AIDS, Addiction, and Homelessness: What Became of Actress Davey Chase After Hollywood?

New details have emerged about the final years of American actress Davi Chase, who rose to fame for her role as Samara in the cult horror film *The Ring*. A forensic medical examination determined that the 35-year-old actress died of AIDS. In addition, she had long struggled with drug addiction, and shortly before her death, she was homeless and living in extreme financial hardship.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released information regarding the cause of death. According to the experts’ findings, Davi Chase died on June 16, 2026, at the age of 35. The documents also indicate that she was addicted to several drugs. Despite this, her death was classified as natural. A detailed report from the medical examiners has not yet been published.

Davey Chase became world-famous after playing Samara Morgan in the American version of the movie *The Ring*. In addition, she appeared in the series “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “ER,” and other television projects. She also provided the voice of Lilo in the animated film “Lilo & Stitch.”

The actress’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, was the first to announce her death. He initially stated that the cause of death was sepsis, which developed as a result of bacterial meningitis and other infections. The same information was later confirmed by the actress’s father, David Schwiller, and her former manager, John Ryan.

A few days before her death, Hernandez launched a fundraiser to help pay for Davi’s treatment. He explained that doctors had assessed her condition as critical and warned that she might have very little time left.

In an interview, the actress’s father said that his daughter began struggling with drug addiction as early as age 13—around the time she rose to widespread fame following the success of *The Ring* and *Donnie Darko*. According to him, after Davie turned 19, they lost contact.

He also mentioned that around the same time, a serious conflict arose between his daughter and her mother, Katie Chase. The actress’s parents had been divorced for many years, but David Schwiller continued to stay in touch with Roy Hernandez.

Former manager John Ryan said that Davi Chase’s acting career had effectively ended back in 2015. The last feature film in which she appeared was the thriller *American Romance*, released in 2016. The film failed to gain popularity and received poor reviews from the few viewers and critics who saw it.

After her acting career ended, Chase repeatedly ran into trouble with the law. She was arrested for drug possession and for driving a car that was reported stolen. In addition, law enforcement questioned the actress in connection with the death of a man who was found abandoned at the entrance to a hospital in Los Angeles.

According to her father, Davie had become homeless in the final years of her life. She lived with her boyfriend near the medical facility where she later died. The family claims that the couple lived in extreme poverty and had virtually no means of support.

The text of the GoFundMe fundraising campaign also attested to their difficult situation. Roy Hernandez wrote that after being discharged from the hospital, they would have nowhere to return to, and the money raised was intended to help them find at least temporary housing and ensure Davie had decent living conditions during the final days of her life.

This was reported by the BBC.