Friend who found drag legend Heklina dead in Soho flat gets apology from Met Police
Heklina was found dead at a flat in London in April 2023. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for Clusterfest)
The Metropolitan Police has issued an apology over its investigation into the death of San Francisco drag queen Heklina, who was found dead in London in April 2023.
Heklina – real name Stefan Grygelko – was in the UK at the time of her death as she was set to perform Mommie Queerest, a musical parody of 1981 film Mommy Dearest, at the Soho Theatre in London and HOME in Manchester, alongside fellow drag star Peaches Christ.
Grygelko was found unresponsive by Peaches Christ, real name Joshua Grannell, at a property in Soho Square on 3 April 2023 and was pronounced dead at the scene under circumstances police referred to as “unexpected”.
The artist was 54 years old at the time of her death and was remembered as a “beloved and iconic pioneer in our community and a legend of the San Francisco drag scene”, with drag superstar Trixie Mattel describing her as “punk rock and made drag what it is today.”
Nearly two years after the star’s death, in January 2025, the Met Police released CCTV images of three men who were at Heklina’s flat in the early hours of 3 April and issued an appeal asking them – or anyone who knows them – to come forward.
Speaking to the BBC, Grannell said he is “furious” it had taken almost two years for police to make a public appeal and believes the slow process of the investigation could be down to “homophobia”.
Grannell accused the Met Police of treating him and Heklina as “trash” and said he was not given consistent updates as he was originally promised by the force.
“When I left London they had assigned me with a family liaison officer. They convinced me that we would be updated weekly, that we would be included in the process, that we would be informed of anything.
“I got on that plane, and every email went unanswered for months and months. They just completely ignored us,” he said.
“I hate being the person who incorrectly would cry homophobia, if it’s not homophobia. But they have left me no choice.”
In March 2023, a month prior to Heklina’s death, a review into the force by Baroness Casey found the Met is institutionally homophobic, racist, and misogynistic.
“Deep in its culture it is uncomfortable talking about racism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of discrimination,” Casey wrote.
A spokesperson for the force said prior to the CCTV appeal “a number of enquiries” had been been undertaken.
Issuing an apology on behalf of the force, detective chief superintendent Christina Jessah said she appreciated Grannell and Heklina’s wider family and friends “had been frustrated by the pace of the investigation”.
She said: “We apologise and will be taking steps to correct this.”
When Grannell discovered Heklina’s body, he wrote a post on social media sharing his shock.
“I am shocked and horrified to bring this news to you. I am living in a real-life nightmare so forgive me if I don’t have all the answers just now. This morning, in London, England I went to collect my dear friend Heklina, who is co-starring with me in a Mommie Queerest show here, and found her dead,” he wrote.
“I do not know the cause of death yet. I know this is shocking news and I am beyond stunned, but I wanted to let folks know what has happened. Heklina is not just my best friend, but a beloved icon of our community.”
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