It’s been a difficult year for TV shows in terms of cancelations, but the cast and crew of CBS’ Kathy Bates-led show Matlock are making headlines for another reason. Series star David Del Rio was fired from the show over sexual assault allegations involving his co-star Leah Lewis.
Below, Hollywood Life has a breakdown of what happened between David and Leah on the set of Matlock.
Who Is David Del Rio?
David is an actor, director and producer from Miami, Florida. He’s appeared in films such as Pitch Perfect, The Belko Experiment and A California Christmas, in addition to TV shows including The Troop, The Baker and the Beauty, Maggie and Matlock.
What Character Did David Del Rio Play in Matlock?
David played the role of Billy Martinez in Matlock in all of season 1 and most of season 2, which airs on October 12, 2025.
Multiple outlets reported that David’s character will be written off the series, though he’ll still appear in the season 2 episodes that were already filmed.
Why Was David Del Rio Fired From Matlock?
David was fired from Matlock over an incident with his co-star Leah, which allegedly took place on September 26, 2025, and was reported to CBS on October 2, according to Deadline and TMZ.
Matlock executive producer Eric Christian Olsen was reportedly among the people who led David off the lot.
What Happened Between David Del Rio & Leah Lewis?
While no official details have been released about the alleged interaction between Leah and David, he was accused of sexually assaulting her on Paramount property — specifically, in Leah’s trailer, per Deadline. The outlet further reported that the actor was escorted off the Paramount lot in early October 2025 as a result.
Leah shared a photo of her and her mother via her Instagram Stories shortly after Deadline broke the news of David’s firing.
“Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands,” the actress wrote across the photo. “Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Let that be the takeaway.”
Meanwhile, David’s wife, Katherine Del Rio, slammed Leah as “the most disturbing human being [she has] ever met” in her Instagram Stories.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
