Former The Real Housewives of Miami star Lea Black’s husband passes away at age 80 

Lea Black, one of the original stars of The Real Housewives of Miami, is dealing with a huge loss; her husband, Roy Black, has passed away. The famous defense attorney died at age 80 on Monday, July 21, 2025, at their Coral Gables home after an undisclosed illness. Lea shared the news the following day on Instagram and thanked everyone for their support.

Lea was a main cast member on RHOM from 2011 to 2013 and made a guest appearance in the Season 5 Peacock reboot in 2022. The show gave fans a look at her life with Roy and their massive Coral Gables mansion.

Roy wasn’t just known for being Lea’s husband; he was a major name in the legal world. He often represented celebrities and made headlines with big cases. He and Lea tied the knot in 1994 and were staples in Miami’s social scene, especially known for throwing some of the city’s biggest charity galas.

Lea Black and Roy Black’s journey on The Real Housewives of Miami and beyond

Roy Black established himself as one of the country's greatest defence lawyers by representing well-known clients in high-profile court cases. One of his most well-known cases was his role in arranging Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea arrangement, which allowed Epstein to plead guilty to two state charges and serve only 18 months in a county jail, a deal that is still widely condemned to date. That lawsuit proved to be a watershed occasion in Roy's extensive legal career.

Roy's customer list read like a who's who of newsmakers. He represented Rush Limbaugh, actor Kelsey Grammer, racing car driver Helio Castroneves, and even the sole individual who escaped prosecution in the Varsity Blues college admissions controversy. His courtroom wins made him a go-to guy for high-stakes cases.

Outside the courtroom, Roy and wife, Lea Black, were fixtures on The Real Housewives of Miami. The show gave fans a peek into their luxe life with son RJ, including their giant Coral Gables mansion. Their annual charity gala was a big part of the show too, especially when Cristy Rice showed up with extra guests and stirred up drama that lasted episodes; classic The Real Housewives of Miami chaos.

After Season 3, Lea Black stepped away from The Real Housewives of Miami and skipped the 2021 Peacock reboot. Instead, she focused on her skincare brand and charity work. Born Lisa Douthit in Texas, Lea found post-Housewives success with her own beauty company.

When news broke about Roy’s passing, tributes poured in from all over Miami. Celebs like chef Ingrid Hoffman, artist Romero Britto, and local politician Michael Gongora shared their condolences online. Former The Real Housewives of Miami stars Lisa Hochstein, Karent Sierra, and Romain Zago also shared their condolence messages.

Similarly, some of Roy’s past clients paid tribute, including Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis said kind words about the lawyer who once represented him. (Francis had pleaded no contest to charges involving underage girls in 2008 and served 11 months.)

As for how Lea and Roy met, their love story started in a pretty wild way. She was a juror on the William Kennedy Smith r*pe trial in 1991, which Roy won. Three years later, they got married.

The final arrangements

Lea Black says she’ll be sharing plans soon for a tribute to honor her late husband, Roy. Reports say the memorial will likely be held at the University of Miami, where Roy went to school.

In the Miami Herald interview, Lea discussed Roy's fervour for justice. She claimed that he had a genuine gift for seeing past people's transgressions to their actual nature and that he always defended the weaker party, regardless of who they were. Getting the best outcomes for his clients was his top priority.

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The Real Housewives of Miami streams all seasons exclusively on Peacock, with new episodes released during the current season runs.

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