Questions Arise After Young Man Dies in West Hollywood Home of Dem Donor

Gemmel Moore, 26, died of a reported meth overdose at the home of political activist Ed Buck.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

August 10 2017 3:41 PM EST

August 11 2017 2:45 AM EST

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The family of Gemmel Moore wants answers after the 26-year-old Texas man died of a drug overdose while at the home of Ed Buck, an influential West Hollywood man, a reliable Democratic donor, and member of the Stonewall Democratic Club's political action committee.

Moore died of a methamphetamine overdose the evening of July 27, according to a report in WeHo Times.

LaTisha Nixon, Moore's mother, told WeHo Times she was informed by police that no drugs were found in Buck's home and he has not been charged with a crime.

Magazine editor and transgender activist Ashlee Marie Preston also wants answers. She sees a pattern in Moore's death and sees Buck as another "wealthy white [man] who exploit[s] disenfranchised communities of color."

Moore, who lived in Texas and was unemployed, recently flew to Los Angeles, according to reports. Nixon told WeHo Times that her son had known Buck for a while. She claimed her son had once filed a police report after allegedly being forcibly injected with drugs by Buck. The newspaper could not verify the police report.

Buck has been a big donor in local races in West Hollywood as well as national elections. He gave thousands to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and the former secretary of State even posed for pictures with him.