Army veteran accused in Beanie Babies founder mansion break-in claimed pop star controlled him: report

A Nevada Army seasoned accused of a convulsive break-in astatine billionaire Ty Warner’s California property that near a pistillate comatose told investigators helium believed popular prima Katy Perry was controlling him, tribunal grounds shows.

Russell Maxwell Phay, 42, of Henderson, Nevada, is charged with first-degree attempted execution with premeditation and deliberation, kidnapping, residential burglary, battle apt to nutrient large bodily injury, and resisting a bid officer, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

Court records further amusement Phay is charged successful a abstracted battle involving a 2nd unfortunate who was recovered unconscious earlier the aforesaid day. That complaint besides includes a peculiar allegation for personally inflicting large bodily injury.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the 1000 artifact of Fairway Road astir 4:30 p.m. aft reports of a imaginable location penetration oregon conveyance theft successful progress. When deputies arrived, they recovered a pistillate unfortunate extracurricular the residence suffering from terrible injuries and requiring exigency aesculapian care.

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Army seasoned Russell Maxwell Phay's household warned authorities astir his intelligence wellness situation days earlier helium allegedly attacked pistillate astatine billionaire Ty Warner's California estate, according to reports.  (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office)

Investigators said Phay remained wrong the home, prompting deputies to found a perimeter and telephone successful further resources, including aerial support, armored vehicles and situation negotiators, amid concerns determination could beryllium further victims oregon hostages inside. Authorities aboriginal determined each different occupants had escaped safely.

Deputies yet located Phay barricaded wrong an upstairs bathroom, according to the sheriff’s office. After refusing commands to surrender, Phay attempted to fly by climbing retired of a second-story model earlier being apprehended by deputies and a Sheriff’s K-9 unit.

Court records filed by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office place the homeowner arsenic Warner, the billionaire laminitis and erstwhile CEO of the Beanie Babies brand. Prosecutors said Warner was wrong the location astatine the clip of the alleged break-in but managed to flight and interaction authorities.

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Katy Perry performs during the FireAid payment performance connected Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, astatine Intuit Dome successful Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

During a preliminary hearing, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Detective Matthew Maxwell testified that Phay told investigators helium believed helium was joined to Katy Perry and shared what helium described arsenic a psychic "head link" with her, according to SFGate.

Maxwell testified that Phay said helium believed the vocalist instructed him to spell to the Montecito home, which helium thought belonged to her. When helium encountered the pistillate inside, Phay allegedly believed she was Perry’s parent and thought she was abusive, according to the outlet. Perry has owned spot successful the Montecito area.

Detective Maxwell besides testified that the Warner property onslaught was Phay’s 2nd convulsive battle wrong days, the outlet reported. Investigators said Phay was besides a fishy successful a abstracted battle successful Arroyo Quemado, wherever a pistillate reported uncovering him successful her gait drinking from a plot hose. When the pistillate confronted him, Phay allegedly assaulted her and aboriginal told investigators helium believed she was dead, according to SFGate’s summary of the testimony.

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Officials accidental Russell Phay is facing aggregate felony charges pursuing a convulsive break-in astatine Beanie Babies founder's, Ty Warner's, estate. (Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office)

Phay’s household told the San Francisco Chronicle that they repeatedly tried to alert authorities successful the days starring up to the attack, informing that helium was experiencing a intelligence wellness situation and could harm someone. According to the Chronicle, relatives said they contacted Colorado’s Department of Corrections arsenic aboriginal arsenic May 19 but ne'er received a response. The household said it learned of Phay’s apprehension days aboriginal erstwhile helium called from jail.

In statements shared with NBC News and cited by the Chronicle, household members described Phay arsenic suffering from terrible intelligence unwellness and said they had antecedently distanced themselves from him for their ain safety. 

"This calamity mightiness person been preventable, and we are devastated that our efforts to dependable the alarm went unanswered," the household said.

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According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Phay has a transgression past spanning aggregate states, including anterior convictions for battle and stalking. The outlet reported that helium was connected parole successful Colorado pursuing a 2021 felony menacing conviction, though it remains unclear whether helium was inactive nether supervision astatine the clip of the Montecito attack.

Phay’s lawsuit had antecedently drawn attraction successful 2014, erstwhile helium was featured successful a San Francisco Chronicle nonfiction examining San Francisco’s Veterans Court, a programme designed to supply attraction and rehabilitation for subject veterans facing transgression charges.

"I americium afloat trained for combat," Phay told the Chronicle. "I person been trained to destruct you. I cognize that sounds crazy, but it is true."

Phay is being held connected $1 cardinal bail, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and tribunal records. Mental competency proceedings were held earlier this year, according to tribunal filings.

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He is scheduled to look successful Santa Barbara Superior Court for a preliminary proceeding acceptable for June 2, followed by a preliminary proceeding connected June 3.

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office for comment. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].