Denise Richards’ allegations that estranged husband Aaron Phypers physically abused her were backed up in court Monday by his cousin, Kathleen McAllister.
“I saw Aaron hit Denise and immediately she had a really bad black eye,” McAllister said during a virtual appearance at the Los Angeles venue, explaining that he had hit Richards with his palm, per PEOPLE. “I’m literally in shock now to this day about it.”
Phypers has previously denied all abuse allegations.
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The Wild Things actress is seeking to make a temporary restraining order against Phypers permanent. Richards initially accused him of domestic violence after they split. He filed for divorce in July, citing irreconcilable differences.
The couple had married on Sept. 8, 2018, two days after announcing their engagement.
McAllister, who worked at Phypers’ wellness center, said she had seen an instance in which he “pinned [Richards] against the concrete wall where his truck was parked at the office. He was choking her, and her head slammed against the [wall] and caused a concussion,” McAllister said. “She was just really upset, in pain, disoriented. [I was] concerned she could have died.”
She also recalled that Richards had once texted her from the office bathroom, where she said she was hiding from Phypers.
“Aaron was terrorizing her, and she was looking for support,” McAllister said.
McAllister also said that Phypers “threatened to kill us.”
“He just would be raging and threatening that if we told anybody, he’d kill us all,” she said. “As abuse escalated through the years, he exploited our empathy.”
Richards herself also appeared at the hearing, alleging that Phypers “would often threaten to throw me through the windows and off balconies. He’s almost killed me so many damn times.”
In a July court filing obtained by the magazine, Richards claimed that her husband would “frequently violently choke me.”
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In his official response, Phypers said that she had “attacked” and “harassed” him, calling him multiple times.
“I have not abused her and will not abuse her,” Phypers wrote.
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for both Richards and Phypers.
Richards was married to actor Charlie Sheen between 2000 and 2006, while Phypers and actress Nicollette Sheridan were married in 2015 and separated the following year.
