The tragedy surrounding Daveigh Chase’s death has now taken an unsettling new turn as more details begin to emerge. A GoFundMe campaign launched in her name is now at the center of a dispute between the man who created it and those who were once close to her.
© GettyBefore her death, a man named Roy Hernandez launched a GoFundMe to “Help Daveigh Chase Find Comfort & Peace.” In the description, he described her as someone who had endured bullying, family estrangement, and years of instability while trying to rebuild her life in downtown Los Angeles.
In the campaign, he painted their relationship as a source of comfort during her darkest period, writing that he had promised to protect her and give her the love she deserved. He went on to describe her condition, “Daveigh was diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left,” he wrote.
© Getty“All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days.”
However, Chase’s former manager and longtime friend, John Ryan, is publicly urging fans not to donate to the fundraiser. Ryan told Deadline, “Daveigh’s estate has plenty of means to pay for the cremation,” pushing back against claims that donations are needed to cover end-of-life costs. Chase had made millions in residuals, but her addiction was too far gone, and she never collected from SAG.
© Patrick McMullanHe also alleged Chase’s father, John Schwallier, who is her next of kin, “has never signed any paperwork over to this so-called boyfriend.” Ryan did not hold back. “That GoFundMe is not going toward any expenses for Daveigh,” he said. “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.”
He went even further, accusing Hernandez of controlling the narrative surrounding Chase’s final days. “This man 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,” Ryan alleged.
“There are no medical bills to be paid or funeral expenses,” he told Deadline. “Myself and the family are sickened at the condition she was in before she passed. This guy’s trying to make it look like a Romeo and Juliet situation to benefit his own pockets.”
© CBS Photo ArchiveHernandez, however, has denied all accusations, telling TMZ it is “100 percent” false to suggest the fundraiser is illegitimate and claims the money was going to be used to ensure she had a proper memorial.
Ryan’s allegations come as disturbing new details about Chase’s final months continue to surface. According to reports, after stepping away from acting in 2016, Chase largely vanished from public view as she struggled with serious personal issues.
© GettySources told TMZ that Chase had been living in an RV with Hernandez in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, just minutes from Skid Row, before she was hospitalized earlier this month on June 3. Other reports suggest she may have spent time in or around encampments in downtown Los Angeles, where those close to her feared her health had severely deteriorated.
By then, friends feared her health had deteriorated dramatically, with some believing her weight had dropped to just 75 pounds. A disturbing video from 2025 surfaced after her death, allegedly showing the former actress visibly frail, extremely thin, and barely conscious inside what appeared to be a tent or trailer near Skid Row.
© GettyRyan said he, along with Chase’s stepsister and a private investigator, had spent months searching for her. At one point, he was reportedly able to reach her by phone and believed they were finally close to getting her help at a rehab in Costa Rica before she disappeared again. “We were so close to finding her,” he said. “Daveigh was the sweetest and brightest light in Hollywood. I can’t believe this is real. Her legacy and work will live on forever.”
Chase died on June 16 after reportedly developing meningitis and multiple serious blood infections that turned septic, causing her body to shut down. She had also reportedly been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier in June due to malnutrition.
© GettyFor fans who grew up with Chase, the tragedy feels especially painful. In the early 2000s, she occupied a rare place in pop culture, voicing Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch while simultaneously terrifying audiences as Samara Morgan in The Ring.
