Aaron Phypers on Thursday toured the Los Angeles mansion he shares with estranged wife Denise Richards, accusing the actor of leaving the $3.5 million home “trashed” and showing what he described as stained carpets, moth-infested closets and damaged bedrooms.
Richards has countered in court filings that she has not lived at the property in more than two years and that Phypers and his family have "damaged the property and have left the house in disarray." She also said she has been unable to retrieve her dogs and personal items from the home and attached a video dated Aug. 3, 2025, to her filing documenting the property’s condition.
In an interview with Inside Edition, Phypers walked through parts of the residence and said, "All her stuff, this is how she left it," and claimed the closet contained "hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of vintage clothes, and it's riddled with moths." Phypers told the outlet that about 15 of Richards’ dogs remain at the house.
Richards’ filings allege that when she went to the property on a date she believed Phypers would not be there, his brother blocked her from leaving by placing blocks under the tires of her vehicle. She also alleged that Phypers’ parents were present and tried to stop her from leaving until Phypers returned. The court papers say Richards was permitted to visit the home during a time she was recuperating from two surgeries and that she and Phypers had agreed the dogs would remain at the property during that period.
A judge issued a temporary restraining order for Richards on July 17 after she filed a request on July 16 alleging repeated physical and emotional abuse during the marriage. In those filings, Richards wrote that Phypers "would frequently violently choke me, violently squeeze my head with both hands, tightly squeeze my arms, violently slap me in my face and head, aggressively slam my head into the bathroom towel rack, threaten to kill me, hold me down with his knee on my back" and that the conduct left her with "at least three concussions." She also wrote that Phypers had threatened that she would "disappear" if she contacted police.
Phypers denied the abuse allegations in a statement to People, saying, "I have never physically or emotionally abused Denise — or anyone. These accusations are completely false and deeply hurtful." He asked for privacy as the couple navigates "personal matters."
Phypers filed for divorce on July 7, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support. The litigation has produced competing narratives about who has access to the home and its contents. In a hearing on Sept. 8, a judge granted Richards the right to return to the property on a Saturday to retrieve her belongings without violating the restraining order and allowed her to retrieve "her mother’s and her own personal property, including the dogs." The order also directed Phypers to "take no action which would interfere with Ms. Richards' access."
Richards’ representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Phypers has said he wants the matter handled privately. The dispute between the two has since unfolded in public statements, court filings and media interviews as both sides pursue legal remedies.
The case remains in its early legal stages, with court orders governing immediate access to the residence. Both the allegations of property damage and the more serious claims of domestic violence are documented in court filings that may be addressed further as the divorce and related motions proceed.