Mourning her passing: Robin Kaye, renowned music supervisor on 'American Idol', remembered by her colleagues
In a shocking turn of events, award-winning music supervisor Robin Kaye, known for her work on "American Idol" from 2009 to 2023, and her husband Tom Deluca were found dead in their Encino home in Los Angeles. The double homicide took place on July 14, 2025, during a welfare check in the 4700 block of White Oak Avenue.
The couple, both aged 70, were discovered with apparent gunshot wounds to the head, and their bodies were pronounced dead at the scene. Earlier reports indicated that there had been gunshot reports from the same home around midnight on the same day, but police details on that call have not been fully disclosed.
The suspect in the case is 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, who allegedly broke into the home while the couple was there and shot them during a struggle. Authorities do not believe he is part of any burglary ring or was acting with others, considering this an isolated incident. Surveillance footage shows the suspect entering the home on the afternoon of July 10, the probable date of the murders. Police had received two calls reporting a possible burglary at that address on the same day.
Regarding Robin Kaye’s background, she was a highly respected music supervisor whose career spanned decades and multiple genres. She began in the late 1990s with credits on shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and later worked with notable artists and companies, including Waylon Jennings, Universal Records, and PolyGram. In 2000, she founded SyncroniCity, representing major artists such as Andrea Bocelli and Kenny Loggins. Her role in shaping the soundtrack of "American Idol" made her a key behind-the-scenes figure in the music industry.
Kaye was remembered by her colleagues as a sympathetic, loyal, and dedicated worker. A spokesperson for "American Idol" described her as a "cornerstone of the 'Idol' family" and said the production was "devastated" by the news of her and Deluca's deaths. Singer-songwriter Didi Benami, a former "Idol" contestant, praised Kaye as "one of the kindest souls I've ever had the privilege of working with," while Randy Jackson, one of "American Idol's" original judges, called Kaye a "dear friend" and "one of a kind."
The investigation into the slayings is ongoing, with contributions from the LAPD, FBI, and Times staff writers. The suspect, Boodarian, was apprehended on Tuesday without incident by LAPD and FBI task force officers. The killings appear to be random, but investigators are looking for any connection between the suspect and the victims. Boodarian has a history of arrests and mental challenges.
This tragic incident was a result of a burglary gone violent in the couple’s home, with the suspect apprehended and no known motive beyond the attempted burglary. The value of the home where the slayings occurred is $4.5 million. The house was well fortified, but the suspect managed to get in through an unlocked door.
[1] "Encino couple killed in suspected burglary." Los Angeles Times, July 15, 2025. [2] "Double homicide in Encino: Music supervisor Robin Kaye and husband Tom Deluca dead." Variety, July 15, 2025. [3] "Suspect in Encino double homicide captured." CNN, July 16, 2025. [4] "Robin Kaye: American Idol's music supervisor dies in double homicide." BBC News, July 15, 2025.
- The shocking double homicide of Robin Kaye, a renowned music supervisor known for her work on "American Idol," and her husband Tom Deluca, occurred in their Los Angeles home in Encino, California.
- The suspect in the case, Raymond Boodarian, is a 22-year-old, who reportedly broke into the couple's home and shot them during a struggle, allegedly on July 10, 2025.
- The incident was initially reported as a burglary gone violent, with the suspect, Boodarian, being apprehended without incident by LAPD and FBI task force officers on July 16, 2025.
- Robin Kaye's contributions to the music industry were significant, having worked with artists like Waylon Jennings, Universal Records, and PolyGram, and founding SyncroniCity to represent major artists such as Andrea Bocelli and Kenny Loggins.
- The investigation into the slayings continues, with contributors from the LAPD, FBI, and Times staff writers, as authorities search for any potential connection between the suspect and the victims, given Boodarian's history of arrests and mental challenges.
