On July 10, 2025, tragedy struck the San Fernando Valley when Robin Kaye, a longtime music supervisor for American Idol, and her husband, rock guitarist Thomas Deluca, both 70, were allegedly murdered inside their home. The couple, who had just returned from a grocery run, were shot multiple times during what police believe was a violent burglary. Their bodies went undiscovered for four days, until friends requested a welfare check. Officers found the couple inside with gunshot wounds, surrounded by shell casings, their bodies already decomposing.
Chilling Surveillance and 911 Calls
Court records reveal eerie details about the hours leading up to the killings. Surveillance footage captured the suspect, 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, scaling the couple’s fence at 4:06 p.m. on July 10. Kaye and Deluca returned home at 4:43 p.m., and within ten minutes, Boodarian was seen fleeing, a handgun tucked into his waistband. Around the same time, a 911 call allegedly placed by Boodarian recorded him saying, “Please don’t shoot me.” Authorities later determined that Kaye and Deluca were killed shortly after they arrived home.
Stolen Firearm and Hidden Evidence
According to an affidavit obtained by prosecutors, Boodarian allegedly used the couple’s own Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, purchased just a week earlier, to kill them. Afterward, he fled with the weapon, jewelry, and other personal items. Days later, police searching Boodarian’s Reseda townhouse discovered the pistol, live rounds, casings, and magazines hidden under his mattress. Also recovered were several pieces of jewelry and two cell phones belonging to the victims. Investigators believe the stolen items provide a grim timeline of the couple’s final moments.
Arrest and Courtroom Struggles
Boodarian was arrested outside his townhouse on July 15, shirtless and handcuffed. He now faces two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree residential burglary. At his arraignment on August 20, he appeared in a suicide gown, unresponsive to questions. His public defender reported that he was suicidal, prompting Judge Martin L. Herscovitz to delay proceedings and order a psychiatric evaluation. Boodarian’s case has since been transferred to mental health court, with a new hearing scheduled for September 3 in Hollywood.
Possible Penalty if Convicted
Prosecutors have confirmed that Boodarian is being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles. If convicted of the charges, he faces life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Meanwhile, the murders of Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca, a couple remembered for their lifelong devotion to music and each other, have left a lasting void in both the entertainment community and their neighborhood.
