COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An individual accused of vandalizing the Ohio home of Vice President JD Vance in the dark of night and causing other property damage was behind bars Tuesday, awaiting action in separate state and federal cases.
William D. DeFoor, 26, appeared in two different courtrooms after being detained early Monday by Secret Service agents assigned to Vance’s Cincinnati home in the upscale East Walnut Hills neighborhood east of downtown. The vice president and his family were not home.
According to an affidavit filed in federal court, the Secret Service saw someone run along the front fence of Vance’s residence and breach the property line around midnight. The person later identified as DeFoor was armed with a hammer and tried to break out the window of an unmarked Secret Service vehicle on the way up the driveway before moving toward the front of the home and breaking its glass windows, the affidavit says.
Fourteen historic window panes were broken and damage was done to security enhancements around the windows valued at $28,000, according to the filing.
A judge set bonds totaling $11,000 on state charges of vandalism, criminal trespass, criminal damaging and obstruction of official business that were brought in Hamilton County court. There, DeFoor was previously deemed incompetent to face trial on a 2023 criminal trespassing charge and referred for treatment after a 2024 vandalism charge. A grand jury hearing was scheduled for Jan. 15.
A hearing in the federal case to determine whether DeFoor can be released on bond from the Hamilton County jail was set for Friday in federal District Court in Cincinnati.
The U.S. Attorney’s office in Ohio’s southern district brought charges of damaging government property, engaging in physical violence against property in a restricted area and assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers.
The first two charges are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
DeFoor's defense attorney, Paul Laufman, said in county court that his client was not motivated by politics, calling the alleged conduct “purely a mental health issue.”
In a statement read outside the federal courthouse while standing alongside her husband, Catherine DeFoor, the defendant's mother, said “mental illness is a terrible thing” and that the family's lives “are full of stress and sadness and grief.” She offered prayers for the Vances and their children.
DeFoor described her child as a straight-A student who was awarded a full scholarship to study music.
Vance said in an interview Tuesday on “The Scott Jennings Show” that his family had left town a few hours before the attack.
“We have stronger winds than most because I’m a protectee of the Secret Service,” he said.
He said that the person hammered the windows “but eventually realized they weren’t getting anywhere, ran off, and were captured by the Secret Service as they tried to escape.”
Vance said he would let the investigation play out before commenting on a possible motive of the suspect, but it was “clearly a very sick individual.”
“There are crazy people out there and we’re thankful for the Secret Service and the grace of God that we’re still here to do the job that we can,” he said.
White House reporter Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
This undated booking photo provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in January 2025 shows William D. DeFoor, who was charged on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in a case involving vandalism to the Cincinnati, Ohio, home of Vice President JD Vance. (Hamilton County Sheriff's Office via AP)
FILE - Vice President JD Vance speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry, File)
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 7, 2026--
HPI, a Texas-based commercial real estate firm, announced the launch of its Dallas Tenant Advisory Group, marking a strategic expansion of the firm’s platform. The new group will be led by Robbie Baty, a respected commercial real estate veteran with more than 20 years of experience representing tenants.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107382190/en/
“The time is right for our platform — and Robbie is the right leader,” says Hunter Lee, an HPI Partner. “He is deeply respected in the industry and embodies the competitive, client-first mindset we embrace at HPI.”
“Robbie’s track record is consistent and proven,” adds Colt McCoy, head of HPI’s Fort Worth office. “We are excited for the energy and expertise he will bring as we continue to expand our North Texas footprint.”
Since 2021, Baty has represented tenants on over 8.9 million SF of transactions, advising on major projects including the Santander Consumer USA headquarters lease — the largest office lease completed in Downtown Dallas in the past five years. His client experience includes Brinker International, the PGA of America, Matador Resources, and Sewell Automotive. Most recently, he served as a Vice Chairman and Dallas Office Tenant Representation Leader at Cushman & Wakefield, where he drove more than 2.5x revenue growth.
HPI’s decision to launch a dedicated Dallas Tenant Advisory Group follows several years of sustained growth. Over the last five years, the firm has grown assets under management in Dallas by almost 5x, strengthening its multidisciplinary platform across Texas.
“We aren’t doing this just to do this — we’ve been waiting for the right moment and the right person,” said Lee. “Robbie is a leader who’s hungry for this kind of opportunity.”
Baty believes the firm’s momentum — combined with Dallas’ economic trajectory — creates an ideal environment for reinvesting in the market with a focused tenant advisory team.
“When I look at the growth trajectory of Dallas, and the abundance of companies based in North Texas, I see a region that’s ready for additional, locally based tenant representation companies. HPI already has the platform in place to help us to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in the market,” said Baty, a Dallas native.
As head of the Tenant Advisory Group, Baty, a D CEO Power Broker for eleven consecutive years and former NAIOP North Texas Office Broker of the Year, plans to build a best-in-class team, with a goal of hiring 10-12 producers for each of the office and industrial tenant representation teams.
He also sees significant opportunity in data center representation, which he plans to develop as part of the group’s long-term strategy.
“My focus is serving clients – I’m dedicated to building a team of professionals who will deliver the best client experience and outcomes possible,” Baty added. “It is also important to me that HPI is a Texas-based company. This is my home, and I firmly believe local companies want to work with local groups like HPI.”
Baty says he is particularly energized by HPI’s collaborative structure, which allows teams to work seamlessly across disciplines to deliver comprehensive resources to clients.
“I want to utilize my full skill set,” said Baty. “I’m a coach at heart – I love to build teams and lead. Starting a new business has always been a dream of mine, and I am thrilled to do it with such a great group of people. At HPI, I can truly do what’s best for the client. Their entrepreneurial mindset is exciting.”
About HPI: HPI was founded in 1992 with four employees and one million square feet. Today HPI employees over 200 people in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth, serving 900 clients across almost 30 million square feet.
HPI announced that Robbie Baty will lead its new Dallas Tenant Advisory Group.
