Matlock’s David Del Rio Fired After Sexual Assault Allegations From Costar Leah Lewis

David Del Rio is no longer part of the Matlock cast following an investigation into allegations of sexual assault, Us Weekly can confirm.

Del Rio, 38, abruptly exited the show after allegedly being involved in an incident on September 26 with costar Leah Lewis, Deadline reported on Thursday, October 9.

Us can confirm that CBS was alerted to the incident and began an internal investigation immediately. After the investigation, Del Rio was “fired and escorted off the lot the same day the alleged assault was reported [on October 2],” according to Deadline.

Us Weekly has reached out to CBS and Del Rio for comment.

Matlock has continued to film its second season in the wake of Del Rio’s firing, but his character will be written off down the line, per Deadline.

The CBS series already had a planned hiatus beginning next week through November after wrapping up the first half of the season. Production is set to begin again after Thanksgiving.

On the hit show, Del Rio played first-year associate Billy Martinez, who worked at Jacobson Moore alongside Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Kathy Bates). Billy worked under Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall) and was best friends with Sarah Franklin (Lewis) from day one.

During the season 1 finale, Billy learned his almost-fiancée is pregnant. “The season 1 finale sets up everything. In season 2, you’ll get the answers that we’ve been promising,” creator Jennie Snyder Urman exclusively told Us in April.

She teased, “It was both difficult and interesting to be in this bubble where we were shooting episode 17 when the first episode aired. We were already down the road and now we are airing and so we are in conversation with the audience, and I try to be aware but not be beholden so that we are still telling the story.”

Urman added: “But I always think if there’s a problem — and they’re finding a problem — I can fix that more and more. I want the story to be as good as possible and as airtight as possible.”

When it comes to Billy’s future as a dad — or the decision to have a “Hot Billy summer” — Urman told Us that Claudia’s pregnancy might not change his mentality of prioritizing his own happiness.

“You’re asking the questions that we ask in the writers’ room. But I can’t give it away because it’s all in the season 2 premiere,” she added.

While Del Rio’s show exit won’t come on screen until likely after the scheduled show break, fans will get answers to the season 1 cliffhangers starting with the season 2 premiere next week.

Matlock returns for season 2 on CBS Monday, October 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Episode 2 will air on Thursday, October 16, at 9 p.m. ET.