An elderly US Army veteran who supported President Donald Trump died after he was viciously attacked by a man outside his MAGA-themed California home, police said.
Kerry Sheron, 69, died on Sunday evening at Palomar Medical Center after he was beaten to a pulp outside his 'Trump House' in Escondido on May 20, according to police.
Sheron, who was known as the proud owner of the home decked out in American flags and Trump memorabilia, was allegedly punched in the jaw and struck multiple times in the head by Thomas Caleb Butler, 32, Deputy District Attorney Ross Garcia said.
A bystander who tried to break up the confrontation was also injured and taken to the hospital, police said.
Chilling security footage captured just before the violent incident showed Sheron standing outside his home when the suspect approached and attacked him, NBC 7 reported.
After the attack, a witness told police that Butler, a US Navy veteran, ran away on foot. He was later located nearby and taken into custody, investigators said.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and police said they do not yet know if the two men knew each other.
Sheron's devastated family shared the heartbreaking news of his death on a GoFundMe page, along with images of him attached to medical machines in a hospital bed.
'It is with shattered hearts that we share that Kerry passed away peacefully on May 24, 2026 surrounded by family and love after suffering a brutal and unprovoked attack outside his home in Escondido, California,' the page read.
'Kerry was a proud U.S. Army veteran known in the community for proudly displaying American flags and patriotic decorations outside his home. His loss has devastated our family beyond words.'
Butler remains in jail without bail and has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, elder abuse, making criminal threats, and battery, according to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office is currently reviewing the case to see if the charges will be amended following Sheron's death, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
While the cause of the violent encounter remains under investigation, Sheron's wife and friends believe it was politically motivated.
His wife, Maria Moreno, stood outside their home and told several local news reporters that she thinks her husband might have been targeted because of his pro-Trump displays.
Just months before his death, Sheron shared videos online of his decorations being vandalized, including torn American flags and other damages on his property.
Since hearing of his death, dozens of supporters, friends and family have gathered outside Sheron's home and paid their respects.
Many of them held up signs and American flags as they shared their shock with what happened to the veteran.
'I want my husband back, I want my husband back because he was my partner, a beautiful man,' Moreno said through tears to NBC 7.
Jim Gillie, Sheron's close friend, said that while he would often get pushback from people because of his political beliefs, it never got this violent.
'It used to amaze me when people would give him resistance, and they'd come up, and I'd be like, "Kerry, doesn't that bother you?" I mean it would get under my skin pretty quick.
'And he would reply with "Well, they have the right to free speech just as I do",' Gillie recalled to the outlet.
'People can respectfully disagree and it doesn't have to be violent,' he added.
After his arrest, Butler's estranged wife, Breanna Butler, told the New York Post that he often acted violently toward his family, and mixed medication with alcohol 'frequently.'
'[He] has a history of mental health illness, and it became violent for our family, so it was best we were in separate households,' Breanna, who has been separated from Butler for two years because of his alleged violent history, told the outlet.
'Every time we speak it's very hostile,' she added.
Breanna shares a child with Butler and told the Post she last spoke to him three weeks ago.
A family friend of his told the publication that Butler was a Republican who supported the president, and that he suffered from 'severe PTSD' from his time in the service.
He was a registered Republican, according to New York state voting records reviewed by the outlet, but more recent records showed he registered as a Democrat in San Diego in 2023.
The friend said he believed Butler 'liked' the 'Trump House' and supported the president and his administration.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Butler has worked as an Information Systems Technician for the US Navy since December 2011.
The Daily Mail contacted the San Diego County District Attorney's Office and the White House for comment.
