A Nevada Army veteran, facing allegations of a violent intrusion at billionaire Ty Warner’s California estate that left a woman in a coma, reportedly claimed that pop sensation Katy Perry was exerting control over him, according to court testimony.

Russell Maxwell Phay, aged 42 and hailing from Henderson, Nevada, is confronting charges including first-degree attempted murder with premeditated intent, kidnapping, residential burglary, assault likely to cause serious bodily harm, and resisting arrest, as stated by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

In addition, court documents reveal that Phay faces charges related to another assault on a second individual, discovered unconscious earlier that same day. This accusation comes with an enhancement for causing severe bodily injury personally.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to the 1000 block of Fairway Road at approximately 4:30 p.m. after receiving alerts about a potential home invasion or vehicle theft in progress. Upon arrival, they discovered a female victim outside the property, suffering from critical injuries and in need of immediate medical attention.

Reports indicate that Phay’s family had alerted authorities to his mental health crisis days before the alleged attack on the woman at Ty Warner’s estate. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office)

Investigators said Phay remained inside the home, prompting deputies to establish a perimeter and call in additional resources, including air support, armored vehicles and crisis negotiators, amid concerns there could be additional victims or hostages inside. Authorities later determined all other occupants had escaped safely.

Deputies eventually located Phay barricaded inside an upstairs bathroom, according to the sheriff’s office. After refusing commands to surrender, Phay attempted to flee by climbing out of a second-story window before being apprehended by deputies and a Sheriff’s K-9 unit.

Court records filed by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office identify the homeowner as Warner, the billionaire founder and former CEO of the Beanie Babies brand. Prosecutors said Warner was inside the home at the time of the alleged break-in but managed to escape and contact authorities.

Katy Perry performs during the FireAid benefit concert on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

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

Maxwell testified that Phay said he believed the singer instructed him to go to the Montecito home, which he thought belonged to her. When he encountered the woman inside, Phay allegedly believed she was Perry’s mother and thought she was abusive, according to the outlet. Perry has owned property in the Montecito area.

Detective Maxwell also testified that the Warner estate attack was Phay’s second violent assault within days, the outlet reported. Investigators said Phay was also a suspect in a separate assault in Arroyo Quemado, where a woman reported finding him in her yard drinking from a garden hose. When the woman confronted him, Phay allegedly assaulted her and later told investigators he believed she was dead, according to SFGate’s summary of the testimony.

Officials say Russell Phay is facing multiple felony charges following a violent break-in at Beanie Babies founder’s, Ty Warner’s, estate. (Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office)

Phay’s family told the San Francisco Chronicle that they repeatedly tried to alert authorities in the days leading up to the attack, warning that he was experiencing a mental health crisis and could harm someone. According to the Chronicle, relatives said they contacted Colorado’s Department of Corrections as early as May 19 but never received a response. The family said it learned of Phay’s arrest days later when he called from jail.

In statements shared with NBC News and cited by the Chronicle, family members described Phay as suffering from severe mental illness and said they had previously distanced themselves from him for their own safety. 

“This tragedy might have been preventable, and we are devastated that our efforts to sound the alarm went unanswered,” the family said.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Phay has a criminal history spanning multiple states, including prior convictions for assault and stalking. The outlet reported that he was on parole in Colorado following a 2021 felony menacing conviction, though it remains unclear whether he was still under supervision at the time of the Montecito attack.

Phay’s case had previously drawn attention in 2014, when he was featured in a San Francisco Chronicle article examining San Francisco’s Veterans Court, a program designed to provide treatment and rehabilitation for military veterans facing criminal charges.

“I am fully trained for combat,” Phay told the Chronicle. “I have been trained to eliminate you. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true.”

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

He is scheduled to appear in Santa Barbara Superior Court for a preliminary hearing set for June 2, followed by a preliminary hearing on June 3.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office for comment. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.