Drew Carey calls for end to domestic violence after ex-fiancee Amie Harwick was killed by ‘abusive stalker’ ex-boyfriend
COMEDIAN Drew Carey is calling for domestic violence law reforms after his ex-fiance, famous sex therapist Amie Harwick, was murdered in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Carey, the 61-year-old host of The Price is Right, shared a Change.org petition called “Justice 4 Amie” on Twitter and asked his followers to “please sign” or “chip in if you can.”
He and Harwick, 38, began dating in 2017, became engaged in early 2018, but split less than a year later.
The host said he was “overcome with grief” after her death, which cops claim was at the hands of Harwick’s ex-boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse.
Harwick had a restraining order against Pursehouse, 41 — but it recently expired.
He was arrested hours after Harwick’s death on Saturday, but was released on $2 million bond three days later.
The Change.org petition, made by friend Diana Arias and directed at California local and state legislators, says Harwick “was murdered as a result of poor laws not protecting the victims and treating the offenders.”
“Amie had a restraining order in place against a violent ex boyfriend from a decade ago. The restraining order expired.”
“This man for years clearly needed treatment. She should have never had to be in this situation like so many other victims.”
Harwick claimed in the restraining orders that Pursehouse had once pushed her out of car and left her stranded along a highway after the two got into an argument.
A month prior to the car incident, Harwick said Pursehouse “choked me, suffocated me, pushed me against walls, kicked me” and forcefully threw her to the ground, TMZ reported of the court docs.
She detailed the numerous injuries she allegedly sustained from the attacks, including bruising to her neck, back, legs and arms.
Although a judge granted her a temporary restraining order in July 2011, her case was dismissed after she failed to show up for a court hearing.
Harwick filed a second restraining order less than a year later in April 2012 after Pursehouse allegedly broke into her apartment and smashed 10 picture frames.
He even sent a threatening text that read: “things will get worse,” court documents show.
Harwick’s friends claim Pursehouse stalked the sex therapist and found her at a porn awards show last month just weeks before her death.
Friends of Harwick told the Los Angeles Times it seemed to “reignite his obsessive preoccupation with her.”
“It was the absolute worst possible luck,” fellow Los Angeles sex therapist Hernando Chaves said.
Another one of her pals, Vera Duffy, added: “She said that when he saw her, he just went ballistic. He lost it. He made a scene.
“She was very scared. She said, ‘What am I going to do?’ I let my roommate know, I have home security.”
Harwick told Duffy that Pursehouse blamed her for ruining his life.
Cops — who say Harwick previously told them she was scared of an ex-boyfriend — were called to her home in Los Angeles just after 1am on Saturday about a “woman screaming.”
When they arrived on scene, they met Harmick’s roommate outside of the building, as he had fled the place to try to call for help, and he told them Harmick was being assaulted inside.
Harwick was found with grave injuries after apparently falling from a third-floor balcony and was unconscious — and later died at a hospital.
There was evidence of forced entry into the victim’s home and signs of a struggle inside, cops said.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office found Harwick died of blunt force injuries to her head and torso, and there were signs of “manual strangulation.”
The petition, which had more than 30,000 signatures as of Wednesday morning, seeks to change laws regarding restraining orders.
“People shouldn’t have to die to make changes,” it reads.
“If Amie’s murder can save countless other lives like she was doing when she was alive then it makes this pain of her death not in vain.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
Carey said in a statement that he and Amie “had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime.”
“She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist.”
“I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation.”
Do you have a story for The U.S. Sun team?
Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212-416-4552.