The crazed junkie charged with killing an “American Idol” executive and her husband in their wealthy LA neighborhood has been committed to a state hospital following erratic behavior during several court appearances.
Raymond Boodarian, 22, has refused to communicate with his attorney or appear in court, and didn’t respond when Judge Martin Herscovitz repeatedly asked “Can you hear me?” during an appearance in August.
Judge Herscovitz stated for the record that the defendant was “staring out into space and not responding to the court’s questions,” according to Rolling Stone.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi ordered Boodarian to be committed to a state hospital on Friday, and maintained the order to involuntarily medicate him, according to ABC News.
She said a bed would be ready for Boodarian on Jan. 16, and she scheduled his next hearing for March. 19, hoping the course of mental health treatment will allow for the accused murderer to participate more fully in his court case.
Judge Cavalluzzi noted Boodarian’s long-time drug use and multiple run-ins with the law in a hearing in November.
He faces a possible death sentence after allegedly gunning down Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca, both 70, when they returned home from grocery shopping on July 10. Boodarian used the couple’s own gun to shoot them, according to police.
A neighbor called the cops about a mysterious man jumping the fence that same day, but they deemed nothing amiss until four days later when they discovered the couple’s bodies during a wellness check.
Along with two murder charges, Boodarian is accused of murder during the commission of a burglary, which could make him eligible for the death penalty.
Any trial would require that a judge find the accused killer mentally competent.
Kaye was responsible for securing licensing rights to songs used on “American Idol,” and lived with her husband in the $4.5 million Encino mansion.
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