(NewsNation) — The brother of a well-known Hollywood sex therapist who was found dead in 2020 believes she died because of “jealousy” from her ex-boyfriend, who is now on trial for murder.
Harwick died early Feb. 15, 2020, after falling 20 feet from her bedroom balcony. Prosecutors allege her ex-boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse, killed her in a fit of rage after breaking into her home and waiting there for hours for her to come home before strangling her and throwing her off the balcony.
“I believe that my sister was murdered because of jealousy, because of rage, because of somebody who couldn’t let go of these feelings that they’ve had for over a decade,” Harwick’s brother Chris said Friday on “CUOMO.”
A syringe filled with a lethal dose of nicotine was also found on the balcony. The defense is claiming Pursehouse was suicidal and intended to use it on himself. They claim Harwick fell from the balcony by accident.
One of Amie Harwick’s friends testified at trial this week that days before her death, Harwick had said she was in fear after running into Pursehouse at an awards show.
“She told me how she ran into an ex of hers, a very old ex,” Rollins recalled in court. “That he kind of went a little crazy and was triggered when he saw her and got into a fetal position on the ground, crying and reciting texts that they had had from a long time before.”
Pursehouse’s defense attorneys claimed he went into a deep depression after unexpectedly running into Harwick at that awards show, and evidence will show he had no intention of killing her.
Chris Harwick said that while he doesn’t know much about the relationship between Pursehouse and his sister, he doesn’t believe Pursehouse exhibited any signs while they were dating that would have been a red flag.
Amie Harwich had a high-profile engagement to comedian and “Price is Right” host Drew Carey in 2018. The two had called it quits before she died but remained close.
The defense team has subpoenaed Carey to testify, but it’s unclear if he will take the stand.
Harwick’s 2012 breakup with Pursehouse was long before that, but friends say he was obsessed and threatening, prompting two restraining orders against him, the second of which had expired.
Pursehouse faces life in prison if he is convicted.
NewsNation producer Liz Jassin and correspondent Nancy Loo contributed to this report.