Reggie Watts denies role in ex-girlfriend's Peru death

A Rolling Stone investigation portrays a volatile relationship between Reggie Watts and Katherine Early McCollough, with drugs central to their dynamic and McCollough’s mental health deteriorating before her death by suicide in Peru in March 2026. Watts's attorney Andrew Brettler calls the allegations that he contributed to her death a 'dangerously false' narrative, arguing McCollough was an experienced drug user who did not need his encouragement. McCollough’s sister and friends have described Watts as contributing to her addiction and crisis, fueling public scrutiny and a memorial that highlighted her vibrant, quirky personality. Watts has publicly denied responsibility, noting that their breakup followed her mental health struggles and that he did not encourage her drug use. Reports also point to Watts’s advocacy for ketamine, with some loved ones linking that stance to the downturn in McCollough’s well-being during their relationship. The dispute among family, friends, and Watts’s representatives has kept attention on the couple’s late-2020s relationship and the circumstances surrounding McCollough’s death.