Hollywood Therapist Murdered By Ex-Boyfriend, Police Say

HOLLYWOOD, CA — A 41-year-old Playa del Rey man was arrested for the murder of a prominent Hollywood family therapist, Los Angeles police said Sunday.

Amie Harwick, 38, was a well-known therapist in West Hollywood who specialized in family and sex counseling, CNN reported. She was formerly engaged to Drew Carey, the comedian and host of "The Price is Right."

Gareth Pursehouse, Harwick's former boyfriend, was arrested about 4:30 p.m. Saturday and booked for Harwick's murder, according to jail records and the LAPD. He is being held on $2 million bail.

On Saturday, about 1:15 a.m., LAPD officers responded to a call about a woman screaming in the 2000 block of Mound Street in the Hollywood Hills, the department said.

When officers arrived, they were met by the victim's roommate, who was in the street, the LAPD said. He told the officers Harwick was being assaulted inside her home. The roommate had left the house, jumped a wall and went to neighbors to call for police.

Responding officers found Harwick lying on the ground beneath a third- story balcony, the LAPD said. She was gravely injured and unresponsive. Paramedics took her to the hospital, where she later died.

The investigation found evidence of a forced entry and struggle inside the home, the LAPD reported. A canvass of the area found additional evidence of the killer entering the property and leaving.

Detectives learned that Harwick had recently talked about her fear of a former boyfriend, Pursehouse, police said. She had taken out a restraining order against him but the order had since expired. Harwick had reportedly seen Pursehouse about two weeks before her death. Agents from the FBI-LAPD fugitive task force arrested Pursehouse outside his residence in the 8100 block of Cabora Drive in Playa del Rey.

Harwick was a published author. According to TMZ, she and Carey started dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in early 2018, but split up later that year.

"I hope you’re lucky enough to have someone in your life that loves as much as she did," Carey tweeted Monday afternoon, including a video clip of the couple.

Anyone with information on this murder or about Pursehouse was asked to call West bureau homicide detectives at 213-382-9470 or the LAPD's 24-hour tipline at 877-527-3247. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

City News Service contributed to this report.