Coroner Finds Evidence of Strangulation in Harwick Death

LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner ruled the death of sex and family therapist Amy Harwick a homicide, and reported evidence of manual strangulation was found. Gareth Pursehouse, a former boyfriend and reported stalker of Harwick, was re-arrested on a no-bail warrant charging him with Harwick’s murder. The 41-year-old Pursehouse was originally arrested hours after Harwick was found unresponsive on the ground outside a third-story balcony at her Hollywood Hills home early Feb. 15—she was pronounced dead later at a local hospital—and was released three days later after posting a $2 million bond. He was re-arrested on Feb. 19 on the muder charge, as well as first-degree residential burglary with the special circumstance of lying in wait, according to Page Six reports. The new charges make Pursehouse eligible for the death penalty. His arrangement is scheduled for March 4. Harwick specialized in family and sex counseling. She had become involved with Pineapple Support, and recently began facilitating a weekly support group focusing on performer well-being. She also worked with the organization during the Pineapple Support Summit in October, and worked with performers directly in workshops and more. Author of The New Sex Bible for Women and a former Playboy model, Harwick was an advocate for sex workers. The romantic relationship between Harwick and Pursehouse ended several years ago, and she had filed two restraining orders against him in the ensuring years. None of the orders were in place at the time of her death. Various news agencies have reported Pursehouse had confronted Harwick two weeks before her death, and that she had expressed concern about him.