Crime
Who is Raymond Boodarian? Suspect identified in double homicide of Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca
ENCINO, LOS ANGELES — Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the fatal shootings of Robin Kaye, a longtime and award-winning American Idol music supervisor, and her husband, Thomas DeLuca, inside their multi-million-dollar home in Encino.
In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for American Idol confirmed the tragic loss:
“We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband Tom’s passing. Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.”
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to a welfare check request at the couple’s residence on White Oak Avenue around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, July 15, 2025.
Upon forced entry through a rear window, officers discovered both victims shot in the head in separate rooms. Paramedics pronounced them dead at the scene.
Authorities noted that the $4.5 million home was heavily fortified, featuring 8-foot-high perimeter walls with spikes, surveillance cameras, and other advanced security measures, making access difficult without force.
The suspect, identified as Raymond Boodarian, 22, was taken into custody without incident on the afternoon of July 15 in a joint operation conducted by LAPD’s Valley Bureau Homicide Division, the Gang and Narcotics Division, and the FBI Fugitive Task Force.
Boodarian was booked on suspicion of murder under California Penal Code 187 and remains in custody. As of now, formal charges have not yet been filed, and no court date or bail information has been released.
According to investigators, Boodarian had no known connection to the victims and is believed to have entered the home through an unlocked entry point on July 10 with the intent to burglarize the residence.
Surveillance footage shows him inside the home for approximately 30 minutes before Kaye and DeLuca unexpectedly returned. A confrontation ensued, during which he allegedly shot both victims.
Detectives confirmed that Boodarian was not working with accomplices, and there is no evidence linking him to any burglary rings. While he does have a criminal history, it does not include prior burglary offenses.
Police records show that LAPD received two calls for service regarding a potential burglary at the same address on July 10, including reports of an individual seen jumping a fence, possibly armed.
Responding officers were unable to enter the fortified home at the time, and a helicopter flyover revealed no visible signs of forced entry or suspicious activity, leading them to leave without making contact.
Neighbors reported previous suspicious activity at the residence, including an attempted intrusion a month earlier, when the victims’ dogs alerted them to an individual jumping the wall.
Robin Kaye was a respected figure in the entertainment industry, having worked on over 200 episodes of American Idol since 2009. Her contributions earned her multiple accolades, including honors from the Guild of Music Supervisors for excellence in music direction for reality television.
Thomas DeLuca, her husband, was a private figure not widely known in the public sphere. The couple was well-regarded in their community and had no known conflicts or threats reported prior to the incident.
The case remains under active investigation by LAPD’s Valley Bureau Homicide Division.
Authorities are working to determine whether the suspect had any prior involvement with the property or if additional charges will be filed.
Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD Homicide detectives or submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
This remains a developing story.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.