A CLOSE family friend of American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband. has revealed disturbing details about their shooting deaths.
Kaye and Thomas Deluca, both 70, were found dead inside their $4.5 million Los Angeles, California, mansion on Monday afternoon.
They both had shooting wounds to the head, and suspect Raymond Boodarian, 22, has been arrested and accused of killing them.
Cops said surveillance footage captured Boodarian scaling the wall surrounding their property and opening an unlocked glass sliding door to get inside on Thursday.
Thirty minutes later, the couple was seen walking in and accidentally confronting the intruder.
The horrific break-in came after the successful couple had a burglar bust into their home on May 19. Ever since that incident, they had been desperately trying to crack down on security.
They reportedly had spoken to a bodyguard service and security consultant to try and get peace of mind after their home in Encino was targeted.
One friend, who didn’t give his name, said the couple “added spikes” to the top of the six-foot fence protecting their property, he told Fox News.
“They had spikes on the other side of the fence, and obviously updated their video surveillance as well,” he said.
“They had video surveillance already.”
Kaye, who headed up the music department for American Idol, and Deluca, who was a successful songwriter, were remembered as friendly people who had no enemies, according to the friend.
They had “moved to Encino because they wanted to be safe,” he said.
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“They were living life to the fullest. They traveled a lot. They have some great animals,” the friend explained.
“They have a turtle that they found at their first house they bought when they moved to LA, and they’ve taken their turtle with them every place.”
The friend said the couple felt confident that the intruder wouldn’t “be back” after imposing the new measures.
‘VERY SHAKEN’
Guy Cohen, a security consultant who works with SecureIT Homes, said that he worked with Kaye and Deluca after the break-in.
“Obviously they’re very shaken and they were looking for solutions,” he said.
“They came to us and we were there to consult them […] help them through the situation.”
SecureIT was planning on installing shatter-resistant window film, an early detection system around their home, and a custom-built panic room in Kaye’s closet this month, Cohen said.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get there in time and they still have their original systems in place,” he said.
The couple’s close friend has remembered them as “very talented” and said that Kaye “excelled in her job.”
“They’re just really wonderful people,” he said.
TENSE STRUGGLE
Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Guy Golan said the brave couple struggled with the intruder before being shot dead, he told KABC.
He had gotten into the property by hopping the fence and opening an unlocked sliding glass door, video seen by officials revealed.
Boodarian, who is from Encino, was charged with battery and exhibiting a deadly weapon over a year before his latest arrest.
However, he was deemed mentally incompetent, and the charges were dropped, court documents show.
The suspect was also charged with brandishing a knife and making threats against his stepfather in 2023, as well as battery against his mother and sister in 2024.
However, those charges were also dismissed.
Cops said that they found a handgun inside Boodarian’s home, and they suspect it’s the murder weapon.
