Amie Harwick's parents respond to killer’s defense in exclusive interview | Forensic Files

more than three years after Amy Harwick was killed her parents Tom and Penny sat
through Gareth pers House's trial even the most graphic moments but the Harwick were not alone a small army of Amy's
friends including Rudy Torres were also in the courtroom this is the last thing I could ever do for her in their opening
statements prosecutors told jurors what they believe happened in the early morning of February 15
2020 Dr Amy arck was murdered by defendant g p house because he was obsessed with it he strangled her lifted
her up over the balcony and dropped her to her death I just pray that Amy was unconscious when she was when she went
over the balcony nothing could prepare the Harwick to hear for the first time ever Gareth pers House's explanation
about what happened the night Amy died defense attorney Evan franzel claims that running into Amy in January 2020 at
an award show had allegedly sent purse house into a deep debilitating depression and the only way out of it
was to talk to Amy on Valentine's Day 2020 what was your reaction to that bull to put it bluntly they're making up
stories because they have no defense the defense tells the jurors they will hear
from an Accident Reconstructionist who will show that Amy fell on her own franel then shows the jury two images a
screenshot of the Reconstruction showing an animated figure hanging from the balcony and an undated photo of Amy
posing on top of a balcony railing you'll see that she had a certain Comfort level with the balcony railing
beautiful young lady wasn't she she looked glorious what was your reaction ridiculous I couldn't take it seriously
it was just so far-fetched to me she's been strangled she's debilitated so for her to then walk
climb over a 3-foot rail do all that it doesn't seem seem reasonable it seems actually unreasonable the defense's
opening concludes with this damning admission yes gar first house was waiting in her home he broke into her
home had he not been there she wouldn't have died that night that is not in dispute he set a chain of actions into
motions that led to her death but the evidence will show that he never intended on killing
her the prosecution then presented its evidence to prove that Gareth pous did intend to kill Amy Harwick dozens of
witnesses testified for this date including Amy's roommate Michael Herman who was in Amy's house the night she was
killed Michael described for the jury how after Gareth pers house confronted Amy about a month before her murder Amy
had been concerned about French doors that pers house would later use to break into her home Amy had met with
a handyman I remember uh they were over by the the glass doors and Amy was pointing it out and telling him we need
to secure this prosecutors also played this tape jail conversation between pers house and his friends after his arrest I
guess I'm officially a bad boy now right I've always been kind of just a couple of weeks after he's been arrested for
murder he's laughing with his friends you never hear any moment of concern for Amy during that call yeah so it's not
great I'm not getting out of here why was that important I think that's one piece of evidence to show a
consciousness of guilt so he knows what's coming because the evidence shows what he did it proves what he did during
the state's closing arguments it was Amy Harwick herself who had the last word prosecutor Mariano read an email Amy
wrote to herself hours after the January 2020 encounter with pers house tonight I
felt very scared G came up behind me and started screaming I'm pretty nervous that I'm more on his radar now it
terrifies me that he's obsessed with me for 9 years thinks about me every day he's focused on harming me that's the
closest we've ever had to to a victim testifying in their murder I thought it was extremely
devastating

Amie Harwick's mother called the defense of her daughter's killer, "Bull-----, to put it bluntly."

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com

Brief Summary

The episode covers Gareth Pershouse's trial for murdering Amy Harwick, featuring emotional testimonies and evidence of his obsession with her.

Key points

Trial of Gareth Pers House. The trial reveals the harrowing details surrounding Amy Harwick's murder.
Amy's Last Words. Prosecutors read an email from Amy expressing her fear of Gareth's obsession.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I just pray that Amy was unconscious when she went over the balcony.

A parent's hope during a trial.

0:38WatchFeb 9, 2024

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.