David Del Rio Leaves ‘Matlock’ Amid Allegations

The CBS series ‘Matlock’ has bid farewell to David Del Rio following sexual assault allegations against him. The network confirmed his departure to Page Six, stating he had “stepped down,” but they did not provide additional details.

His exit seems to stem from an internal investigation by the studio, which ultimately led to his resignation. Production on ‘Matlock’ continues without him, and the series plans to take a hiatus after the current batch of episodes wraps up later this month.

Del Rio portrays Billy Martinez, and his character will appear in an upcoming episode he had already filmed but will be removed from future scripts.

Sources indicate that the incident involving Del Rio, 38, and co-star Leah Lewis, who plays Sarah Franklin, occurred on September 26th.

Representatives for Kathy Bates, another star of the series, and Lewis have not commented. Attempts to contact Del Rio went unanswered on Thursday night.

Del Rio was officially let go from the show on October 2, coinciding with the public reporting of the assault claims. He was escorted from the studio by executive producer Eric Christian Olsen.

Following the news of his firing, Lewis took to Instagram Stories to inform fans that she is “moving forward” despite the situation.

In her post, she expressed gratitude for the support received and emphasized the importance of strength, stating, “The key word is strength. Take care of it.” She reassured her followers, sharing that her mother was with her and that they are facing the challenges ahead together.

Alongside Lewis and Del Rio, ‘Matlock’ features Kathy Bates as the titular character, with additional roles played by Skye P. Marshall and Jason Ritter. The second season of ‘Matlock’ is set to premiere on October 12th.