Porn star Mercedes Grabowski, aka August Ames, died on Tuesday. Her death is suspected to be suicide

A gay porn actor who was among the people trashing adult film star August Ames on social media is shooting down claims he had anything to do with her death.
23-year-old born Mercedes Grabowski, known by her stage name August Ames, was found dead last week of a suspected suicide in California.
Ames was found around 3:45am hanging in a public park 20 minutes from her home in Camarillo on Tuesday. The ME ruled the cause of death as asphyxiation due to hanging. Her death occurred just days after she was forced to defend herself against online critics who accused her of being homophobic, after she went public with her decision not to work with an unidentified actor who had previously shot gay porn.
Sources said neither drugs nor alcohol was found at the death scene of  the actress who had previously struggled with bipolar disorder and bouts of depression
Cyber trolls bullied Ames, who cited safety reasons in choosing not to work with an actor who had previously shot gay porn.
After just  four years in the business, Ames was a bonfide star in the adult entertainment movie industry with more than 270 X-rated films to her credit.
Her popularity had risen steadily since she nabbed a nomination for Best New Starlet at the 2015 AVN Awards, as well as being nominated for Female Performer of the Year in 2016, 2017 and the upcoming 2018 Awards.
Ames was cyberbullied on Twitter in recent days, accused her of being homophobic after she posted a warning on Twitter on wrote Dec. 3.

Ames posted this warning on Twitter on wrote Dec. 3.

Shortly after posting the tweet, Ames was forced to defend herself against a flood of online harassers. I’m “NOT homophobic” she wrote, just being careful.

Ames let her followers know she would not  “not put [her] body at risk,” working along guys she could not vouch for their health.
A day later, on Dec. 4, she expressed frustration with the criticism.

Again Ames defended herself after a user responded to the tweet urging her to apologize.

Ames explodes “F–k you guys … I CHOOSE who I have inside my body. No hate”

Among those who took issue with her decision was gay porn stars Ryan Rose and Jaxton Wheeler.
Rose accused Ames of “spreading homophobia.”  Wheeler in a profanity-laced video said that gay and straight porn studios take the same testing and safety precautions against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and added that it’s rare for performers to ever ask to see the STI testing results of other performers.

Bi-sexual adult film actor, Jaxton Wheeler sent a message urging Ames to kill herself with a cyanide pill, allegedly after she refused to act alongside him in a movie – because he had participated in gay porn

“The world is awaiting your apology or for you to swallow a cyanide pill. Either or we’ll take it,” he wrote.
Wheeler’s tweet was published after Ames’ death, and it doesn’t appear that he was aware of her suicide when he published his message.
The two had previously exchanged notes on Twitter the day before her death, when Ames told Wheeler that she never said gay performers don’t get tested.
Backlash against Wheeler was swift, including exclusion from work by major industry production company, Evil Angel, which tweeted that Wheeler would never shoot a scene for them again.
The beleaguered Wheeler defended himself Sunday, explaining that he was simply upset that Ames was spreading false information about the gay porn industry’s STD testing regulations.
“The idea that I played any role in her decision is erroneous, as is the idea I demanded her death,” he said.
Pointing out that he too has received death threats and was fired from two upcoming shoots., Wheeler said “All adult professionals have the same screening and testing protocols. As a performer, she knew that, but she put it out there to her half-million Twitter followers who didn’t. Now they believed it. It struck a huge nerve.”

August Ames penned a note to her family and friends apologizing before taking her life in a public park on Tuesday

Acknowledging that his language had been unnecessarily harsh, Wheeler said he was “saddened” by Ames’ death.
“I acknowledge that I responded with emotions and an unfortunate choice of words. None of my aggression was directed at August nor her ability to consent to who she decides to work with,” he wrote. “My issue was with the misinformation that exists within the adult industry on crossover talent… I go through the same rigorous, regular testing all talent does.”