Meghan Markle's Nephew Thomas Dooley Under Psych Evaluation After Drug And Sex-Fueled Night In L.A.
He was found wandering the streets wearing only a tiny towel.
Instagram Not only does Meghan Markle have British Royal Tradition to deal with and the British tabloid press to contend with, but she's also got a few very embarrassing family members who seem to go out of their way to point out that they are related to the Duchess of Sussex in very inconvenient ways.
Between her father's actions and her half-sister Samantha being another piece of work, thank goodness her mother is a reasonable human being because Meghan needs someone like that in her inner circle right now. Why? Back in September 2019, her nephew was arrested in Los Angeles after what appeared to have been a drug- and sex-fueled night of debauchery.
Who is Meghan Markle's nephew? Thomas Dooley was apprehended on September 26, 2019 while he was running through the mean streets of Hollywood wearing only a tiny towel, speaking gibberish and appearing out of his mind high on drugs. The 28-year-old recently separated from his husband, which may have prompted the incident. Dooley was also charged with resisting arrest after an officer was injured trying to arrest him.
And now, after appearing in court, he's begging the judge to allow him to receive help for his mental health, rather than serve time in jail. Let's look at all the details leading up to what happened, and if Meghan has made any comment on the matter.
1. Who is Meghan Markle's nephew? Thomas Dooley is related to Markle through his father.
Thomas Dooley is one of two sons of Meghan Markle's estranged half-brother from Oregon, Thomas Markle, Jr., and his ex-wife, Tracy Dooley. Thomas Markle Jr., 53, and Meghan share the same father, who, of course, is also estranged from his daughter.
2. It was an epic bender.
Thomas Dooley was on an epic bender prior to his arrest. He was allegedly driving someone else's Lexus and the state the car was found in was, well, interesting to say the least. The owner of the car is furious and hired a private detective to find the Lexus.
When he did, he described the car's condition: “There was a huge black penis-shaped sex toy on the floor, and another in the same bag as a toothbrush. The whole car stunk of weed and there was a pipe that had some sort of black residue on it — I don’t know if it was crack or crystal meth or something else, but it smelled bad.”
In photos, gay porn videos are also visible on the floor of the car. There was also vomit found in and on the car.
3. What is his relationship with Meghan?
Meghan was close to her nephews when she was younger and used to babysit them. Thomas, his brother Tyler, and mom Tracy were not invited to Meghan's wedding to Prince Harry. Despite this, the trio traveled to London anyway.
They took many photos at various tourist locations and shared them on their social media pages. Because they are Meghan's embarrassing family, they've also given a number of interviews about her to the press.
4. His brother is a cannabis farmer.
Thomas' younger brother, Tyler, 26, is a cannabis farmer in Oregon who has made and marketed various strains after his famous aunt. He marketed a strain called "Meghan Sparkle" and one called "Archie Sparkle," capitalizing on his ties to the Duchess of Sussex.
Tyler has said, “Prince Harry enjoys a good party. I’d be happy to show them around if they ever come out here and educate them on the medicinal benefits of marijuana which helps everything from post-traumatic stress syndrome to insomnia to pain in cancer patients.”
He was also asked about how he feels about his father, aunt Samantha and grandfather selling Meghan out. He said, "It was never like we had a super tight-knit family before, to be honest. But the fact that now the whole world gets to see how my father or Aunt Samantha behaves, it's like an open wound for everyone to see. That's the hardest part, the fact that there is no privacy. It's hard to deal with. It's embarrassing and sad all at the same time. My father and Aunt Samantha have sold my grandfather out, sold my family out, sold Meghan out. It has been hard to deal with.”
That said, when Tyler was in London at the time of Meghan and Prince Harry's wedding — which he was not invited to —he was caught trying to carry a large knife into a nightclub.
5. What about the half-brother?
Fifty-two-year-old Thomas Markle, Jr. is a window fitter in Oregon. In January 2018, he was reportedly arrested for holding a gun to a woman's head during an argument. He was allegedly drunk at the time.
He was charged with menacing, pointing a firearm at another person, and unlawful use of a weapon.
6. Dooley's former lover spoke out.
Martin Zepeda, Dooley's former lover, claims that Dooley spiraled into drugs, claiming to have seen Dooley "smoke meth at least 15 times in a 24-hour period" and also witnessed him buy acid. Zepeda also expressed that it would be best for Dooley to go into rehab since his addiction has become so bad that "he fears for [Dooley's] life."
7. Thomas Dooley has since appeared in court.
At the time of his arrest, he was held on $25,000 bail. When he was released, he is said to have gone off the grid and into hiding. His estranged husband Ronnie claimed he had no idea where Thomas was or how to reach him.
On January 7, 2020, Dooley appeared in court, where his attorney asked the judge to delay the case. Dooley will appear in court next in February, but because he's facing up to three years in prison, he pleaded with the judge to put him in a mental health program rather than lock him up. The judge, Gustavo Sztraicher, asked prosecutors to review the mental health plan before he rules on it.
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based writer and editor covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.