Terrifying final moments of American Idol exec and husband murdered at $5m LA mansion

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

The American Idol executive and her husband, found murdered inside their $5 million California mansion, struggled with the intruder just moments before they were fatally shot in the head, police revealed.
Robin Kaye, an award-winning music supervisor for the hit show, and Thomas Deluca, both 70, were discovered brutally murdered at their home in Encino on Monday around 2.33pm, the Los Angeles Police Department told Daily Mail.
Police arrested 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian on Tuesday, confirming he had been inside the couple's home for approximately 30 minutes before they unexpectedly returned.
In a chilling new revelation, police provided additional details about the couple's final moments - spotting the intruder, engaging in a struggle and ultimately being shot dead, ABC7 News reported.
'There was a confrontation that ensued which resulted in the victims receiving multiple gunshot wounds and succumbing to those injuries,' LAPD Lt. Guy Golan said, according to the outlet.
Officers were first called to the couple's gated Los Angeles mansion on July 10 - an idyllic, high-security home surrounded by an 8-foot spiked wall and surveillance cameras, according to ABC7.
They first arrived to the couple's residence after two calls reported a man jumping the fence, but left when no one answered and nothing appeared suspicious.
Just four days later, however, police returned to the their ritzy $5 million mansion for a routine 'welfare check' after family and friends had not heard from them in four days.
Authorities spotted blood at the front entrance before breaking through a window, where they found the couple both shot in the head in different rooms.
The suspect, identified as Boodarian, was linked to the crime through a fingerprint found at the scene and corroborating surveillance footage. His fingerprints were in the LAPD's database thanks to his previous encounters with the law.
He was found to have a violent criminal history, including brandishing a knife and making criminal threats against his stepfather in 2023, as well as battery charges involving his mother and sister in 2024, ABC7 reported.
All three misdemeanor cases were dismissed late last year, with court documents revealing that the 22-year-old suspect had been declared mentally incompetent three months earlier.
Police also found a handgun in the suspect's home, which they believe may have been used in the killings, according to ABC7.
'We believe its the murder weapon, but pending forensic analysis we're not ready to say so yet,' Lt. Golan said, according to the outlet.
Boodarian allegedly shot the couple dead during a burglary gone wrong, with investigators now keen to see if he'd been alerted to the couple's wealth during a previous trip to the property.
Police said he entered the home through an unlocked door after scaling a fence, according to cited surveillance footage - meaning their bodies may have lain inside the home for hours after investigators failed to access the property.
One neighbor, who did not want to be named, would occasionally see Boodarian roaming the complex 'looking really, really disturbed.'
The neighbor also said she could often see when Boodarian's lights were on in his bedroom because of a shared wall. She eerily described how he would sometimes have an 'episode' and appear 'ready to break the walls.'
She claimed that on at least one occasion, he had to be strapped to a stretcher and removed from the property.
Many questions now surround how Boodarian's case was dismissed, with criminal defense attorney Lou Shapiro explaining that a significant factor may lie within California's legal system, according to ABC7.
'There's a separate court, just for people with mental health issues, if they are eligible for that court, they usually get put on a different track,' Shapiro said. 'And for the most part, most people that go on that track do well.'
'But every so often we have a situation like this, where it didn't go the way it should have gone,' he added.
'And very tragically, we have two people who are dead because of it.'
Kaye worked as the music supervisor for singing competition American Idol for the last 15 seasons, or nearly 300 episodes, per her IMDB page.
The suspect was found to have a violent criminal history, including brandishing a knife and making criminal threats against his stepfather in 2023, as well as battery charges involving his mother and sister in 2024 (pictured: aerial of home)
Over the years, she won several Guild of Music Supervisors Awards for her work on the show.
She also worked for other well-known shows, including Lip Sync Battle, Hollywood Game Night and Worn Stories.
Her husband was a musician who last released an album called Street Rock in 2022. His first 'acclaimed cult favorite debut' album. 'Down To The Wire,' was released by Epic Records in 1986.
Deluca penned songs for popular hit makers, including Kid Rock, the band Molly Hatchet and Meredith Brooks.
The couple purchased the home in January 2023, according to public records. The home was also used a rental property before being sold to the couple, neighbors said.
Charges against Boodarian are expected to be filed on Thursday.