In what can only be described as a major upcoming storyline, Soap Central has learned that All My Children is planning a storyline that will whittle away several of the show's underused characters. Look out, Pine Valley residents: it appears that a serial killer is in your midst.

The first character to be killed off will be Simone, in an apparent suicide. Simone's death is set up to echo the drug overdose death of her late brother, Anthony. While everyone is convinced that Simone did, in fact, take her own life, Kendall has her doubts. As previously reported by Soap Central, All My Children executives have granted Terri Ivens' (Simone Torres) request to be let out of her contract.

Several weeks after Simone's on-screen demise, Connie Fletcher (Erin Lavery) will make her final appearance when her character is killed off.

All My Children fans also know that Emmy winner Julia Barr (Brooke English) has announced that she will be exiting the show by year's end. It is unclear if her exit will be tied into this storyline.

With several other performers in this contract-heavy cast also having little storyline, fans will no doubt begin to speculate which other stars may also fall victim to the killer.

Somehow figuring into this storyline is a "new" - but previously introduced - contract role. The character, "Zarf," appeared briefly on All My Children back in August when Josh and Babe tried to talk the rock star into appearing in a Fusion campaign. Now, actor Jeffrey Carlson has been asked to bring back Zarf as part of the regular cast.

The "serial killer" (perhaps more the technically accurate "mass murderer") storyline has become a staple of soap opera storytelling in recent years as a way to boost ratings -- and at the same time to trim characters and cut budgets. Earlier this year, As the World Turns featured a summer slasher storyline in which a handful of extras were killed off. Several years ago, Days of our Lives made waves when it killed off half a dozen high-profile characters - but the impact of the storyline was lost when the supposedly dead characters turned up very much alive on a mystery island. Closer to home, AMC's sister soap, One Life to Live, has played out two serial killer storylines in recent years and killed off one or two major characters.

All My Children's storyline would be the first offing of major characters since the denouement of ABC's Loving in 1995.

The thrilling action kicks off later this month on All My Children.