48 Hours- Dead Girls Don't Talk: A detailed case overview
The new 48 Hours episode, titled Dead Girls Don't Talk, delves into the story of Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales Arzola, who died of a drug overdose in November 2021. The two friends reportedly went out for a girls' night at a warehouse in East Los Angeles.
In the early hours of November 13, 2021, Christy and Hilda went out with a man named David Pearce to his apartment for an after-party. However, by around 5 pm, their bodies were found at two separate hospitals across Los Angeles.
The 48 Hours episode explores the complete investigation that went on behind finding the culprit behind Christy and Hilda's deaths. Dead Girls Don't Talk is set to premiere on March 29, 2025, at 10 p.m. EST on CBS.
What happened to the 48 Hours episode subjects Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales Arzola?
As per People, Christy Giles, an LA-based model, went to San Francisco to visit her family, along with her husband, Jan Cilliers. During the trip, she decided to catch up with her friend Hilda Cabrales, an architect and interior designer.
On November 12, 2021, the two women started their night at Soho House Club in West Hollywood before heading to East Los Angeles. Reportedly, the 48 Hours subjects visited a warehouse for an overnight party, which had their favorite DJ playing.
In the early hours of November 13, 2021, Christy and Hilda went to an apartment in the neighborhood of Olympic Boulevard. The apartment reportedly belonged to David Pearce, an aspiring Hollywood producer, and his roommate Brandt Osborn, an actor.
The two women met them while partying in the warehouse, after which they were invited to an after-party. According to Christy's husband, Jan Calliers, the women tried to leave the premises soon after entering the apartment. They tried to call an Uber but failed to get out of the house.
As per KTLA, over the next 12 to 14 hours, the women were allegedly drugged and assaulted. Around 5 pm on November 13, 2021, David Pearce and Brandt Osborn dropped Christy Giles off at a hospital in Culver City, informing them that they had found her unconscious on a curb.
Two hours later, Hilda was dropped off at another Mid City hospital in a similar way. As per KTLA, Christy died hours later due to an overdose of fentanyl and cocaine. Meanwhile, Hilda went into a coma and died 11 days later due to a cocaine overdose and organ failure.
Investigation into the death of 48 Hours subjects Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales
As per People, when authorities began investigating the two deaths, they found that David Pearce gave them a fatal amount of fentanyl mixed with cocaine. In Christy's case, Pearce also provided her with the GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) drug.
L.A. Deputy District Attorney Catherine Mariano told People that although the two women called for Uber, they couldn't manage to escape the apartment. Surveillance footage revealed that the Uber arrived at the location but left empty when no one came out.
As reported by CBS News, Jan Cilliers stated that Christy's phone was last ringing in the location of Pearce's West Olympic Boulevard. As per Cilliers, someone picked up the phone, and then it went into voicemail.
From the surveillance footage outside the warehouse, investigators found David and Brandt driving with Christy and Hilda. With the concrete evidence, Pearce was charged with a first-degree felony, along with the r*pe and murder of Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales.
As per CBS News, on February 4, 2025, David Pearce was found guilty. As per the Los Angeles Times, Pearce was also charged with se*ual assault against at least seven more women. Investigators revealed that David Pearce claimed to have strong connections in Hollywood, which he used to lure victims to his apartment, where he drugged and assaulted them.
Brandt Osborn was also found guilty of helping Pearce and cleaning the crime scene. He was charged as an accessory to murder, but his verdict is yet to be declared.
Check out our other articles to learn more details about other cases on 48 Hours.
