A Nevada man is in custody after allegedly beating a woman into a coma inside the California mansion of Beanie Babies founder Ty Warner in Montecito. According to a report, Russell Maxwell Phay, a 42-year-old from Henderson, Nevada, is charged with first-degree attempted murder and other violent crimes related to the incident.
The criminal complaint states that Phay broke into the home of Ty Warner, the owner of Ty Inc., and violently attacked a woman identified as L. Malek Aslanian. The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the victim was left in a comatose state due to a brain injury. The attack reportedly occurred on May 21, and when police arrived at the scene, they found the woman in critical condition after a burglary.
According to a press release from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, officers responded to a burglary report and discovered the woman severely beaten. Phay was then found barricaded in an upstairs bathroom and attempted to escape by jumping from a second-story window. He was quickly apprehended by police along with a K9 unit. Phay is set to appear in Santa Barbara Superior Court on June 2 and is held on $1 million bail.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office could not provide further details, and the sheriff’s office declined to comment. While details remain limited, the case has drawn significant public attention due to the violent nature of the alleged crimes and the high-profile status of the victim. The incident underscores the gravity of domestic violence and the legal consequences of such actions.