“Dead Girls Don’t Talk”: 48 Hours Reports on Hilda Marcela Cabrales & Christy Giles Homicides March 29 2025

On Saturday, March 29 at 10:00 PM ET/PT, CBS’s 48 HOURS aired a powerful episode titled “Dead Girls Don’t Talk,” reported by correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti. The special followed the long and harrowing investigation into the deaths of Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales, two young women whose promising lives were cut short in Los Angeles in 2021. The episode details the years-long pursuit of justice by their families, detectives, and survivors of a man who, prosecutors say, preyed on vulnerable women under false pretenses and with fatal consequences.

At the heart of the story is David Pearce, a man convicted in February 2025 of murdering both women and sexually assaulting seven others. The episode features exclusive interviews with detectives, family members, and a key survivor who has spoken publicly for the first time. As the title implies, the words allegedly spoken by Pearce — “dead girls don’t talk” — were meant to silence. But through this episode, the victims’ stories are finally heard.

Two Lives Lost: Who Were Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales?

Christy Giles, 24, was a rising fashion model from Alabama who moved to Los Angeles to explore a career in design. Vibrant and adventurous, she had recently married Jan Cilliers, an artist and special effects editor. Hilda Marcela Cabrales, 26, was a talented architect who had just relocated from Mexico to start a dream job in interior design. The two quickly bonded over their shared ambitions and love of nightlife.

On the night of November 12, 2021, the women were out at Soho House and then a warehouse party in Los Angeles. They were seen leaving the party with David Pearce, a man they had just met, and his associates Brandt Osborn and Michael Ansbach. Surveillance footage later showed the women being dropped off at separate hospitals the next day — unconscious, unresponsive, and in critical condition. Christy was pronounced dead soon after. Hilda died two weeks later after being taken off life support.

Toxicology reports revealed that both women had fentanyl in their systems, among other substances including cocaine and GHB, also known as the “date rape drug.” Pearce, prosecutors argued, was the common link in a pattern of assaults spanning over a decade.

An Unfolding Investigation: From Suspicion to Breakthroughs

LAPD detectives Jonathan Vander Lee and Calvin You quickly recognized troubling signs in the early hours of their investigation. Both hospitals had surveillance footage showing masked men dropping off the women in a black Prius with no license plates. They left no contact information and refused to identify themselves. This raised immediate red flags.

Christy’s husband, Jan Cilliers, conducted his own digital investigation, piecing together the women’s final hours through GPS and text messages. His findings helped detectives locate the address where Christy and Hilda had last been seen — the apartment of David Pearce. There, detectives found inconsistencies, evidence of cleanup, and ultimately, the black Prius involved in the drop-offs. However, despite the circumstantial evidence, there was not yet enough to make an arrest.

Pearce had a history with police. Previous accusations of drugging and sexually assaulting women had gone unprosecuted. Now, the detectives believed they were looking at a repeat predator whose actions had finally turned deadly.

The Pattern Emerges: A Serial Offender in Disguise

David Pearce presented himself as a Hollywood producer, a physician, or someone with influence — all of which were lies. He was, in fact, a failed actor and intern who used his fabricated identity to gain the trust of women. Once lured, he allegedly drugged them and carried out sexual assaults, often while they were unconscious.

Detective Calvin You, who had investigated Pearce in 2020 for a similar case, recognized the pattern. The LAPD appealed to the public, asking other women who may have encountered Pearce to come forward. In the weeks that followed, 20 women did. Their allegations spanned years and told near-identical stories of manipulation, drugging, and sexual violence.

One of those women, identified as “Jackie,” testified in court that Pearce attacked her in 2010. She had never reported the crime out of fear and shame, but the deaths of Christy and Hilda compelled her to speak out. Jackie’s story helped prosecutors establish Pearce’s pattern of behavior — essential in a case where the two murder victims could not testify for themselves.

From Arrest to Trial: Building a Case Without the Victims’ Voices

In December 2021, Pearce, Osborn, and Ansbach were arrested. Though the charges against Ansbach were eventually dropped, he provided key testimony. He claimed that after a night of partying, Pearce offered “special cocaine” to the women — after which all three became violently ill. When he woke up and realized the women were unresponsive, Pearce reportedly told him, “Dead girls don’t talk.”

Prosecutors charged Pearce with two counts of first-degree murder and seven sexual assaults. They also charged Osborn with accessory to murder, citing his role in transporting the bodies and helping cover up evidence. The prosecution’s case relied on toxicology, DNA evidence, eyewitness accounts, and, most critically, testimony from the Jane Does who survived Pearce’s assaults.

Despite the defense arguing that the women had taken drugs willingly, the prosecution successfully demonstrated that Pearce had a long-standing pattern of administering drugs to incapacitate women — a key element in the felony murder charges.

The Verdict and Its Impact

On February 4, 2025, after a three-week trial and two days of deliberations, the jury found David Pearce guilty on all counts, including the murders of Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales. He now awaits sentencing, with a minimum term of 148 years in prison.

However, the jury was deadlocked on the charges against Brandt Osborn, leading to a mistrial. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will retry him. Osborn admitted to helping move the women’s bodies but claimed ignorance of the full scope of Pearce’s actions. The victims’ families remain unconvinced.

For the survivors and families, the verdict was a long-awaited acknowledgment of the women’s suffering. It also served as a validation for the Jane Does who came forward to ensure Pearce could never harm anyone again.

Remembering the Victims and Their Legacy

Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales are remembered as radiant, ambitious, and full of life. Their families, shattered by grief, now advocate for increased awareness around drug-facilitated assaults and the importance of digital footprints. In the words of Dusty Giles, “Her body was able to tell the story.”

Their friendship, forged in pursuit of dreams in Los Angeles, ended in unthinkable tragedy. But through their story — and the bravery of those who testified — justice was achieved. Their memory endures in the fight to ensure that others will never suffer the same fate.

David Pearce will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. But the pain left behind remains — as does the strength of the women and families who refused to stay silent.