'Vanderpump Villa' Star Eric Funderwhite's Ex Alleges Domestic Abuse and Seeks Restraining Order

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of child abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Vanderpump Villa debuted on Hulu during the Easter weekend and it has already captivated the viewers, however, the show has a scandal brewing when it comes to one of the 12 cast members. In court records The US Sun was able to get, Eric Funderwhite's former partner has accused him of abuse. Funderwhite was a member of Lisa Vanderpump's chateau crew when Vanderpump Villa: The Hulu Reality Show was filmed. The reality star's former partner filed for a temporary restraining order against him on November 13, 2020, alleging she had been abused for years. "Respondent jumped on my neck," the unidentified woman has alleged in the court papers. 

The court papers detail that the abuse began back in 2018, in addition, the woman said that because she didn't want to drive, Funderwhite "grabbed" her by the neck once she got out of their vehicle. "I left him there and when I returned he had thrown my clothes out on the driveway and it was raining so they were all damaged or destroyed," the court filings stated. Before taking a job managing Chateau Rosabelle, the French country home owned by the Vanderpump Rules star, the holistic healer was in a five-year relationship with his former partner, who had accused him of assault and abuse. After dating since 2017, the couple called their quits in 2022. They shared an apartment in Los Angeles during a portion of their relationship, where many unsettling events occurred. 

Then, at their Los Angeles home in December 2019, he claimed that she had "attacked him with a pillow" before he had "started to strangle" her. He briefly "strangled" her once again as she attempted to "escape" by leaving the room."When I told him that I was going to start yelling, he let me go," she stated in court docs. The hospital staff sought to involve the police after she told them what had happened, but she was "scared" because her boyfriend had "previously threatened to kill." "He grabbed me by my hair and threw me on the floor," she described another incident in the docs. "When I tried to get up he pushed me down again. He was on top of me and I was able to escape." Images of Funderwhite's ex-girlfriend with bruises on her back, red markings on the side of her face, and a swollen black eye are contained in court records dated March 3, 2020. His mother "intervened and convinced me to not continue with the case," the ex claimed. "She promised me that her son was going to seek psychological help for his anger management issues, but this never happened." 

After three months, the former partner stated that he escalated his aggression and persisted in verbally and psychologically abusing her, causing harm to her mental well-being. According to court records, he "spit on her face" on her birthday in 2020. Later, on September 28, 2020, Eric's former partner claimed that he had a "habit of yelling and calling names to start a fight." "He made a finger gun gesture and pointed to his head. Then, he whispered, 'I will kill you,'" she alleged in the filing. "He made shooting noises after saying this." She continued: "After this threat, I have been scared for my life. "During this whole year, he has been physically, verbally, psychologically, and economically abusing me." The temporary restraining order was put into effect on November 13, 2020, and it remained until December 28, 2020. 

According to court documents, the chateau manager's former partner tried to hire a lawyer but was unable to do so "due to financial hardships." The case was dropped and the temporary restraining order was dissolved on December 28, 2020, because there had been no court appearances.

DOMESTIC ABUSE: If you are being subjected to domestic abuse or know of anyone else who is, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1-800-799-7233, or text LOVEIS to 22522.