Timeline: The suspicious death of Amie Harwick

In the early morning hours of Feb. 15, 2020, Los Angeles police officers responding to a call for a "woman screaming" found Amie Harwick, 38, lying on the ground battered and unresponsive beneath the third-floor balcony of her Hollywood Hills home. Harwick later died from blunt-force injuries  

The Hollywood therapist's final hours start the day before Valentine's Day 2020.

Feb. 13, 2020: A message of friendship and love

Amie Harwick texts Drew Carey, her former fiancée and host of  CBS' "The Price Is Right," for the first time in a while since their breakup in October 2018.  Carey had introduced Harwick to his audience as his fiancée on Valentine's Day 2018. In the text, Harwick tells Carey in the spirit of friendship and forgiveness she "would love to get together" with him and talk. For his part, Carey was elated to hear from her, and he told her "I would love to do that ... I love you."  They agreed to meet after the Valentine's Day holiday weekend. Tragically, Harwick and Carey, whose first date was at Disneyland, never had that chance to get together again.  

Feb. 14, 2020 | 6:30 a.m.: A sunrise hike

Feb. 14, 2020: Valentine's Day breakfast

Harwick and Cleopatra stopped at the Beachwood Café, where Harwick talked about how happy she was with her professional and personal lives, and how she was looking forward to doing so much more in the future.

Feb. 14, 2020 | 7 p.m.:  A night out with friends

Harwick and several friends showed up at the Globe Theater, where yet another friend, burlesque impresario Miss Tosh, had organized a show with performers celebrating the holiday, whether they were single, or in a romantic relationship. That night, Harwick wore her rosary beaded necklace, which would later become key evidence in her death.

Feb. 14, 2020 | Valentine's night: An ominous event

While Harwick and friends were taking pictures and cheering on the burlesque performers, her roommate – who was asleep on the ground floor of Harwick's home -- was awakened by what he believed was a plate smashing on the floor above him. Thinking it was Harwick, he fell back to sleep. Investigators, however, would later theorize that an intruder was breaking into Harwick's home. 

Feb. 14, 2020 : Around 10 p.m.

Harwick and her friends skip the burlesque after-party and head off to the Nomad for tea. They remain there until after midnight.

Feb. 15, 2020 | 1:02 a.m.: A vicious assault

According to authorities, after pulling into the driveway of her home, Harwick texted a friend at 1:02 a.m. to send her snaps from the Nomad. Moments later, Harwick entered her home and, police say, was viciously attacked as she made it up to her third-floor bedroom by someone who was likely lying-in wait for four hours.

Feb. 15, 2020 | 1:08 a.m.: Amie Harwick's frantic roommate tries to find help

Harwick's roommate was awakened again, but this time by the sounds of Amie screaming and what sounded like bodies slamming to the floor. Unable to find his phone, he initially yelled up the stairs, hoping to scare off the intruder, and then her ran outside, scaled a fence and repeatedly knocked on a neighbor's door. But no one answered.

Feb. 15, 2020 | 1:11 a.m.: Desperate to save Amie Harwick, still searching for help

Harwick's roommate ran across the street to another home, but, again, no one answered. Finally, he spotted someone on the street with a cellphone. They called 911. It was 1:11 a.m.

Feb. 15, 2020: Amie Harwick struggles to survive

Police found Harwick lying 20 feet beneath her bedroom balcony in the courtyard outside her home. She had severe injuries and deep marks on her neck, signs she has been strangled. Harwick was rushed to Cedar Sinai Medical Center Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:26 a.m. 

Feb. 15, 2020: A murder investigation begins

Detectives soon found curious evidence at the scene. There was a trail of Harwick's rosary beads from the necklace she wore that night. The beads led from her TV room, through her bedroom and out onto her bedroom balcony, where they also recovered a syringe filled with liquid.  The needle was a particularly strange piece of evidence since Harwick's friends say she did not smoke, drink or use drugs.

Feb. 15, 2020 | Around 9 a.m.: Police look for answers

Harwick's best friend, Robert Coshland was called down to the police station, where Harwick's roommate was already talking to detectives. Coshland told police about an ex-boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse, who had recently run into Harwick for the first time in eight years at an adult film industry awards ceremony, where Harwick had been accompanying a fellow therapist. Pursehouse, who was a photographer and software engineer, was working the event. Harwick later told Coshland that Pursehouse went ballistic when he saw her, recited texts she had sent eight years earlier, and accused her of ruining his life.

Feb. 15, 2020: A history of domestic violence is revealed

Coshland also told the police that Harwick had told him Pursehouse physically abused her during their relationship. Harwick had filed several domestic violence complaints against Pursehouse and obtained two restraining orders against him nearly a decade before. The complaints included allegations that he had choked her, suffocated her, pushed her against walls and slammed her head into the ground. Harwick also suspected Pursehouse broke into her home, stole her photos and wiped her computer clean nearly four years after their breakup.

Feb. 15, 2020: Drew Carey learns of Amie Harwick's death

When Coshland finished talking to police, he reached out to Drew Carey, letting him know that Harwick was dead. The popular game show host broke down and cried, and told "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty that he remembered at one point he could barely stay on his feet.

Feb. 15, 2020: Amie Harwick's death becomes a homicide investigation

Thirteen hours after Harwick died, detectives showed up at Pursehouse's home and charged him with Harwick's murder. Inside Pursehouse's home, police would later reveal they found a syringe similar to the one they recovered on Harwick's balcony. Prosecutors say that the liquid in the syringe on her balcony was filled with nicotine – which can be used as a poison and that they suspect he planned to use to kill her.

April 16, 2020: Gareth Pursehouse pleads not guilty

September 2021: A preliminary hearing

Lawyers for Pursehouse say he did not kill Harwick, and that her fall from the balcony could have been an accident. A judge, however, ruled that there was enough evidence that the case should go forward. A trial date had not been set.

Sept. 28, 2023: A jury decides

A Los Angeles jury deliberated about two days before convicting Pursehouse of  first-degree murder for the 2020 killing of Harwick. Jurors also found true a special-circumstance allegation of murder while lying in wait. Pursehouse was also found guilty of first-degree burglary of Harwick's home.

Dec. 6, 2023: Gareth Pursehouse sentenced

Pursehouse is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.