David Del Rio Will Not Return to Matlock After CBS Investigation

Actor David Del Rio will not be returning to CBS’ legal drama Matlock, following an internal investigation into an alleged incident involving the actor.

Del Rio, who portrayed Billy Martinez on the series, was dropped from the show in October. After conducting what sources describe as a supplemental investigation, CBS has chosen to stand by its original decision to remove him from the series. The network declined to comment further, citing company policy regarding legal matters.

Character Written Out of the Show

Del Rio’s final appearance aired on Dec. 4 in the episode titled “Prior Bad Acts.” In the following installment — the season 2 midseason finale, “Call It a Christmas Gift” — Billy is absent from the screen.

Instead, viewers learn through a phone conversation with his colleague Sarah, played by Leah Lewis, that Billy has taken a “personal day.” During the call, he reveals that his girlfriend Claudia, portrayed by Bella Ortiz, has suffered a miscarriage. The storyline suggests Billy will be stepping away from his role at the Jacobson Moore law firm, effectively writing the character out of future episodes.

Allegations and Response

In October, Deadline Hollywood reported that the incident under investigation involved a sexual assault allegation concerning Lewis.

Neither Del Rio nor Lewis has directly addressed the situation publicly. However, Lewis shared a brief and somewhat cryptic message on social media shortly after Del Rio’s firing became public.

“Mom is here, we’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands,” she wrote. “Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we’re moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the takeaway.”

In December, Lewis marked her return to production for the second half of season 2 with an Instagram Stories post reading, “And we back up and running.”

The Future of Matlock

The rebooted Matlock, led by Oscar winner Kathy Bates, has continued production without interruption beyond a previously planned hiatus.

Earlier this month, Lewis celebrated the show’s renewal for a third season, expressing gratitude toward the executive producers, guest stars, and crew members who “make it SO rich every single week.”

Matlock returns Thursday, Feb. 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

As the series moves forward, the focus now shifts back to the courtroom drama that has kept audiences tuning in — even as behind-the-scenes developments continue to draw attention.