SHOCKINGLY TAME EXIT: Matlock Hides Fired Star David Del Rio Behind Off-Screen Miscarriage
The scandal surrounding Matlock actor David Del Rio’s abrupt firing has now been capped by a strangely quiet and emotionally jarring write-off for his character, Billy. The season fall finale of the CBS drama aired the actor’s final bow, but instead of a dramatic, on-screen send-off, the show used a personal tragedy—a miscarriage—as a weak excuse for his absence.
In the December episode, Del Rio’s character, Billy, was conspicuously absent, explained away as taking a “personal day.” Co-star Leah Lewis’s character, Sarah, desperately tried to contact him for support after her own life imploded at Jacobson Moore. When she finally connected with him, Billy delivered the bombshell: his girlfriend had suffered a miscarriage.
The use of such a serious, off-screen tragedy as a way to quietly erase a fired actor is raising serious questions about the network’s handling of the crisis, especially since Lewis—the alleged victim in the scandal—was forced to address the character in this heartbreaking storyline. The bizarre, sanitized exit is a stark contrast to the real-life chaos that led to Del Rio’s immediate removal from the set.
CBS Investigation Reopened: The Sexual Assault Claim That Rocked the Set
The production turmoil stems from an alleged incident in late September involving Del Rio, , and Lewis, . Lewis reported the alleged sexual assault to CBS only days after it occurred, triggering an immediate and aggressive response from the network.
According to Deadline, Del Rio was “fired and escorted off the lot the same day the alleged assault was reported.” This swift action sent shockwaves through the production and immediately altered the course of the show’s storylines, including the immediate reduction of Billy’s role in recent episodes leading up to this exit. The scandal is now escalating: just one day before the fall finale aired, reports confirmed that CBS has reopened its investigation into the incident.
The fact that the investigation is being re-examined suggests the network is preparing for a legal war, and Del Rio’s quiet, off-screen exit appears to be a damage control maneuver designed to minimize the link between the serious allegations and the show’s narrative.
Leah Lewis Speaks: “Moving Forward In Strength”
Amidst the scandal, Leah Lewis—the alleged victim—broke her silence on social media back in October, choosing her words carefully to maintain dignity while the network handled the termination and investigation. Her message was clear, focusing on empowerment and resilience.
“Mom is here, we’re moving forward in love and strength. I’m in good hands,” Lewis wrote on Instagram. “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 take away.”
Lewis’s focus on “strength” while the network was forced to write off her close co-star’s role speaks volumes about the level of trauma and turmoil behind the scenes. She is now back on set filming the second half of Season , reportedly alongside co-star Beau Bridges, who recently confirmed that filming was resuming before Christmas.
“Leah Lewis is a total queen for staying professional through this mess. They gave the fired guy’s character a tragic backstory just to disappear him. That’s cold. But they have to protect the show, I guess.” – @MatlockFanatic
The Paternity Tease: Where Billy’s Story Was Really Going
The quiet write-off is even more suspicious when considering where Billy’s character was originally headed. Before the scandal broke, Del Rio had spoken to Us Weekly about an intense paternity twist, excited to explore how Billy would “handle the work balance with the personal balance of it all.”
The plot was clearly setting up a major, emotionally driven arc for Billy—one that was instantly scrapped when Del Rio was escorted off the lot. The character’s sudden, off-screen heartbreak over a miscarriage feels like a last-minute attempt to give the character closure while avoiding the need for the fired actor to return to set, or for the show to fully address the legal fallout.
Del Rio’s character is expected to be officially written off entirely in the second half of the season when Matlock returns in February, suggesting the current “personal day” is just a temporary measure, with an even colder and more permanent goodbye looming.
Beau Bridges Confirms Filming Resumes Despite Legal Cloud
Despite the legal cloud hanging over the set, the rest of the Matlock cast is pushing forward. Beau Bridges, , confirmed to Mario Lopez that the production is resilient, and the show’s major plot lines—like his villainous character, Senior—are ramping up for the second half of the season.
“We’ve already done half of the second season, and we’re getting back at it in about a week to do the second half,” Bridges shared. This confirms that Lewis and the rest of the cast are back to work, navigating the awkward reality of continuing without a major cast member due to such severe allegations.
The network’s decision to press on, despite the reopened investigation, confirms that Matlock is a high priority. However, the use of a cheap, off-screen tragedy to erase a character accused of a real-life crime is a stain that the show will struggle to wipe clean when it returns to CBS Thursday, February , at p.m. ET.
