Film director John LeChago, best known for his work on the Killjoy horror series for Full Moon Features, has died at the age of 57. He passed away unexpectedly on 22 July.
His daughter, Lia, found him unresponsive and called emergency services. Paramedics pronounced the Canadian director dead at the scene.
His death came weeks after earning his brown belt in Judo, a goal he had pursued for months. On 27 July, Sawtelle Judo in California, where he trained, confirmed his death online and shared a family statement: "We honour the passing of John LeChago after he passed away at the end of Judo practice recently."
Community Tributes
The centre described him as "a dedicated and devoted member of our Judo community." It added: "We support the family in this time of need with this donation link. We also plan to host charity clinics on Saturday afternoon (August 18), hosted by Juan Morillo Sensei, Morillo Judo Academy."
"John LeChago was a long-time member and student under Morillo Sensei. He hosts these and other clinics in the Southland in memory of John. Clinic details will be posted by next week."
News of his death spread on Reddit horror fan pages, where fans shared condolences. One wrote: "Such a great man. Going to really miss you, John." Another said: "John was a wonderful, creative, humble and sweet human being. We will all miss him very much."
A third fan added: "I worked on multiple movies with him. This is a big loss, R.I.P." Another commented: "A true indie filmmaker who could make so much happen on such tight budgets. Best to his family and friends during this terrible time."
One colleague wrote: "I had been with Full Moon for a while when John came in, and he quickly rose up the ladder, providing visual effects & directing as well as many other roles at the company." The colleague added: "He was not only talented, but he was a nice guy, also. He will be missed. RIP John."
