Suspect in Killing of ‘American Idol’ Exec, Husband Declared Incompetent Before Judge Recalls Ruling
The man accused of fatally shooting longtime American Idol music supervisor Robin Kaye and her musician husband, Thomas Deluca, was declared incompetent to stand trial at a morning hearing on Thursday. But, because defendant Raymond Boodarian “refused transportation” and was not present in court, the judge later recalled the ruling and set a follow-up hearing for Dec. 19, a court source confirmed to Rolling Stone.
Boodarian, 22, is charged with murdering the couple during a daytime burglary of their Los Angeles house in July. Rolling Stone was in the courtroom early Thursday when Boodarian’s defense lawyer, Nancy Kolocotronis, waived his right to be present, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi called the case. At that point, Kolocotronis, and Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams both agreed a ruling was warranted after Dr. Phani Tumu submitted a report on Boodarian’s mental health status last week.
“The court finds the defendant is not presently competent to stand trial,” Judge Cavalluzzi said at the morning hearing. “The court also finds it is medically appropriate to treat [Boodarian’s] psychiatric condition with psychotropic medication because this medication is likely to be effective.”
The judge signed an order allowing the state to administer the medication “involuntarily.” She said that without such treatment, it was “probable the defendant will suffer serious harm to his physical and mental health.” Back in September, the judge signed an order allowing Dr. Tumu to conduct the evaluation “at Mr. Boodarian’s cell door if [he] declines to exit his cell.”
“The defendant lacks the capacity to make decisions regarding psychotropic medication,” the judge said from the bench. “Restoration is in the interest of justice because this is a homicide case.”
A short time later, Judge Cavalluzzi recalled her ruling, the source said. She wants Boodarian present in court on Dec. 19 when she revisits the matter, the source explained. The vacated ruling means Boodarian will not be transferred to a state hospital in the interim.
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Boodarian previously appeared at an arraignment in a different courthouse in August, a month after the killings. He peeked through a caged window inside the Van Nuys courtroom, but when Judge Martin L. Herscovitz tried to address him, he offered no response.
“He does have severe mental health issues. He’s appearing today in a suicide gown,” Kolocotronis told the court in August. After the judge tried unsuccessfully to get Boodarian’s attention, he spoke with the lawyers during a sidebar. “One more time. Mr. Boodarian? Mr. Boodarian, can you hear me?” the judge asked again. “Let the record reflect he’s still staring out into space and not responding to the court’s questions.”
A group of supporters for Kaye and Deluca attended the arraignment but declined to speak with the media. Some of the supporters attended the Thursday hearing as well, as did Boodarian’s father.
Officials say Boodarian was burglarizing the Encino residence of Kaye and Deluca, both 70, when the couple arrived home from a shopping trip and encountered him on July 10. He allegedly shot the couple multiple times with a gun located in the home and then fled. The victims were found four days later during a welfare check.
In a search warrant affidavit obtained by Rolling Stone, an LAPD investigator said that on the day of the shooting, a neighbor called police to report someone had climbed over Kaye’s fence and “possibly attempted to break into the residence.” A radio call for that report was generated at 4:10 p.m.
A second radio call generated at 4:44 p.m. said “the 911 caller identified himself as Raymond Boodarian and advised that someone broke into his office,” the affidavit states. “The 911 caller then stated, ‘Please don’t shoot me.'”
Home surveillance video showed that a male suspect wearing a black baseball hat, gray shirt, dark colored pants, and black sandals climbed over the front fence at 4:06 p.m., according to the affidavit. Kaye and Deluca were seen on the video arriving home at 4:43 p.m. Just 10 minutes later, the suspect was spotted on video leaving the residence “as he concealed a handgun in his right rear waistband,” the affidavit says. (Police responded to the home the day of the murders but did not see signs of a break-in and did not enter the property, officials said.)
If eventually tried and convicted as charged, Boodarian could face the death penalty or a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Any trial would depend on a judge first finding him competent.
Kaye started working at American Idol in 2009 and “was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her,” a rep for the show said in a statement. She also worked in the music department for the NAACP Image Awards and on shows including Lip Sync Battle.
Deluca was a songwriter and performer who composed music for artists, including Monkees drummer and lead singer Micky Dolenz, according to the website Melodic Rock Classics.
This article was updated on Nov. 13 at 6:44 pm E.T. to include Judge Maria Cavalluzzi’s recall of the initial ruling.
