ENCINO, LOS ANGELES — Legal proceedings began on Thursday against the individual accused of murdering an “American Idol” music supervisor and her spouse in their Los Angeles residence.
Raymond Boodarian, aged 22, is charged with two counts of murder and one count of residential burglary connected to the deaths of “American Idol” executive Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca.
All the counts include special circumstances.
Boodarian’s court appearance on Thursday was notably brief, lasting just a few seconds. He remained out of sight, hiding behind a door, and did not reveal his face. His voice was barely audible as he informed the judge that he comprehended the schedule for the next court session.
His next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20.
Boodarian, who also lives in Encino, the LA neighborhood where the two were killed, was arrested without incident on Tuesday. He had been charged more than a year ago with battery and exhibiting a deadly weapon, but those charges were later dismissed.
Court documents show that three months before the dismissal orders, Boodarian was determined to be mentally incompetent.
According to Los Angeles Police Department investigators, a handgun was found in his home.
“We believe it’s the murder weapon. But, pending forensic analysis, we’re not ready to say so yet,” said LAPD Lt. Guy Golan, who also said they were able to track down Boodarian thanks to surveillance cameras in the victims’ home.
Video shows that the murders happened July 10, and that the suspect jumped the fence and entered the home through an unlocked sliding glass door. Kaye and Deluca came home about 30 minutes later.
“There was a confrontation that ensued which resulted in the victims receiving multiple gunshot wounds and succumbing to those injuries,” Golan said.
Police said it received two calls from people reporting a man jumping fences in the neighborhood. Officers were sent, but left after no one answered at the home and nothing looked suspicious.
Kaye and Deluca’s home has been described by investigators as “highly fortified,” surrounded by an 8-foot wall with spikes, with surveillance cameras placed throughout the home. However, the killer somehow found an unsecured door.
A criminal history
ABC Los Angeles affiliate KABC learned that Boodarian has a criminal history, including charges of brandishing a knife and criminal threats against his stepfather in 2023, and battery against his mother and sister in 2024.
All three misdemeanor cases were dismissed late last year, with court documents showing that three months prior, Boodarian was declared mentally incompetent.
“Some of the questions are going to be, why was this case dismissed? Was he put on some type of diversion where he proved to the court and everyone he had since rehabilitated? Or did he slip through the cracks and this case was dismissed by accident, which is very rare?” criminal defense attorney Lou Shapiro said.
Shapiro explained how California’s legal system may have played a role in the release of Kaye and Deluca’s accused killer.
“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. And for the most part, most people that go on that track do well,” Shapiro said. “But every so often, we have a situation like this, where it didn’t go the way it should have gone, and very tragically we have two people who are dead because of it.”
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