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Hollywood Therapist Stalked and Murdered by Jealous Ex-Boyfriend
“If I ever disappear or if anything ever happens to me… you know it’s him.”
On 15th February 2020, LAPD responded to a call just after 1am which reported a woman screaming at a residence in Hollywood Hills, California. When police arrived, they were met by a resident who informed them that a woman was being assaulted inside her apartment.
Unfortunately, by the time authorities reached the scene, the body of 38-year-old Dr Amie Harwick was already slumped lifelessly on the ground outside. She had been strangled and thrown over her third storey balcony. Amie was still alive whilst being transported to a nearby hospital, but later died.
Formerly a model, Amie went on to earn a PhD and establish herself as a family and sex therapist, who often worked in the public eye by offering her expertise on podcasts and TV shows. She had also written a successful book entitled “The New Sex Bible for Women: The Complete Guide to Sexual Self-Awareness and Intimacy.”
Investigators quickly learned that Amie had been experiencing some trouble with a scorned ex-partner named Gareth Pursehouse. Despite previously taking out restraining orders against him, Amie still felt afraid and intimated. In 2011, Amie kept written documentation of the abuse she had suffered at his hands, including choking, suffocation, being kicked and punched, and also being pushed forcibly against a wall.
Although Amie had ended her relationship with Pursehouse over 10 years prior, he tracked her down at a professional event in January 2020 and began shouting that she had ruined his life. When later discussing this frightening experience with her best friend, Amie stated: “If I ever disappear of if anything ever happens to me … you know it’s him.”
Unfortunately, Amie’s biggest fears became a reality, and the worst possible thing did cruelly happen to her in her own home - just one hour after the end of Valentine’s Day. Pursehouse lay in wait, strategically planning his attack and waiting for the perfect time to overpower his victim.
