Southern California Army veteran Kerry Sheron, widely known for owning the famous “Trump House” in Escondido, is in critical condition after suffering severe injuries during a violent assault outside his home. His wife says she does not believe he will survive.
According to the Escondido Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:15 p.m. Wednesday to reports of an assault in progress near East Mission Avenue and Buchanan Street, directly outside Sheron’s heavily decorated property.
When officers arrived, they found the 69-year-old veteran with life-threatening injuries. A utility worker who witnessed the incident reportedly intervened and helped restrain the suspect until police arrived.
Sheron was transported to a nearby trauma center and remains in the intensive care unit.
His wife, Maria Garcia, provided a heartbreaking update to reporters, saying she expects the worst.
“He tried to kill my husband,” Garcia told CBS 8. “It’s terrible. I don’t know what kind of hate… what heart, the black heart.”
Garcia suggested the attack may have been politically motivated because of the home’s longstanding association with former President Donald Trump and its prominent patriotic displays.
The property, known throughout the San Diego area as the “Trump House,” is covered with American flags, patriotic decorations and pro-Trump signs. Over the years, it has become a local landmark that has attracted both supporters and critics.
“They don’t like the flags. I don’t know why. I support America. My husband is a veteran,” Garcia said.
Police arrested 32-year-old Thomas Caleb Butler, who has been charged with attempted murder and is being held without bail at the Vista Detention Facility in San Diego County.
Authorities said Butler fled after the attack but was quickly located and taken into custody. Police also reported that a bystander who intervened during the incident suffered injuries.
According to the California Post, a friend of Butler described him as a Navy veteran who had struggled with serious mental health issues. The friend said Butler had been taking medication but had become increasingly paranoid and unstable in recent months.
Investigators have not announced a motive and have not confirmed whether politics played any role in the attack.
Darrell Issa called for a thorough investigation, writing on social media that Trump supporters have increasingly become targets of political violence.
For Sheron’s family, however, questions about motive remain secondary to his condition. The veteran’s home, once viewed by supporters as a symbol of patriotism and political expression, has now become the scene of a tragic and disturbing act of violence.
