Amie Harwick’s Ex-Boyfriend Convicted of Her Murder, Faces Potential Life Sentence

Gareth Pursehouse was found guilty of murder after throwing Harwick — who was once Drew Carey’s fiancée — over a balcony in 2020

Gareth Pursehouse, the ex-boyfriend of Hollywood sex therapist Amie Harwick — who was once Drew Carey’s fiancé — has been convicted of her murder and faces a potential life sentence without parole, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Pursehouse, 45, was found guilty of murder after throwing Harwick over a balcony at her Hollywood Hills residence in February 2020, according to a Thursday news release from District Attorney George Gascón.

“Today, justice has been served for Amie Harwick and her loved ones who have endured unimaginable pain throughout this terrible ordeal,” Gascón said, per the release. “Our thoughts and support remain with them as they begin to heal. I want to commend the diligent work and dedication of the prosecution team from the Major Crimes Division who worked to secure this conviction.”

With the special circumstance allegation lying in wait, Pursehouse was also found guilty of first-degree residential burglary, and he remains at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, according to the release.

Attorney Robin Bernstein-Lev portrayed Pursehouse as a man in turmoil in the defense’s closing arguments earlier this week, implying that he was unable to move on after the end of his relationship with Harwick, according to ABC 7.

"He can't get past this, and it demolishes him to have to acknowledge this to her," Bernstein-Lev said in court, where a series of disturbing texts and voicemails from Pursehouse to Harwick were played for the jury, per the outlet. "He's not manipulating her. He's revealing his darkest secret to her."

The brutal murder unfolded on Valentine’s Day in 2020 when Harwick, 38, returned to her Hollywood Hills home after a night out with friends at a burlesque show.

In court documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time, prosecutors alleged that Pursehouse was waiting for her inside the three-story home, attacking Harwick at about 1 a.m. on Feb. 15, and strangling her in the bedroom. When Pursehouse heard Harwick’s roommate screaming for help, he threw her over the wrought-iron balcony, according to prosecutors.

Related: Amie Harwick Tried to 'Deescalate' Terrifying Encounter with Ex a Month Before Her Killing: Friend

After falling 20 feet to the backyard patio, Harwick was barely clinging to life. Police officers at the scene said they could hear faint breathing, but she died two hours later at the hospital.

The medical examiner ruled that Harwick died in a homicide from blunt force trauma to the head and torso, along with manual strangulation.

Related: Drew Carey Attends Former Fiancée Amie Harwick's Wake

In April of that year, Carey, 65, opened up about his ex-fiancé’s death, and how forgiveness was a part of his healing journey, on an episode of The Talk @ Home. 

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“After Amie’s murder, I took a week off. Really, I couldn’t function,” the Price is Right host said. “My first day back we taped the high school show for ‘Kids Week.’ It was all high school kids. It was my very first show back, and everybody knew what happened to me. And so I took time during the break to talk to these kids.”

“I wish he never did it. I wish he never met her,” Carey continued. He added, “I really try to practice instant forgiveness and unconditional love. The closest you can get to that, the better you are.”

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