A major scandal has erupted on the set of the CBS legal drama, Matlock, leading to the immediate termination of actor David Del Rio. The dismissal comes directly after Del Rio was accused of sexual assault by his castmate, Leah Lewis. The dramatic professional fallout has quickly escalated into an explosive personal conflict on social media, driven by Del Rio’s wife, actress Katherine Del Rio.
The Swift Corporate Response
The serious allegations initiated a crisis that unfolded with incredible speed. The alleged incident took place on September 26, with the matter officially reported one week later, on October 2. CBS Studios reacted decisively: they launched an internal investigation without delay.
The results of that internal inquiry were damning for Del Rio, who played the role of attorney Billy Martinez. On Thursday, October 9, the actor was fired and removed from the set of the show, which is currently mid-production on its second season.
The consequences for the series are severe. Del Rio’s character will be written out of the upcoming episodes. The production faces a significant creative challenge to adjust the storyline as they head into a pre-scheduled hiatus next week, with filming not set to resume until after the Thanksgiving break.
The second season, set for a premiere on October 12, now debuts under the shadow of this major casting crisis.
Two Opposite Statements: Strength vs. Scorn
Following the public revelation of the firing, the two individuals involved in the on-set relationship offered dramatically different public responses.
Leah Lewis, the actor who plays Sarah Franklin on the series, posted a serene statement on her Instagram Stories. Sharing a picture with her mother, Lewis focused on resilience and support, writing: “Mom is here. We’re moving forward in love and strength…
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.” Her message was one of dignified fortitude.
However, Lewis’s post was quickly met with a volatile counter-attack from Katherine Del Rio. The actor’s wife launched into a furious public denunciation, calling Lewis “disturbing,” as reported by US Weekly. In an Instagram Story, later deleted, Katherine Del Rio posted a close-up image of Lewis’s face from the picture with her mother, allegedly writing, “This is the most disturbing human being I have ever met.”
The hostility escalated further. As reported by Deadline, Katherine Del Rio then posted and deleted a second Story that directly mimicked Lewis’s wording. Featuring her own mother, she stated their family was “moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family,” effectively positioning Lewis as the aggressor responsible for the Del Rios’ distress.
The Silence and the Background
While the two women wage a public battle on social media, David Del Rio has maintained complete silence, offering no statement on the allegations or his firing. His silence leaves the public narrative to be fought solely by his wife and his former co-star.
The Del Rio couple has a long history, having met in 2010 after Katherine saw David perform on Broadway in In the Heights. They later married and have two children. Lewis, meanwhile, has a compelling personal story, having been adopted from a Shanghai orphanage as an infant, a detail that resonated with her Matlock character.
The conflict has brought a definitive end to Del Rio’s role on the show and created a lasting rupture between the actors, turning a fictional legal drama into a complex real-life courtroom of public opinion.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, resources are available. Please contact the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
