A woman is in a coma and a Nevada man faces attempted murder charges after a violent break-in at Beanie Babies founder Ty Warner's Montecito mansion, according to Southern California authorities.
Warner owns a coastal estate in Montecito, northwest of Los Angeles. On the morning of May 21, an intruder entered the property, triggering a violent confrontation that left one woman critically injured, AP News reported.
Warner was present during the incident but was not harmed. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Russell Maxwell Phay of Henderson, Nevada, allegedly attacked a woman named L. Malek-Aslanian inside the home, causing a brain injury that placed her in a coma.
After the assault, Phay reportedly barricaded himself in a bathroom before jumping from a second-story window during a standoff with sheriff's deputies. He was taken into custody and later pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, and burglary.
Phay is being held on $100,000 bail as the investigation continues. His relationship to the victim and the motive for the break-in remain unclear. Authorities confirmed he has a criminal record and prior incarceration history, but have not released specific details.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
