A Los Angeles man charged with murdering an ‘American Idol’ executive and her husband will undergo a mental evaluation to determine his competency for trial, following a judge’s ruling on Wednesday. This development comes after the couple was fatally shot during a burglary at their home in July.
Raymond Boodarian, 22, is the suspect charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Robin Kaye, a longtime music supervisor for ‘American Idol’, and her husband Thomas Deluca, both 70 years old. The victims were well-known in the entertainment industry, with Kaye having worked on the show for over 15 years and other productions like ‘Lip Sync Battle’ and various pageants.
The incident occurred on July 10, 2025, when Kaye and Deluca returned home unexpectedly to their residence in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, interrupting an ongoing burglary. According to authorities, Boodarian was allegedly burglarizing the home and used the couple’s own gun to shoot them. He later called 911 himself, but initial police response found no immediate signs of trouble, and the bodies were discovered four days later during a welfare check.
The legal proceedings took a turn on August 20, 2025, when Boodarian was set to be arraigned but did not enter a plea. Judge suspended the criminal proceedings and ordered a mental evaluation to assess his fitness for trial. This evaluation will be conducted by a psychiatrist and reviewed in a mental health court, which specializes in such cases.
The motivation behind the burglary is not fully detailed, but it appears to be a crime of opportunity that escalated violently. The couple’s unexpected arrival led to the fatal confrontation, with Boodarian allegedly acting in the moment.
The impact of this event is significant, highlighting issues of home security and mental health in criminal cases. It has also sent shockwaves through the entertainment community, where Kaye was respected and actively working on the upcoming season of ‘American Idol’. The case draws parallels to other high-profile mental health evaluations in the same courthouse.
What happens next depends on the outcome of the mental evaluation. If Boodarian is deemed competent, the trial will proceed; if not, he may be placed in a state hospital for treatment. The next court date is set for September, where the evaluation results will be considered.