American Idol Music Supervisor Robin Kaye And Husband Shot In LA Home
I wish this was just another Hollywood rumor. But it’s real—and deeply unsettling.
Robin Kaye, a longtime music supervisor for American Idol, and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were found shot to death inside their Encino home early Monday morning on 14 July. Both were 70. Police discovered them during a wellness check after friends couldn’t reach them.
They didn’t die in some random street crime. This happened inside their own house—a home that was supposedly “fortified” and safe.
According to LAPD, the couple was killed in separate rooms. It wasn’t a robbery gone wrong. There were no signs of forced entry, no ransacking. Just two people, found shot multiple times, in a place where they should’ve felt most secure.
If you’re like me, you’re probably asking: How does something like this even happen in a neighborhood like Encino?
Let’s break it down.
Timeline of the Crime: What Happened on White Oak Avenue
It all started with a wellness check.
Early Monday morning, LAPD officers arrived at a home on the 4700 block of White Oak Avenue in Encino. Friends of Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, had been trying to reach them—no response. So police showed up to see what was going on.
According to
CBS News Los Angeles
, officers looked through the window and saw signs that something was wrong. They forced their way in and found both Robin and Tom shot to death—each in a different room.
Multiple gunshot wounds. No signs of life.
Think about that for a second. They weren’t discovered by family. Not by a neighbor. But by officers sent in because friends had a gut feeling something wasn’t right.
That gut feeling was tragically spot on.
Victim Profiles: Remembering Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca
I don’t want this story to just be about the crime. Robin and Tom deserve better than that. Let me tell you who they were—because this wasn’t just another “high-profile case” in LA.
Robin Kaye wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes name. If you’ve watched American Idol over the past decade or more, you’ve seen her influence—even if you didn’t know it. She was a music supervisor who worked on hundreds of episodes. People in the industry knew her well. More importantly, they respected her.
The show’s spokesperson put it simply: “Robin was a cornerstone of the Idol family… truly loved and respected.” That kind of statement doesn’t come lightly in Hollywood.
Tom Deluca, her husband, had his own legacy. He was a Nashville-based musician and songwriter. Quiet, creative, and deeply rooted in the music world. The kind of artist who worked more for the love of it than the limelight.
They were both 70. Still living a full life. Still working. Still dreaming.
And now, both gone. In their own home.
The tragedy echoes recent losses in LA’s entertainment community, including the sudden passing of
Mulholland Drive actress Rebekah Del Rio
, who was also found dead in her home.
The Missed Warning: Burglary Attempt Days Earlier
Here’s the part that really stings—this could’ve been prevented.
Just four days before the murder, on July 10, someone called LAPD about a possible burglary at the same house. Police responded. But they didn’t go in.
Why? Because the home was “highly fortified,” according to officers. The windows and doors were locked tight. They even did a flyover with a police chopper. Nothing looked off from above. So they left.
But now we know the truth: the suspect had already jumped the fence and likely entered the property. It was all on surveillance footage—later reviewed after the murders.
Let that sink in. The killer might’ve been inside, or at least scoping things out, while police were just outside.
I know it’s easy to second-guess in hindsight, but this wasn’t just a bad break. It was a missed chance. A red flag that got waved off.
Similar concerns were raised when
WWE stars Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins
faced a burglary in their LA home—raising questions about whether celebrity homes really get the protection they need.
How the Suspect Entered and What Led to the Confrontation?
The killer didn’t break in with force. He didn’t smash a window or pick a lock. According to the LAPD, he found an unlocked door after hopping the fence. That’s it.
He got in. Quietly. Waited inside.
Then Robin and Tom came home.
That’s when it all went wrong. The confrontation happened face to face. Both victims were shot multiple times—in separate rooms. The suspect didn’t steal anything. He didn’t trash the place. He just left.
No clear motive. No sign of a robbery. No personal connection to the victims.
You lock your doors, add cameras, maybe even build a tall fence. But what if that one unlocked door is all it takes?
Sadly, this isn’t the first time a high-profile LA home was quietly breached—
Brad Pitt’s LA home was also targeted
by thieves who managed to slip in and out without a trace.
Who Is Raymond Boodarian? The Man Behind the Murders
The man accused of killing Robin and Tom is 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian. LAPD detectives, with help from the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force, arrested him at his home the day after the murders.
He was identified using home security footage and facial recognition tech. That’s how fast it moved once the pieces fell into place.
What makes it worse? According to
Deadline
, Boodarian has a history of violent crime. Court records show previous charges—though many were dropped over time. A pattern. A risk. One that slipped through the system.
No known link to Robin or Tom. No evidence of a personal grudge.
Just a stranger. Inside their house.
Now he’s sitting in custody, booked on suspicion of murder. But that doesn’t bring the couple back—or answer the bigger question: why?
What’s your take on how the initial police call was handled? Could this tragedy have been stopped earlier? I’d really like to hear your thoughts—drop them in the comments below.
LAPD Under Scrutiny: Could This Have Been Prevented?
Let’s be honest—this case is going to raise hard questions for LAPD.
When someone calls in a suspicious person at a home, and days later the homeowners are murdered, something clearly slipped through the cracks. Police responded to that July 10 call. They saw the property was locked tight. They flew a chopper overhead. Then they left.
But they didn’t ask: What if someone had already gotten in?
They didn’t check the camera footage. They didn’t talk to the homeowners.
Now, after the murders, they’re saying the suspect may have entered through an unlocked door and waited inside until Robin and Tom came home. A horrifying thought—but one that possibly could’ve been prevented.
According to
KTLA
, LAPD did confirm that footage later showed the suspect hopping a fence that same day. That detail wasn’t caught in time.
I’m not here to bash the cops. But as a reader—and a neighbor—you’ve got to wonder: Would the response have been different if this wasn’t a quiet, older couple living in Encino?
In fact, conversations around police response, home surveillance, and security protocols have been blowing up across local WhatsApp groups lately—with many sharing personal experiences and updates in real-time.
What This Case Teaches Us About Home Security?
We all like to think our homes are safe. That if we lock the doors, maybe install a camera or two, we’ve done enough.
But this case proves otherwise.
Robin and Tom lived in a “highly fortified” home. Not just your average setup—this place had gates, reinforcements, and surveillance. Still, one unlocked door was all it took.
If someone is determined—and quiet—they don’t need to smash their way in. They just need a moment. That’s what scares me the most. And maybe you too.
It also shows that security isn’t just about gear. It’s about awareness. About double-checking the basics. About not assuming “fortified” means invincible.
Even police assumed nothing could be wrong because everything looked fine from the outside. But safety isn’t always visible. That’s the harsh lesson here.
What’s Next in the Case? Legal Process and Investigation Status
Raymond Boodarian is now in custody, arrested and booked on suspicion of murder. The investigation is far from over.
Police are reviewing more surveillance footage, digging into his past, and checking whether this was a one-time act or something bigger. So far, there’s no known connection between him and the victims. But I wouldn’t be surprised if more details come out in the next few weeks.
There’s no trial date yet. No public statement from Boodarian or his legal team. But you can bet this case won’t quietly disappear. It’s too high-profile. Too raw.
If you live in LA, especially in places like Encino or Sherman Oaks, this case will hit home. And if you’re following it, keep your eyes on what happens with the investigation—because it may influence how future home invasion cases are handled.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t know Robin Kaye or Thomas Deluca personally. But after reading what their colleagues and friends have said, I wish I had. This wasn’t just a crime—it was a preventable tragedy that exposes how fragile our sense of safety really is.
If there’s one thing you take away from this, let it be this: check your doors, question what “secure” really means, and never ignore your gut feeling—because someone’s safety might depend on it.
If you’re following stories around celebrity homes, break-ins, and crime in LA, check out more coverage on our
Celebrity Home Security
section.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on publicly available information from LAPD and news sources. Details may change as the investigation progresses. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Table of Contents
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Timeline of the Crime: What Happened on White Oak Avenue
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Victim Profiles: Remembering Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca
-
The Missed Warning: Burglary Attempt Days Earlier
-
How the Suspect Entered and What Led to the Confrontation?
-
Who Is Raymond Boodarian? The Man Behind the Murders
-
LAPD Under Scrutiny: Could This Have Been Prevented?
-
What This Case Teaches Us About Home Security?
-
What’s Next in the Case? Legal Process and Investigation Status
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Final Thoughts
