Amie Harwick, Drew Carey's Ex-Fiancée, Was Murdered in February 2020 — A Look at the Tragic Story

Licensed marriage and family therapist and author Dr. Amie Harwick died on Feb. 15, 2020, as a result of a long fall from the third floor of her Los Angeles apartment's balcony. Harwick was best known publicly for writing the book The Sex Bible and for appearing in the documentary Addicted to Sexting. She received her bachelor's degree from California Polytechnic University and her masters in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University.

She also was once engaged to comedian and host Drew Carey in 2018, though the couple split by the end of the year.

While Harwick's death is tragic because she was just 38 years old, and because her sex positive rhetoric was valued by so many, the news of her passing was especially shocking because her death was not an accident. Harwick was murdered by someone previously close to her. In March 2024, her killer was finally brought to justice. What happened to Amie Harwick? Here's what we know.

Authorities were called to Harwick's Los Angeles apartment complex in the early morning hours of Feb. 15, 2020, after her male roommate called to report a break-in. According to reports, when authorities arrived, it was evident that somebody had forced their way into the apartment, and a struggle then took place.

The male roommate had jumped over a wall to get to a neighboring apartment, which was where he placed the call to police.

Shortly after the police arrived to the residence, they found Harwick lying on the ground in grave condition, three stories below her apartment's balcony.

She was taken to a local hospital, but she did not survive her injuries.

Harwick's killer was already gone by the time police arrived, but surveillance videos soon revealed that her ex-boyfriend Gareth Pursehouse had entered and subsequently exited the apartment around the time of the slaying.

The 41-year-old had dated Harwick for an unknown period of time, but their relationship soured. Harwick had successfully gotten a restraining order against her ex, but it expired several weeks before her murder. She had seen him a few weeks before her death, but it is also unclear what the nature of said interaction was. Pursehouse was arrested for her murder by 4:30 p.m. on the day of her death.

In December 2023, nearly four years after Harwick's murder, Pursehouse was sentenced to life in prison, per Page Six. The jury deliberated for two days after lawyers gave their closing arguments two months prior to sentencing. Prosecutors had argued that Pursehouse was unable to get over the fact that he and Harwick were no longer in a relationship.

Harwick's friend Rudy Torres told KABC in February 2020 that Pursehouse was stalking his ex-girlfriend. "He'd do stupid stuff and say stupid stuff. You'd tell him, 'Move on, dude, leave her alone.' And he wouldn't," said Torres.

Pursehouse was remanded to Wasco State Prison on Scofield, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2024. As of the time of this writing, there is no possibility for parole.

Harwick and the Price is Right host announced their engagement in February 2018. The news came as a surprise to many longtime fans of the comedian, as he had famously never been down the aisle. By the end of 2018, it was reported that the couple had ended their relationship. Shortly after her death, Carey told People that he and Harwick "had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime."

After Pursehouse was finally tried, convicted, and sentenced, Carey told People in March 2024 that "it feels like we've all let out a breath and are able to finally move on." He also said that she would be "with him always," and felt like he could still hear her voice sometimes. "It's really nice, honestly," said Carey.