How Matlock Season 2 Wrote Off David Del Rio After Sexual Assault Firing

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Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for season 2, episode 8 of Matlock. Jennie Snyder Urman, the showrunner of Matlock, has discussed how the show handled the departure of David Del Rio after he was fired due to a sexual assault allegation. Del Rio had been a main cast member since season 1, playing Billy Martinez, a new lawyer who worked with Olympia at Jacobson Moore and became a valuable supporter of her throughout the series.

In October 2025, actor Donny Del Rio was fired from the show Matlock following accusations of sexual assault. Because season 2 was already halfway filmed, his last episode was number 7. The next episode explained Billy’s absence by stating his girlfriend had experienced a miscarriage – all without showing Del Rio’s character.

In an interview with Variety, executive producer Snyder Urman said the next two episodes of Matlock’s second season will address Del Rio’s departure and give Billy a believable exit from the show. She declined to comment on the actor’s firing, saying she couldn’t discuss what happened, but emphasized that the cast and crew are remaining professional and focused.

His departure will be revealed over the next two episodes, and it feels natural for both his character and the overall storyline of the company. We’re committed to staying true to who he is as a character.

We quickly got back into the swing of things and continued working. Everyone is just glad to be back, and we’re all concentrating on the job at hand. Ultimately, we want to create a fantastic show that audiences will truly enjoy.

Following accusations against him in October, Del Rio was removed from the set of the TV show Matlock. Although not officially confirmed, reports suggest Leah Lewis, who plays Sarah Franklin, was the person involved. After the news became public, Lewis posted on Instagram about “moving forward in love and strength.” Del Rio’s wife reportedly responded with a now-deleted post that appeared to make fun of Lewis’s message.

Even though Del Rio won’t be back on the show, the writers still intend to wrap up Billy’s story. They’re planning to use the emotional fallout from his girlfriend’s miscarriage as a way to end his character’s arc. While it’s unfortunate, this seems to be the only way to realistically finish Billy’s storyline without Del Rio’s involvement.

CBS has reopened its investigation into the accusations against Del Rio, so we may learn more details soon. However, considering how serious the allegations are and the fact that he’s already been fired, it appears unlikely he’ll return to the show, regardless of the investigation’s results.

Currently, the team behind Matlock is primarily focused on continuing the existing plotlines now that Del Rio is no longer with the show. By shifting the focus to other characters, the series will likely demonstrate its ability to continue successfully without Billy. What the future holds for the actor himself, however, is still unknown.

Matlock returns to CBS in 2026.

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2025-12-13 00:18