interview with TVLine, executive producer Rick Eid talked about Roy's murder and said,

"They are both complicit in the cover-up, and consequences could fall down hard on them both."

Roy Walton, played by Michael Maize, was one of the most violent and disturbing criminals in the Chicago PD. His actions led to the death of Darrell Miller, the murder of trafficking victims, and nearly cost Kim Burgess her life. Though Upton ended his life, the decision to hide the truth created lasting consequences.

Roy’s character arc not only showed the brutal reality of organized crime but also highlighted the moral challenges faced by the Intelligence Unit. His story remains one of the most impactful in Chicago PD history.

Chicago PD is streaming on Peacock.

Trending

For more articles like this, follow SoapCentral.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback