TLDR
David Del Rio has launched an arbitration against CBS after his firing from “Matlock” over Leah Lewis’s sexual assault allegation. His attorney says unreleased text messages could reshape the story and salvage his reputation and future in television.
From Set Favorite to Sudden Exit
For viewers who had just welcomed David Del Rio into their weeknight routines on the reboot of “Matlock,” his disappearance from the series was abrupt and unsettling. According to Page Six, the actor was fired from the CBS drama in October after co-star Leah Lewis accused him of sexual assault.
A trade outlet, cited by Page Six, reported that Del Rio was “fired and escorted off the lot” the same day the alleged incident was reported, and his character, investigator Billy Martinez, would be written off the show. CBS confirmed to Page Six that he had “departed the series,” but did not elaborate further.
On set, Del Rio had been part of an ensemble anchored by Kathy Bates, Jason Ritter, and Skye P. Marshall. None of those A-list co-stars publicly commented when news of his firing broke. The silence left fans reading between the lines as the show pressed ahead without one of its key younger players.
At the same time, Lewis, best known to many from “Nancy Drew,” appeared to lean on family support. She posted a red carpet photo with her mother on social media, writing, “Mom is here” and “I’m in good hands. Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care.”
The Legal Gambit and Family Fallout
Months later, Del Rio is no longer staying quiet. His attorney, veteran Hollywood lawyer Shawn Holley, confirmed to Page Six that he has initiated arbitration against CBS Studios. Holley said the process is designed “to address false and misleading allegations that caused substantial professional and reputational harm.”
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: David Del Rio is not giving up after CBS fired him from “Matlock” following an allegation of sexual assault involving costar Leah Lewis, now he wants to battle the network in arbitration.
Details: https://t.co/YPklbfNHfX pic.twitter.com/stwXfBkrfK
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 4, 2026
Holley added that, at arbitration, Del Rio plans to present “real-time text communications and evidence that directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue.” She argued that this material “was not fully considered before adverse employment action was taken.”
The statement closed with a clear aim: “Mr. Del Rio looks forward to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal forum and has faith that a full evidentiary review will establish the truth and restore his professional reputation.” In Hollywood terms, arbitration is a behind-closed-doors arena, but the stakes for his public image could not be more visible.
Del Rio’s wife, Katherine, has already stepped into that public arena. After Lewis’s “Mom is here” post, Katherine shared her own photo with her mother and wrote, “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!” For a couple who married in 2018 and now share two young daughters, Lilia and Coco, the allegation has become a family crisis as well as a career emergency.
What It Means for ‘Matlock’
For CBS, the case lands in a volatile cultural landscape where networks face intense pressure to respond swiftly to on-set misconduct claims. Swift action can protect a brand, but it can also raise questions about process if, as Del Rio alleges, all evidence was not weighed before the decision to cut ties.
For “Matlock,” the timing is delicate. The series had been positioned as a legacy revival, pairing Bates’s gravitas with a younger ensemble to court longtime viewers and new audiences. Writing off Billy Martinez rewires on-screen dynamics, and any outcome in arbitration will now exist in the background of every rerun and future season.
Arbitration will not provide the kind of public testimony that a courtroom might. Yet whatever emerges, even in carefully worded statements, will help determine whether Del Rio remains a cautionary tale about how fast a rising career can fall, or whether he mounts a genuine primetime comeback built on the evidence he says was overlooked.
Join the Discussion
When careers, long-running shows, and families are all affected by workplace allegations, what should matter most in how studios respond and how viewers see the people involved?
