R. Gregory Stevens, 42, was a houseguest of the actress in Hollywood for Oscar weekend, the Washington Times says. She found his body Saturday morning, hours after they attended a pre-Oscar party Friday night at the home of CAA chief Bryan Lourd, Fisher's ex-husband [see update below]. Other party guests included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Robin Williams, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Penelope Cruz and Pierce Brosnan, the WashTimes said. Stevens was co-chairman of the Bush/Cheney Entertainment Task Force and an associate of the Washington lobbying group Barbour, Griffith & Rogers. From the WT:

A native of San Clemente, Calif., Mr. Stevens began his career working for the California Republican Party, and later worked on the Bush/Quayle 1988 presidential campaign.

After President Bush's election, Mr. Stevens served as White House liaison to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he managed all White House transition issues, according to his official biography.

From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Stevens was an associate with Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly, an international public affairs and lobbying firm. He advised foreign and domestic clients, and worked on presidential elections in Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Thailand and the Philippines.

"His real strength was as a campaign guy," Republican strategist and Mr. Stevens' former boss Charlie Black said yesterday.

Not a stitch of local coverage on this that I can find.

* Saturday update: Now they are on it. No foul play suspected, the coroner tells the Times and AP. And apparently the Washington Times was wrong about Fisher and Lourd having been married.