In November 2021, Los Angeles-based model Christy Giles and interior designer Hilda Cabrales-Arzola embarked on a night out that would tragically end in their deaths. On Nov. 12, 24-year-old Giles and 26-year-old Cabrales-Arzola began their evening at Soho House in West Hollywood before moving to an all-night dance party at an East L.A. warehouse. The upbeat and fun-loving pair seemed excited for a night of adventure, but things quickly took a dark turn.
The night culminated in the Olympic Boulevard apartment of two men they had met at the warehouse—aspiring Hollywood producer David Pearce, 42, and his roommate, actor Brandt Osborn, 45. What happened after they arrived remains unclear, but witnesses, texts, and video evidence reveal troubling details. After attempting to leave, the women were left barely alive at separate hospitals, where Giles died of an overdose, and Cabrales-Arzola, after clinging to life for more than a week, succumbed to multiple organ failure.
Prosecutors allege that Pearce gave the women a lethal mix of drugs, including cocaine laced with fentanyl and GHB. Pearce is now charged with murder, while Osborn faces charges as an accessory. Both have pleaded not guilty. Defense attorneys argue the women voluntarily ingested the drugs. Text messages exchanged between the women and doorbell footage show attempts to leave the apartment, but the two men reportedly delayed seeking help. Witnesses, including a photographer who was at the scene, say Pearce offered the women drinks laced with drugs.
As the trial unfolds, those close to Giles and Cabrales-Arzola hope justice will be served, as their families continue to mourn the loss of two vibrant lives.
