CINCINNATI — The man accused of damaging Vice President JD Vance's Cincinnati home with a hammer did so because of mental health issues and not politics, defense attorney Paul Laufman claimed in court Tuesday morning.
William DeFoor, 26, appeared in court to face charges of criminal damaging, obstructing official business, criminal trespassing and vandalism. His bond for those charges was set at $11,000.
Laufman told the court DeFoor had been undergoing mental health treatment as a result of a previous vandalism charge that's still pending.
"He was doing well, to my understanding, compliant to all orders of that court until these unfortunate events, which I think it's safe to say were largely driven by mental health issues," Laufman said. "We spent hours yesterday with the Secret Service, going through his papers and allowing the government to ensure this had nothing to do with the specifics of the vice president, as much as it was simply an expression of somebody who was not in a controlled mental health situation."
The prosecution agreed that mental health could have played a part in DeFoor's alleged actions, but still requested a high bond.
Watch: We were there as DeFoor's mother spoke about the vandalism following his federal hearing
DeFoor is also federally charged with damaging government property, engaging in physical violence against any person or property in a restricted building or grounds and assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers.
He is due back in federal court on Friday for a detention hearing. According to Laufman, DeFoor is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Following a federal hearing on Tuesday, DeFoor's mother, Catherine DeFoor, read off a prepared statement to the media.
"Mental illness is a terrible thing. It is a struggle which can take over the life of a beautiful person and the people who love and support them. Unfortunately for our child, it has taken over his life in a way that we could never have imagined," Catherine DeFoor said. "Many people who do not know him or our family have been offering their view of who William is, so I thought I would offer a viewpoint from those of us who actually know him."
Catherine DeFoor described her son as musical and joyful. She said growing up, William was a straight-A student who got a perfect ACT score and a full ride to college.
"When healthy, (William) is full of joy and laughter. He is compassionate for all those who suffer," she said. "Even despite his health challenges and his young adult life, he's been trying to be the best person he can be, seeking medical care, returning to school and music, reaching out to connect with family and friends. Unfortunately, however, mental illness is unpredictable, or can be unpredictable, and has taken another tragic turn."
DeFoor's mother closed with a prayer, in which she asked for support for her own family and the Vance family.
"Please be with my child, William," she said. "Please be with the Vance family. I am only beginning to learn what it feels like to try and raise a family in the public eye, and they are putting themselves there to support our democracy. Please be with them and keep them safe."
According to an affidavit filed Monday, Secret Service agents saw DeFoor running along the front fence of the home at around midnight, allegedly breaching the property line and attempting to break the driver's side window of an unmarked vehicle blocking the driveway entrance with a hammer.
DeFoor allegedly refused to follow Secret Service commands to stop and drop the hammer, using it to break glass across the front of the home. During this, he damaged security assets on each window.
A WCPO crew at the scene saw several officers from both agencies searching around Vance's home in the early morning hours Monday; several windows in the house appeared to be broken.
You can see the damage and police investigation in the video below:
DeFoor has faced similar charges in the past. In 2023, he was charged with criminal trespass but was ultimately deemed incompetent to stand trial.
In 2024, DeFoor was charged with two counts of vandalism for breaking windows in the front of a business; he was also ruled incompetent to stand trial in that case and was ordered to undergo treatment at Summit Behavioral Healthcare. That case is still pending.
It doesn't appear that Vance or his family were home at the time of the incident; the City of Cincinnati previously announced that roads around the house would be closed until Sunday, Jan. 4.
Those barricades were not in place when our crew went to the scene Monday morning.
Later Monday morning, just before 10 a.m., Vance wrote on social media that he is grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for their quick response.
"I appreciate everyone's well wishes about the attack at our home," Vance wrote. "As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I'm grateful to the secret service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly. We weren't even home, as we had returned already to DC. One request to the media: we try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service. In that light, I am skeptical of the news value of plastering images of our home with holes in the windows."
I appreciate everyone's well wishes about the attack at our home. As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I'm grateful to the secret service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly. We weren't even home as we had returned…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 5, 2026
