Amie Harwick, Ex-Fiancee Of Drew Carey, Killed In Hollywood Hills, Police Say

CBS Los Angeles Staff wrote:LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A celebrity family therapist and the ex-fiancée of comedian Drew Carey was murdered early Saturday morning in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood, and a Playa del Rey man has been arrested in the slaying.

Dr. Amie Harwick was killed at her home and her ex-boyfriend, identified as 41-year-old Gareth Pursehouse, was arrested Saturday afternoon on murder charges, Los Angeles police announced Sunday.

Officers responded to a call of a “woman screaming” in the 2000 block of Mound Street in Hollywood Hills at around 1:16 a.m. Saturday, according to authorities. Police said a roommate told officers that the victim was being assaulted in the house.

The victim was found unresponsive below a third story balcony with significant injuries authorities said were “consistent with a fall.” She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police said they discovered “possible evidence of a struggle” and signs of an intruder.

At around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, an FBI-LAPD Fugitive Task Force arrested Pursehouse outside his home in the 8100 block of Cabora Drive in Playa Del Rey.

Harwick “had recently expressed fear about a former boyfriend and had previously filed a restraining order” against him, which had since expired, police said in a news release. Harwick had seen Pursehouse two weeks prior to the killing, police disclosed.

Harwick was formerly in a relationship with comedian Drew Carey. A rep for Carey confirmed their engagement in February 2018, according to Entertainment Tonight. It’s unclear when the relationship ended.

Harwick had written a book, created podcasts and used social media to talk about her work as a therapist.

Pursehouse is being held on $2 million bail. Investigators are presenting their case to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office for charges.

Taryn Ryder of Yahoo! Entertainment wrote:Drew Carey is grieving the loss of his former fiancée, Dr. Amie Harwick.

Harwick, a well-known family and sex therapist, was killed early Saturday after falling from a balcony inside her Hollywood Hills home. Her ex-boyfriend was arrested for murder. Carey and Harwick ended their engagement in 2018.

"Amie and I had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime," Carey said in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment Monday. "She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist. I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation."

People confirmed in January 2018 The Price Is Right host, 61, and Harwick were engaged. Carey and Harwick were private about their relationship, but attended a few public events together. A rep for the actor said in November 2018 the pair's decision to end their engagement was "very amicable."

TMZ reports The Price Is Right is going on a brief hiatus this week following the tragedy. Episodes were scheduled to shoot on Tuesday and Wednesday; however, audience members got an email about the cancelation Monday morning. Yahoo Entertainment reached out to the show for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Officers responded to a radio call of a "woman screaming" around 1:16 a.m. on Saturday. Harwick, a licensed marriage and family therapist, was found unresponsive and gravely injured on the ground beneath a third-story balcony. She suffered significant injuries consistent with a fall, police say, and died at a nearby hospital. The LAPD noted their investigation revealed possible evidence of a struggle upstairs as well as forced entry to the residence. Surveillance footage led them to identify Harwick's ex-boyfriend as the suspect. Gareth Pursehouse, 41, was arrested for murder Saturday afternoon.

"Detectives learned that the victim had recently expressed fear about a former boyfriend and had previously filed a restraining order against this person," the LAPD said in a press release. "The restraining order had expired and the victim had seen this former boyfriend two weeks ago."

Harwick's patients found her to be a tireless champion of women, too, as people have taken to social media to share how she impacted their lives. Harwick helped many women who were victims of domestic abuse. She was 38.