On Nov. 12, 2021, architect Hilda Marcela Cabrales, 26, and model Christy Giles, 24, headed out for a night in Los Angeles that would end in tragedy. The two women visited a nightclub in Hollywood before attending a warehouse party in East Los Angeles to see a DJ they both enjoyed. But what began as a fun evening took a sinister turn when their families couldn't reach them the following morning.
Background
Christy's husband, Jan Cilliers, was in San Francisco that weekend visiting his father. He and Christy had always shared their phone locations for safety reasons. When he woke up on Nov. 13 without hearing from her, Cilliers checked Christy's location and saw her phone at a Los Angeles address he didn't recognize. As hours passed with no communication, his concern grew into what he described as "raw panic."
Around 5 p.m. that Saturday, Cilliers watched Christy's phone move to Southern California Hospital at Culver City, approximately three miles from the strange address where it had been pinging. He soon learned Christy had been dropped off at the hospital by two masked men in a black Prius without license plates who claimed they found her unconscious on the street nearby. Doctors declared Christy dead on arrival.
Hilda Cabrales also shared her phone location with a close friend who served as her emergency contact. That friend grew concerned when Hilda's phone began pinging at 8641 West Olympic Boulevard — the same address where Christy's phone had been tracked. Like Christy, Hilda was dropped off at a hospital by two masked individuals driving a black Prius with no plates.
Hilda survived but remained in critical condition for two weeks before her family made the difficult decision to remove her from life support. Her sister, Fernanda Cabrales-Arzola, recalled telling Hilda it was OK to let go.
The Investigation
Because both families knew exactly where the women had been throughout the night and precisely when each was taken to the hospitals, LAPD homicide detectives had a significant head start on their investigation. Within hours of Hilda being dropped at the second hospital, Detective Jonathan Vander Lee and his partner were en route to 8641 West Olympic Boulevard.
Investigators quickly identified the address as the home of David Pearce, who owned a black Prius matching the description provided by hospital staff. Pearce lived there with roommate Brandt Osborn. A month after the women's deaths, both men were arrested in connection with the case.
Pearce was charged with two counts of felony murder and later tried on those charges along with allegations that he raped seven additional women who came forward during the investigation. Osborn faced charges of accessory to murder after the fact for his alleged role in helping Pearce transport both women to hospitals after they were found.
The Trial
It took more than three years for the case to reach trial, but on June 17, 2026, a jury convicted David Pearce of murdering Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting seven other women who testified during the proceedings. The jury deadlocked on verdicts for Osborn, resulting in a mistrial being declared in his case.
Pearce has not yet been sentenced. Prosecutors have not announced whether Osborn will be retried.
Key Takeaways
- Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales were killed after leaving a warehouse party in Los Angeles on Nov. 12, 2021
- Location sharing technology allowed both families to track the women's movements and identify the address where they had been taken
- David Pearce was convicted of two counts of felony murder and raping seven additional victims
- Brandt Osborn's trial ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked on verdicts
- Christy Giles' mother, Dusty Giles, urged the public to share locations with family members for safety purposes
What's Next
David Pearce is awaiting sentencing. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has not announced whether it will pursue a retrial for Brandt Osborn. Investigators continue to examine evidence from the case as they work to bring closure to the victims' families.
"Please, within your own families ... share locations," Dusty Giles said at a press conference following Pearce's conviction. "You'll never know when you're going to not be able to get in touch with somebody."