A horrific crime has shocked the residents of California, as a violent maniac broke into the mansion of Beanie Babies founder Ty Warner and brutally beat a woman into a coma. The suspect, Russel Maxwell Phay, 43, from Nevada, has been charged with first-degree attempted murder and related offenses for the heinous attack that took place on May 21 at the billionaire’s Montecito home.
The victim, identified as Linda Malek-Aslanian, a 60-year-old financial services expert, was found outside the estate severely battered and was rushed to the hospital. Tragically, she remains comatose due to a brain injury sustained during the assault. Ty Warner, the 80-year-old billionaire who was home at the time of the invasion, was unharmed in the incident.
Malek-Aslanian and Warner have a long-standing relationship, rumored to be romantic in nature, as they have known each other for 25 years. The police responded to the scene promptly and found the attacker barricaded in a bathroom on the second floor. After negotiations by a crisis team, the suspect, Phay, a former Army combat veteran, jumped out of a window and was apprehended.
Phay, who has a history of run-ins with the law, is facing charges of kidnapping, burglary, and assault in addition to attempted murder. In a chilling revelation, it was reported that Phay had boasted about his combat training and his ability to “eliminate” individuals in a 2014 San Francisco Chronicle column.
Despite his troubled past, Phay was featured in a specialized court system for military veterans and had faced previous charges of threatening his wife and battery and assault. He is currently being held in the Santa Barbara County Southern Branch Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on June 2.
Malek-Aslanian, who is a financial advisor at NYLIFE Securities, previously worked as an asset manager for a Four Seasons Hotel owned by Warner in Manhattan. She is also an architect with an impressive educational background, holding a Masters of Arts in architecture from Columbia University and an MBA from Baruch College. The victim was involved in the renovation of the hotel about a decade ago and resides close to the establishment in a Manhattan apartment at 225 E. 57th St.
This shocking incident has left the community reeling, as they come to terms with the senseless violence that has left an innocent woman fighting for her life. The court proceedings will shed more light on the motives behind this brutal attack and hopefully bring justice for the victim and her loved ones.
