David Del Rio #

Introduction #

David Del Rio is an actor who was a series regular on CBS’s “Matlock” revival, playing lawyer Billy Martinez, until he was fired from the show in October 2025 after co-star Leah Lewis accused him of sexual assault. The accusation remains exactly that — an allegation by a co-star: no criminal charges against Del Rio appear in any public reporting on the case, and Del Rio denies it outright. After CBS Studios investigated, the studio fired him and escorted him off the lot on October 2, 2025, the day Lewis reported the alleged incident, and his character was written out of the series. On March 4, 2026, Del Rio initiated arbitration against CBS Studios, with his attorney, Shawn Holley, saying the process will “address false and misleading allegations that caused substantial professional and reputational harm” and that Del Rio will present “real-time text communications and evidence that directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue.”

Background Information #

Del Rio had been on “Matlock” since its series premiere, playing Billy Martinez, a first-year associate at the law firm Jacobson Moore, who worked alongside Kathy Bates’ Madeline “Matty” Matlock and Lewis’ Sarah Franklin under Skye P. Marshall’s Olympia Lawrence. By the time of his firing he was 38 years old. He is married to Katherine Del Rio; the two tied the knot in April 2018 and have two young daughters, Lilia and Coco. When the allegation surfaced, he was shooting the show’s second season, and he appeared in a handful of early episodes before being phased out partway through the run.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation #

The allegation centers on an incident that Lewis said took place on September 26, 2025, on Paramount property. Lewis, 29, reported the alleged assault on October 2, and per reports Del Rio was fired and escorted off the lot the same day, while CBS Studios launched an internal investigation. It is worth stressing what the reporting does and does not say: the incident was characterized by Lewis and by anonymous sources, not established by any charge or finding, and Del Rio’s position — argued through his lawyer — is that contemporaneous evidence contradicts the public account of the interaction. No version of the public record includes an admission, an arrest, or a criminal charge.

Public Reaction and Consequences #

CBS confirmed to Page Six in October that Del Rio had “departed the series” but declined further comment, and A-list co-stars including Kathy Bates and Jason Ritter did not comment on the alleged incident or the firing at the time. Lewis spoke out on October 10, sharing an Instagram Stories photo with her mother, Lorraine Lewis, writing, “Mom is here,” and, “I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care.” She added, “Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength.”

Also on October 10, Del Rio’s wife, Katherine Del Rio, publicly attacked Lewis over the allegation, sharing a close-up image of Lewis’ face on Instagram Stories captioned, “This is the most disturbing human being I have ever met,” and posting a photo with her own mother captioned, “Mom is here. We are moving forward in love and strength after what Leah did to our family. Thank you all for the love and support!” The disruption reached the show itself: filming on Season 2 took a pre-scheduled hiatus after Del Rio’s dismissal and resumed after Thanksgiving, and when “Matlock” returned on February 26, 2026, his character had been written out.

Current Status #

As of March 2026, the matter is unresolved and is being fought in arbitration rather than any court. On March 4, 2026, Del Rio initiated arbitration against CBS Studios; per his lawyer Shawn Holley — a high-profile attorney who has represented Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and Lindsay Lohan — Del Rio will present “real-time text communications and evidence that directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue,” adding, “This evidence was not fully considered before adverse employment action was taken,” and that Del Rio “looks forward to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal forum” with faith that “a full evidentiary review will establish the truth and restore his professional reputation.” The news followed a closed-door meeting between Del Rio and a “Matlock” producer. CBS reopened its investigation in December 2025, interviewing additional parties including Del Rio and Holley, but stood by its decision to terminate him. According to reporting citing sources, Del Rio “fully cooperated” with both investigations and submitted “documentary evidence supporting his position,” and CBS re-characterized the claims from “sexual assault to unwelcome sexual conduct” — while a studio source said he was not denied legal representation. CBS Studios declined TheWrap’s request for comment, and reps for Lewis and CBS did not return Page Six’s request for comment.

Impact on Their Career/Life #

The professional consequences arrived before any finding of fact. Del Rio lost his job on a hit network series mid-season, was escorted off the lot, and saw Billy Martinez written out of “Matlock” — a role he had held since the premiere — with his remaining Season 2 appearances phased out. The allegation, which he denies and which has never resulted in criminal charges, is now attached to his public name, and his wife was drawn into a public clash with his accuser that kept the story circulating. His response has been to fight through formal channels: the arbitration is his attempt to force what Holley calls a full evidentiary review of text messages and other evidence the defense says was not fully considered before he was fired. Until that process concludes, the firing stands, Del Rio remains out of the series, and the presumption of innocence applies to the allegation itself.