'Buffy' Star Nicholas Brendon Faced Legal Troubles Three Days Before His Death

Just three days before his death, which was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter at the age of 54 on Friday, Nicholas Brendon was accused of throwing things at construction workers and tracking a man who was hired to help renovate his home.

According to legal documents obtained and reported exclusively by Us Weeklyon Tuesday, March 17, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star was in the process of suing his former contractor, Stephen Britton, for more than $120,000, claiming he had left unfinished work at the actor's Ohio home.

In turn, Britton alleged that he had terminated their contract, claiming in a December 2025 filing that he and his employees “were subjected to harassment by [Brendon]," who was reportedly "swearing at them and throwing objects.”

The employment agreement was allegedly axed when the contractor “became worried for his safety and his workers’ safety." Furthermore, he claimed that Brendon had placed an Apple AirTag tracking device in his tool bag without his consent, citing that his “privacy was infringed," adding that "I've never had this happen to me before, and it was alerted for probably three days prior that my iPhone picked it up."

"I feared, immensely for my life,” Britton also stated, according to the legal filings. “To be able to go there and work, to be able to get a job done, to worry about weapons and axes that are going to get — you know, am I going to get a plate thrown at me? Am I going to get physically assaulted? I was fearful, but then when a tracking device is put on my person, that’s not acceptable.”

In the documents, filed late last year, Brendon admitted to putting the AirTag in Britton’s tool bag. However, he denied doing it knowingly, claiming he found it on the floor of his garage in the construction area, but did not know what it was for, or that it would track his movements. He also denied intimidating the contractor, responding “I don’t threaten people.”

Brendon's later years had been marred by legal and health issues, with the actor notably being arrested and charged with domestic violence and assault with two separate girlfriends. In 2020, after previously agreeing to a plea deal, he was sentenced to three years' probation and 20 hours of community service, requiring him to complete a 52-week domestic violence course. The Buffy star had been candid about struggling with substance abuse since his 30s, with an infamous television appearance on the divisive talk show Dr. Phil in 2015, where he opened up about his addiction history.