Nevada Man Arrested After Home Invasion at Beanie Baby CEO’s Montecito Estate
By F. Scott Faulkner
MONTECITO, CA — May 23, 2025
The estate of Ty Warner—founder of the Beanie Baby toy empire and owner of The Santa
Barbara Biltmore Hotel and the Montecito County Club, among other high-value prestige
properties—was the site of a bizarre home invasion, violent attack, and dramatic barricade
situation on the afternoon of May 21, 2025.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Raquel
Zick, deputies responded to a call reporting an “unknown problem” at Ty Warner’s oceanfront
residence involving “a possible home invasion or vehicle theft” in progress.
When deputies arrived, they found a woman outside the home suffering from severe injuries. She
was immediately transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
Deputies soon learned the suspected attacker was still inside the house. Unsure whether other
occupants had escaped safely, law enforcement from multiple agencies — including the CHP and
Santa Barbara Police — moved quickly to secure the area. A perimeter was established, traffic
was diverted from the area, and an SBSD Air Support unit provided “aerial assistance.”
As uncertainty lingered about potential hostages, the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team and
Crisis Negotiation Team rolled in, supported by Bearcat armored rescue vehicles.
Deputies entered the home and confirmed all other residents had managed to flee.
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Russell Maxwell Phay of Nevada, was located barricaded in an upstairs bathroom.
A Co-Response Team deputy trained in crisis intervention attempted to talk Phay down, but he
instead tried to escape by climbing out a second-story window.
He jumped to the ground but didn’t get far. Deputies and a Sheriff’s K9 team quickly took him into custody.
Phay was booked into the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on multiple charges, including felony
burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and battery causing serious bodily injury,
with his bail set at $100,000.
