Twice, 911 Was Called — Including About Suspect with Gun. So Why Weren’t American Idol Exec and Husband Found for 4 Days? 

Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca were discovered dead in their Encino home on July 14—days after police had responded twice to emergency calls, including one about a man with a gun

Los Angeles — When police arrived at the gated Encino home of “American Idol” music supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband, musician Thomas Deluca, on July 10, they were responding to two 911 calls—one of which reported a suspect with a firearm. But instead of entering the house, officers conducted a perimeter check and left. Four days later, the couple was found inside, shot to death.

The shocking sequence of events has left a community reeling and raised difficult questions about whether lives could have been saved had officers acted differently.

Authorities now believe the couple was murdered on July 10—the same day police were outside their home, just feet from where they lay dying or already dead.

A Deadly Delay

Dispatch audio obtained by PEOPLE reveals that during the second 911 call, received around 4:53 p.m., a person reported an armed intruder at the couple’s White Oak Avenue home. The first call, logged about 40 minutes earlier, had described a possible burglary. LAPD officers and a helicopter unit responded both times but did not enter the residence.

They found no signs of forced entry, and LAPD officials later said the heavily fortified home, surrounded by high walls and surveillance cameras, gave no visual indication of a break-in. The couple, both 70, had unknowingly walked into their home while the alleged intruder was already inside.

“They were ambushed,” said LAPD Lt. Guy Golan. “There was a violent struggle. Both victims were shot multiple times in the head in what we can only describe as an execution-style murder.”

Kaye was found in the pantry, Deluca in the bathroom. Police believe the front door was locked after the crime, and it wasn’t until a friend requested a welfare check on July 14 that officers forced entry and found their bodies.

Who Is the Suspect?

On July 15, LAPD and FBI agents arrested 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, who lives just four miles from the couple. He was charged with two counts of murder and one count of residential burglary. Prosecutors added special circumstance allegations for multiple murders and murder during a burglary, along with firearm enhancements.

A handgun believed to be the murder weapon was recovered from Boodarian’s residence. Investigators are still working to determine whether he had a prior connection to Kaye and Deluca or had been previously involved in other calls to the property.

Court records show Boodarian has a troubling history, with past charges for battery, making criminal threats, and brandishing a deadly weapon—although many of those were dismissed following mental health evaluations and conservatorship proceedings.

He is currently being held without bail at Twin Towers Correctional Facility and is set to be arraigned on August 20.

LAPD’s Response Under Scrutiny

The decision not to enter the home on July 10 is now under investigation by a multi-agency task force, including LAPD homicide detectives, the Gang and Narcotics Division, the FBI Fugitive Task Force, and the West Valley Division.

“There were no visible signs of forced entry. Officers couldn’t legally breach the property without probable cause,” said Lt. Golan during a press briefing. He confirmed the helicopter unit flew over the home but did not detect anything alarming at the time.

Yet the content of the second 911 call—specifically the report of an armed intruder—has raised concerns that the response may have been insufficient.

Private security expert Kris Herzog, a former police officer, told PEOPLE that Kaye had reached out to his firm earlier this year after a string of burglaries in the area. He claims he warned her that security cameras wouldn’t be enough and encouraged her to arm herself with non-lethal tools.

“The LAPD’s policy is to err on the side of avoiding liability,” Herzog alleged. “Many departments around the country would have gone in immediately. LAPD didn’t—and two people paid the price.”

PEOPLE reached out to the LAPD about Herzog’s statements and the dispatch audio. The department declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Remembering Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca

Kaye, a longtime fixture in the music television industry, and Deluca, a respected musician, were well known in their community and beloved by friends and colleagues.

In a statement to PEOPLE, “American Idol” described Kaye as “a cornerstone of the Idol family… respected and deeply loved by everyone who worked with her.”

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also released a statement, calling the murders “senseless and devastating,” adding, “This couple was brutally killed in their own home after a simple trip to the grocery store. Our community mourns this tragic loss.”

What Comes Next

As the investigation continues, authorities are examining whether Boodarian had been surveilling the home prior to the attack. Surveillance footage retrieved from the residence reportedly shows him entering the property 11 days before the murders.

For now, a community waits for answers—and justice—while grappling with the haunting knowledge that help may have been just a door away.

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Court Date:
Raymond Boodarian is scheduled for arraignment at the Van Nuys Courthouse on August 20 at 8:30 a.m.
He faces the possibility of life without parole or the death penalty.