Boyfriend of Bret Easton Ellis Arrested in Hollywood

For practically 40 years, the novelist Bret Easton Ellis has been chronicling noirish debauchery in best-selling books resembling “American Psycho” and “Much less Than Zero.” This week, his accomplice, Todd Michael Schultz, was arrested on the fancy Los Angeles condominium constructing the place the couple lives, and was charged with housebreaking, in accordance with Abraham Bedoyan, a sergeant on the West Hollywood sheriff’s station.

On Tuesday, Sergeant Bedoyan stated, administration at 818 North Doheny Drive obtained a cellphone name from a feminine resident in misery. The resident stated {that a} man had entered her house and was ransacking her issues, in accordance with a police report Sergeant Bedoyan learn from.

The lady reportedly advised administration that the intruder was “unresponsive” to her requests that he depart her house.

Constructing representatives arrived and detained the person, whom Sergeant Bedoyan confirmed to be Mr. Schultz, 37. There may be nothing to counsel Mr. Ellis, 59, was related to the crime, in accordance with Sergeant Bedoyan.

An eyewitness exterior, who requested anonymity as a result of she didn’t wish to be related to the story or the case, stated that quite a few police automobiles quickly arrived. Whereas residents milled about, discussing what had taken place, Mr. Ellis paced the sidewalk seemingly in misery whereas speaking on his cellphone.

In a textual content message on Friday night, Mr. Ellis stated that Mr. Schultz had been having “severe psychological well being points exacerbated by medicine.” He stated that the episode was nonviolent and that Mr. Schultz, experiencing a psychotic break, walked into an open house, believing it to be Mr. Ellis’s.

A court docket look on Friday was rescheduled for subsequent Tuesday as a result of Mr. Schultz was “in no place” to be in court docket, in accordance with Mr. Ellis, who stated he believed the costs may be lowered to trespassing.

Mr. Schultz is being held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Downtown Los Angeles, the place Mr. Ellis stated he’s in lockdown in a psychiatric ward.

Mr. Ellis stated his relationship with Mr. Schultz dates again 14 years. In 2014, they had been photographed along with the filmmaker Liz Goldwyn on the Customary Resort in Los Angeles.

Over time, Mr. Schultz’s hair modified colours many occasions. On Instagram, he championed Dogecoin, accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of presiding over the “enslavement” of Britney Spears and posted apocalyptic warnings concerning the conduct of tech giants like Google.

He has additionally recorded music. A track by him on iTunes, “Resort,” describes “empty bottles on the bottom” that “remind me how I’m feeling now.”

In 2021, Mr. Schultz put up a put up stating his intention to run for West Hollywood Metropolis Council. He stated his signature points can be noise air pollution, authorities accountability, corruption, house owner associations and placing the pursuits of residents above builders in metropolis planning issues. Mr. Schultz promised to supply “Accountability, Transparency, and Enjoyable.” However nothing got here of it.

Final November, Mr. Schultz posted a video of himself asserting his intention to run for president of america on the Republican ticket. Within the video, Mr. Schultz described himself as a 14-year resident of West Hollywood. He stated he labored as a writing instructor, was born at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles and grew up within the San Fernando Valley.

“I’m the best choice,” he stated. “I’m the best choice for the Republicans to win, however I’m additionally higher than the Democrats.”

Within the video, Mr. Schultz wore a navy blazer and a light-blue button-down shirt. His eyes seemed glassy, and his phrases sounded barely slurred.

Mr. Ellis made frequent appearances on Mr. Schultz’s feed.

Final April, Mr. Schultz uploaded a video through which Mr. Ellis might be seen selecting out produce on the grocery retailer. In a photograph posted the earlier month, Mr. Schultz stood within the foreground carrying nothing however an open bathrobe and a dazed expression. Mr. Ellis might be seen within the background studying on a pc.

In latest months, Mr. Schultz filed a sequence of lawsuits, together with one in January in opposition to Elon Musk, the chief government of Tesla. The grievance accused Mr. Musk of interfering with Mr. Schultz’s presidential marketing campaign. The swimsuit was dismissed with prejudice 5 days after being filed, court docket information present.

On Wednesday, Mr. Ellis introduced in Selection that he was set to make his debut as a movie director with “Relapse,” a horror movie along with his “signature characters — younger, good-looking, wealthy — on the heart.” Mr. Ellis advised Selection it might even be a private movie.

“It’ll have my strokes: intercourse, medicine and paranoia,” Mr. Ellis was quoted as saying.

Alain Delaquérière contributed analysis.