'Home Alone' Star Arrested For Strangling And Punching His Girlfriend For Giving Autograph Away For Free
He is being charged with domestic assault.
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock / YouTube ‘Home Alone’ actor Devin Ratray was arrested on Wednesday after a warrant was issued regarding an altercation he had with his girlfriend.
Ratray, 44, is being charged with one count of domestic assault and battery by strangulation and another count of domestic assault and battery.
The charges are in connection to reports that Ratray became violent with his girlfriend and allegedly strangled her in an Oklahoma hotel room earlier this month.
Ratray’s most prominent role is in the 1990 holiday film ‘Home Alone’ in which he plays Kevin McCallister’s mean older brother, Buzz McCallister.
Why was Devin Ratray arrested?
The actor allegedly strangled his girlfriend after she gave away his autograph for free.
The altercation between Ratray and his girlfriend happened after the actor had drunk a bottle of wine and over 10 shots of alcohol in two different locations.
Ratray and his girlfriend allegedly got into an argument at a bar after two women approached and asked for his autograph.
Ratray’s girlfriend reportedly gave away his autograph for free, which enraged the actor and caused the couple to get into an argument because he was upset she hadn’t charged the two fans.
The argument quickly turned violent once Ratray and his girlfriend were back in their hotel room.
“[The] victim had trouble breathing while she was being strangled and while the defendant’s hand was over her mouth,” Detective Joseph Burnett of the Oklahoma City Police Department wrote in the report.
Ratray allegedly pushed his girlfriend onto the bed, placing one hand around her throat and another on her mouth as he applied pressure.
“This is how you die,” Ratray reportedly told his girlfriend as he was choking her, according to KFOR.
Eventually, she managed to break free by biting Ratray’s hand after struggling to scream for help, but before she was able to flee the hotel room, Ratray allegedly punched her in the face.
After leaving the room, the woman reportedly returned for her belongings, but upon going back, Ratray allegedly pushed her against a desk.
The woman had several injuries including bruising under her left eye, marks under her right eye, marks above the left side of her lip, a bruise on her chest and a sore arm.
A spokesperson from the Oklahoma City Police Department confirmed that the actor had “turned himself in and was processed through and bonded out,” according to Fox News.
Ratray had been in Oklahoma to make a guest appearance at OKC Pop Christmas Con with his girlfriend as he was featured as one of the attractions at the two-day event.
Charges were filed against Ratray by Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Powers with the Oklahoma County District Court.
His bond was set at $25,000, and has since been released from custody after posting for bail.
Devin Ratray denies the violent encounter, insisting that he never put his hands on his girlfriend.
In a statement to TMZ, a representative for Ratray admits the two did get into a heated argument, but says things did not escalate to violence.
“Mr. Ratray denies he ever laid a hand on her or did anything in regards to anything like that,” Ratray's attorney, Scott Adams, told the DailyMail.
Ratray recently reprised his role as Buzz in the Disney+ film, "Home Sweet Home Alone," which premiered last month.
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics. Follow her on Instagram.