Almost three and a half years later, the London Metropolitan Police Service has closed the case on the death of Heklina, who was found unresponsive by friend Peaches Christ in the London flat they were sharing in April 2023.The cause of death, as the Chronicle reports following a police press confer ence, was acute mixed drug toxicity, and investigators say they "found no evidence to suggest third party involvement or that [the] death was suspicious."Heklina, aka Steven Grygelko, died on April 3, 2023, while on tour in London with the drag parody Mommie Queerest, co-starring Peaches Christ. The two had just arrived in the city, and as Peaches, aka Joshua Grannell, later recounted, she had given her friend some space to do drugs and party, which she often did when she was out of town — Heklina was otherwise primarily sober in her regular life.After spending two nights in a hotel, Peaches returned to the flat to find the door slightly ajar, and Heklina on the floor, in drag, hands at the side of her head, deceased.The autopsy found that, in a span of 48 hours, Heklina had consumed a lethal combination of cocaine, MDMA, meth, GHB, and ketamine, and apparently some other substances.Early on, the London Metro Police suggested that they did not believe foul play was involved in the death, but subsequent actions by the police department suggested a clear lack of attention being given to the case. The department, which has faced accusations of homophobic bias in recent years, came under fire last year over this case specifically, with Peaches and Heklina's longtime friend and executor Nancy French calling attention to the police having slow-walked and seemingly abandoned the case altogether.Following an autopsy in early April 2023, the police declined to share any results, and it would, strangely, be nearly two years before the department revealed that they had surveillance footage of three men leaving the flat where Heklina died, and they were asking for the public's help in identifying the men. The men were apparently identified and questioned in the case, and all allegedly said that when they left the flat Heklina was still alive — though one said she appeared "energetic" and other two said she was somewhat "lethargic" when they left.The release of the surveillance footage led to further outrage, and to Peaches flying to London to participate in a Justice for Heklina protest last March."For me, trust was broken when the police failed us so profoundly that I had to protest publicly before we began to receive answers," Peaches tells the Chronicle, adding that she has "mixed emotions" about the final determination in the case. "Because of those failures, I may always wonder whether we truly know everything that happened in that apartment."Peaches added that she hopes the uproar over this case "helped move the dial — even slightly — so that the police improve how they investigate cases involving queer victims."French tells the Chronicle, "From the beginning, the London Met Police were unnecessarily secretive and dismissive of this case showing pure incompetence, disrespect and unwillingness to answer questions," and she says she hopes it is a "teaching moment" for them when it comes to the handling of LGBTQ+ cases.French also says she hopes Heklina's death serves as a cautionary tale to those in the sober community who can be "prone to binge behavior," as this was ultimately Heklina's undoing.Heklina founded the drag show Trannyshack in the late 1990s, and its name was subsequently changed to Mother when it became a touring event. She was a co-founder and host of Daytime Realness, a monthly seasonal party that just celebrated its 15th anniversary. She went on to be a co-owner and co-founder of Oasis, the nightclub, in 2015, before divesting herself of that ownership in 2019 and relocating to Palm Springs. Oasis just reopened with a new funding base and nonprofit arm after facing closure last year.Previously: London Police Admit 'Investigative Bias' In Heklina Death Probe as They Try to Unlock Cellphone ...read more read less