OAN Staff Lillian Mann
6:18 PM – Monday, June 8, 2026
The case against the man accused of fatally beating the owner of the locally-famous San Diego home, known as the “Trump House,” has been put on hold while a court-appointed psychiatrist evaluates whether he is mentally competent to stand trial.
Kerry Sheron, a 69-year-old Army veteran who lived in Escondido, California, a city located in San Diego County, was well known in the area for decorating his home with patriotic American flags and pro-President Donald Trump paraphernalia.
Thomas Caleb Butler, 32, faces murder and several other felony charges in connection with the attack.
On May 20th, Butler reportedly continuously assaulted Sheron outside of his home, even after the U.S. Army veteran fell to the ground. A bystander tried to intervene but was also injured. Sheron then tragically died on May 24th after spending several days in critical condition following the violent incident.
Meanwhile, last week, the progress of the case met another wall after Butler refused to leave his jail cell for a scheduled arraignment hearing. This prompted Judge Richard Monroy to suspend criminal proceedings until a psychiatric evaluation could be performed on Butler. The evaluation will determine if the accused is aware of the charges against him and is mentally capable of assisting his own defense.
“He has a history of mental health illness, and it became violent for our family, so it was best we were in separate households,” Butler’s estranged wife, Breanna Butler, said.
Nonetheless, Breanna Butler noted she was shocked by the allegations, adding that she and her now-husband had previously ran into Sheron while walking their dogs in the neighborhood, and he acted both cordial and polite.
“He never showed any signs of hostility before when we spoke with them,” she said. “I don’t really know where it came from.”
The suspect is scheduled to appear on July 17th in San Diego’s CARE Court program, where his mental competency will be evaluated before the murder case proceeds.
Butler remains in custody without bail at the Vista Detention Facility and faces a potential sentence of 28 years to life in state prison if convicted on all charges.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
Be the first to comment