The Los Angeles lowlife accused of killing “American Idol” govt Robin Kaye in chilly blood was beforehand accused of pulling a knife on his stepfather and threatening his personal mom and sister — however solely spent six months in custody earlier than his costs have been dismissed.
Raymond Boodarian, 22, threatened his stepfather with a blade in November 2023 within the first in a sequence of busts in simply eight months, in accordance with KABC and court docket paperwork.
He was arrested in February 2023 for misdemeanor battery and threatening his mom and sister — after which once more in June 2024, the community reported.
Particulars of the latter collar weren’t clear.
Boodarian was launched the identical day as his November and February arrests, however spent six months in jail for his June arrest — after which all the costs in opposition to him have been dropped when he was declared mentally incompetent, positioned on a conservatorship and let go in December.
On Tuesday — simply seven months later — Boodarian was nabbed within the alleged homicide of Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca after breaking into the 70-year-olds’ Encino residence.
It stays unclear precisely why Boodarian’s costs have been dropped, however California authorized consultants instructed he could have certified for California’s Psychological Well being Diversion program — which supplies folks with verified psychological sicknesses the chance to finish a remedy program in lieu of jail time, after which stroll away scot-free with out costs, convictions, or any monitoring or probation of any sort.
And almost each crime in California is eligible for this system — with solely accused murderers and intercourse offenders not qualifying.
“I’ve gotten psychological well being diversion for shoppers for tried homicide a minimum of seven, eight occasions,” stated Kenneth Rosenfeld, whose Rosenfeld Legislation Agency focuses on psychological well being and crime.
“I’ve gotten psychological well being diversions for a shopper that shot a police officer, the place the particular person has no felony file.”
This system sometimes consists of 18 months to 2 years of rigorous psychological well being remedy, Rosenfeld defined, however that six-month packages like Boodarian could have been in weren’t unprecedented.
“It provides any person the chance to get medicine, to get the psychological well being sickness recognized, whichever one it is perhaps,” Rosenfeld stated, noting that to be admitted into this system any person must have totally documented and extreme psychological troubles.
However as soon as they full this system and the costs are dropped, the accused are free to return to their communities as if their alleged crimes by no means occurred — with none mandated monitoring from authorities or psychological well being professionals.
“There’s no probation as a result of there’s no conviction, the costs are dismissed,” Rosenfeld stated.
“So why would any person like this who had documented psychological well being points, why would they be capable to get out on the streets and probably commit an offense like this? It’s as a result of the costs that he was dealing with weren’t costs that made him ineligible below California legislation for psychological well being diversion,” he added.
Boodarian’s psychological well being issues have been well-known at residence — neighbors say there have been explosive fights at his home, that he would behave erratically across the block and was steadily excessive on numerous medication.
“He would sit in entrance of my buddy’s home simply staring and smiling. He did that on a number of events, generally in his personal home, simply searching the window and smiling,” one neighbor advised The Publish, agreeing with others that households on the road have been cautious and fearful of Boodarian.
Boodarian was arrested on homicide costs with out incident at his residence simply quarter-hour from Kaye and Deluca’s $4.5 million mansion.
It’s alleged that he broke into the house on Thursday after which shot the couple once they walked in on him.
Police related him to the killing utilizing fingerprints from his earlier arrests. He was additionally allegedly seen on safety footage on the couple’s home.
Boodarian was charged with two counts of homicide and first-degree residential housebreaking and faces a most sentence of life in jail with out the potential of parole — or the demise penalty.
“In a matter of moments, this couple was senselessly killed in their very own residence as they returned from the grocery retailer,” District Lawyer Nathan Hochman stated. “This tragic taking pictures has shaken a valley neighborhood and the notion that residence ought to be our protected sanctuary. Our ideas and prayers exit to their household and mates who’re grieving this great loss.”
Although Boodarian’s homicide case disqualifies him from California’s Psychological Well being Diversion, authorized consultants nonetheless suppose he’s more likely to spend most of his life behind bars if convicted.
“I don’t suppose that they’re going to hunt the demise penalty. However definitely life imprisonment is on the desk,” stated Danny Rubin of Rubin Legislation, PC. “And if he does argue for not responsible by cause of madness, he could also be going to a psychological well being facility for a really, very very long time.
“And that could be even worse than going to jail for all times.”
