The cause of death of beloved San Francisco drag performer Heklina has finally been confirmed, more than three years after she was found dead in London — bringing a prolonged and heavily criticised police investigation to a close.
Heklina, 55, died on 3 April 2023 while in London with longtime friend and collaborator Peaches Christ to perform their drag parody Mommie Queerest.
An inquest held on 15 September concluded that she died from acute mixed drug toxicity.
Authorities found cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, GHB and ketamine in her system and determined the substances had been consumed voluntarily over a period of around 48 hours.
Police say they found no evidence that another person caused Heklina’s death or that it should be treated as suspicious.
Three Men Seen Leaving The Flat
Questions around Heklina’s death had intensified after CCTV footage showed three men leaving the Soho flat where she was staying during the early hours of 3 April.
The footage was not released publicly until January 2025, almost two years after her death.
Police appealed for help identifying the men, but they have not been publicly identified and no charges have been brought.
The Met has now concluded that there is no evidence of third-party involvement.
That finding closes the criminal investigation, but it does not erase the frustration Heklina’s friends and chosen family have expressed over how long it took to reach that point.
Met Admits Investigation Fell Short
The Metropolitan Police has acknowledged significant failings in its handling of the case.
An internal review by the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards found that two officers mishandled aspects of the investigation, while the case was passed between four separate teams of detectives.
Police have also apologised for poor communication with Heklina’s next of kin.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah said the investigation “did not meet the high standards we expect of ourselves”.
For Heklina’s friends, those failures were already painfully apparent.
Peaches Christ previously said she and Heklina’s next of kin struggled for updates after returning to the United States and felt they were repeatedly ignored.
Drag Community Demanded Answers
More than 100 people gathered outside New Scotland Yard in 2025 to protest the handling of Heklina’s case.
The demonstration included Peaches Christ, Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic and drag performers including Crystal and Cheddar Gorgeous.
They argued that the delays, poor communication and lack of urgency reflected wider problems in the Metropolitan Police’s relationship with LGBTQ+ communities.
Crystal described the investigation as having been handled “about as badly as you can imagine”, pointing to the 2023 Casey Review of the Met.
That review concluded the force suffered from institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia.
The Met has acknowledged its failings in Heklina’s case but has disputed suggestions that homophobia influenced the investigation.
For those closest to her, however, the three-and-a-half-year wait for basic answers has remained central to their criticism.
Remembering A San Francisco Drag Legend
Heklina was one of the defining figures of San Francisco drag.
She founded the influential drag night Trannyshack in 1996 and later co-founded the LGBTQ+ nightclub Oasis, helping create stages for generations of queer performers.
Known for her dark humour, confrontational style and unwavering commitment to drag, she became a mentor, collaborator and chosen family member to countless people within the queer arts community.
Peaches Christ had worked with her for 27 years and was the person who discovered Heklina after returning to their London accommodation.
The newly confirmed cause of death finally answers one of the major questions surrounding that morning.
But for Heklina’s friends and community, the story has never been only about how she died.
It is also about why it took more than three years to get answers — and whether lessons from the failures acknowledged by police will change how queer people are treated in future investigations.
