Denise Richards' 'Violent' Abuse Claims Backed By Estranged Husband's Family: 'She Could Have Died'

The phrase "blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" comes to mind following the explosive court drama between Denise Richards and her estranged husband, Aaron Phypers.

The former couple's divorce battle is not looking good for Phypers as his cousin, Kathleen McAllister, testifies against him. She supported Richards' physical violence and abuse claims during a recent court hearing on Monday, October 6.

Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers have been butting heads for months ever since the latter filed to end their marriage in July. Following his divorce filing, the "Wild Things" star pushed for a restraining order, claiming she feared for her life.

Richards and Phypers appeared in court to address the TV personality's demand for a permanent restraining order. However, Phypers and his legal team faced a shocking turn of events when a close relative appeared virtually to back Richards' abuse allegations.

McAllister claimed she witnessed Phypers abuse Richards on multiple occasions at his medical office in Malibu, where she worked on-and-off as a holistic energy practitioner from 2017 until May 2022. She recalled several instances of alleged abuse, where Richards' life was at stake.

Phypers' cousin, according to PEOPLE, told the court that she witnessed him pinning Richards "against the concrete wall where his truck was parked at the office."

She claimed, "he was choking her and her head slammed against the [wall] and caused a concussion." "She was just really upset, in pain, disoriented. [I was] concerned she could have died," McAllister claimed.

McAllister stressed that Phypers' alleged "horrific" actions against Richards extended to her to some extent, because she frequently witnessed his violent behavior. "He threatened to kill us," she told the court, adding:

"He just would be raging and threatening that if we told anybody, he'd kill us all. As his abuse escalated through the years, he exploited our empathy."

Richards' attorney also backed her claims, revealing McAllister only agreed to testify if her name wasn't included on the witness list. The legal rep claimed she was "deathly afraid of Mr. Phypers" and feared "being intimidated by any third party who saw her name in the news."

Richards corroborated McAllister's narrative when she took the stand during Monday's hearing, giving a tearful recollection of her allegedly abusive marriage. She claimed Phypers often threatened to kill her, harshly berated her, and verbally abused her.

She recalled him threatening to throw her out of windows and off balconies, noting he called her degrading names like "cheating wh-re and a c-nt, and a lying b-tch." Richards recalled several instances of abuse, alleging Phypers did not care when she was recovering from surgery to put his hands on her.

Surprisingly, Richards admitted there was a smidgen of truth in Phypers' cheating narrative. She accused him of "being very hostile and aggressive" while questioning her about the texts she exchanged with another man. Her estranged husband also threatened to leak the nudes he found on her phone.

Richards first leveled domestic violence allegations against Phypers in July when she filed for a temporary restraining order. The Blast covered the story, reporting that she claimed her estranged husband would frequently choke, strangle, and hit her in the face.

The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum alleged Phypers' abusive actions caused at least three concussions. When he wasn't being violent, Richards claimed her ex would plant recording devices in hotel rooms and townhouses to monitor her whenever she was alone.

One of the numerous incidents Richards revealed in the restraining order filing occurred on July 4, the day listed as their separation date in their divorce filing. She claimed Phypers came within inches of her face and verbally abused her with degrading insults, claiming he called her a "piece of sh-t."

Before their recent court hearing, The Blast reported that Phypers had requested financial assistance from the court. He demanded $150,000, claiming he needed the sun to ensure his stability amid the end of his marriage to Richards.

Phypers alleged that he had millions in his joint account with Richards; however, she locked him out after he filed for divorce. On that note, he requested that the court allow him to withdraw $150,000 to address pressing expenses, such as his living situation.

Richards' estranged beau stressed that the sum should not be mistaken for spousal support. Instead, he noted that the money was intended to maintain his financial stability, as he and his family were on the brink of eviction.

How will Aaron Phypers respond to his cousin's support of Denise Richards?