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A man accused of the tragic murder of a former American Idol executive and her husband at their $4.5 million residence in Los Angeles has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
Raymond Boodarian, 22, faced the potential of a death penalty for the July slayings of Robin Kaye and songwriter Tom Deluca.
However, on Thursday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi ruled in favor of the defendant, sparing him a lengthy prison term.
Judge Cavalluzzi determined that Boodarian is currently “not competent to stand trial,” according to The Wrap. Consequently, he will be transferred to a state facility for treatment of a psychiatric condition with psychotropic medication.
The judge stated, “The defendant lacks the capacity to make decisions regarding psychotropic medication,” emphasizing that “restoration is in the interest of justice, because this is a homicide case.”
Prosecutors have claimed Boodarian was burglarizing Kaye and Deluca’s home on July 10, when the couple returned home.
During an ensuing struggle, the 22-year-old shot and killed the couple – whose bodies were only found four days later after frantic family members requested a welfare check.
Authorities later determined that Deluca passed within seconds of being shot in the head and Kaye died minutes later.Â
Raymond Boodarian, 22, who is accused of fatally gunning down longtime American Idol boss Robin Kaye and her songwriter husband Tom Deluca, has been deemed ‘not presently competent to stand trial’
The couple, both 70 years old, were found dead with gunshot woundsÂ
‘The victims returned home while the suspect had gained entry into the residence, and a confrontation ensued, which resulted in the suspect taking their lives,’ authorities previously said, according to People.Â
‘The victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, and the suspect fled from the residence on foot.’
Boodarian was taken into custody just one day after the grisly discovery by policeman with their guns drawn at the rented Reseda townhome he shared with his mother and sister.
Officials have since said the murders appeared to be random, with no connection found between the suspect and the couple, according to People.Â
But Boodarian has a criminal history as well as a history of mental illness.
He was even nonresponsive and glassy-eyed to questions from a judge at an August arraignment on charges of murder alongside a special circumstance allegation for multiple murders while burglarizing a home, Deadline reports.
Nancy Kolocotronis, who is serving as Boodarian’s public defender, also claimed at the hearing that her client is suicidal after he arrived to the courtroom wearing a suicide gown.Â
At that point, Boodarian was determined to have ‘severe mental health issues.’
Prosecutors have said Boodarian was burglarizing the couple’s $4.5 million Encino home when they returned home on July 10
The couple’s bodies were only found four days later after frantic family members requested a welfare check
Tragically, Kaye and Deluca had been planning on adding state-of-the-art security technology and a panic room to their Encino estate prior to their deaths, following a rash of burglaries in the area.
Security expert Guy Cohen from SecureIT Home previously told the Daily Mail he visited the couple’s house on May 20 after someone broke into their property.Â
‘Robin reached out to me and wanted a consultation,’ Cohen, 44, told the Daily Mail. ‘She was nervous because they had just had a break-in the previous evening.
‘An intruder came in through the sliding glass door in the kitchen. They were home and the dog started barking and she yelled and the burglar ran away.’
Search warrants obtained by the Daily Mail showed a neighbor called 911 at around 4pm on July 10 to report an intruder at Kaye and Deluca’s home.Â
About 40 minutes later, police received a second call from someone inside the couple’s home, claiming to be a resident. According to the warrant, the 911 dispatch operator heard the caller say, ‘Please don’t shoot me’ to someone.
The couple has since been cremated, and left their fortune to family members, various charities and even their pets in their will.
Kaye worked as the music supervisor for singing competition American Idol for the last 15 seasons
She and her musician husband divided $5.82 million of their personal assets among family, friends and causes they supported over the years
In court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Kaye and her musician husband, Thomas Deluca, divided $5.82 million of their personal assets among family, friends and causes they supported over the years.Â
While it is still unclear how the proceeds of their home on White Oak Avenue will be divided, the couple left $100,000 to $1 million each to individual family members and friends as cash gift contributions from their personal assets.Â
The couple also set aside $100,000 for their beloved parrot Bogey, and gave two close friends $5,000 for the exotic bird’s care.
Additionally, the couple decided to bequeath their pet tortoise to the California Turtle and Tortoise Club with a $10,000 contribution from their estate and set aside $50,000 a year for living expenses and healthcare for Deluca’s elderly mother.
The remaining funds were divided among various animal charities, including the Jane Goodall Institute, the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and the Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Deluca, who penned songs for various artists like Kid Rock and Mickey Dolenz, left all of his instruments to his brother Tim.Â
Kaye – who worked as the music supervisor for singing competition American Idol for the last 15 seasons –Â also left a list of diamond jewelry and other precious heirlooms to various family members and friends.Â
A probate judge will still have to approve the petition filed by the couple’s family members and attorneys.Â
In the meantime, Boodarian – who refused to attend the court hearing on Thursday – is due back in court on December 19 for a hearing to reassess his condition and the chances he could stand trial.