Daveigh Chase, the actress best known for her role in the horror film The Ring, left an estate valued at six figures despite having lived on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles before her death in June. According to court documents, the former child star had approximately $400,000 in personal property at the time of her passing.
Cause of Death and Circumstances
Chase died on June 16 at age 35. The Los Angeles medical examiner confirmed the cause of death as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with other significant conditions including chronic polysubstance use—defined by the Cleveland Clinic as using more than one substance in a pattern that affects health and quality of life.
At the time of her death, Chase was reportedly homeless, living on the streets of Downtown LA. Her mother, Cathy Chase, is now petitioning the court to be appointed administrator of her daughter's estate, according to court documents obtained by Page Six.
Family and Relationship Details
Cathy Chase stated in the documents that she believes Daveigh’s father, John Schwallier, resides in the Philippines with an unknown address but also maintains properties in Las Vegas. Daveigh never married and had no children.
However, an alleged boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, had launched a GoFundMe campaign in Chase's final days, claiming he wanted to help her "find comfort and peace." In the fundraiser, Hernandez wrote: "Behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship. After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA." He added that she had been diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections, and that her condition had become critical.
Dispute Over GoFundMe Campaign
Following Chase's death, her former manager and long-time friend, John Ryan, urged the public not to donate to the GoFundMe campaign. In a statement to Deadline, Ryan said the star's "estate has plenty of means to pay for the cremation." He further claimed that Chase's father had "never signed any paperwork over to this so-called boyfriend."
Ryan's full statement read: "That GoFundMe is not going toward ANY expenses for Daveigh. Myself, her father, her uncle and all of us close friends who knew her for decades are encouraging people not to donate to this page. This man making these claims brought her into the hospital in terrible condition and didn't let any of the family know until she passed so he can control the dialogue."
Legacy of Daveigh Chase
Daveigh Chase gained fame as a child actress, starring in The Ring (2002) and providing the voice for Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch. Her sudden death at 35 and the subsequent revelations about her financial and living situation have drawn significant media attention.
