Hollywood film producer David Brian Pearce was sentenced to 146 years to life in prison on Wednesday, October 29, over the fentanyl-induced murders of two women.
Pearce, 43, was found guilty in February on two counts of first-degree murder over the deaths of model Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola. Pearce was also convicted of multiple sexual assaults on other women, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Pearce was ordered to nearly 150 years in state prison. He will also have to register as a lifetime sex offender.
“This sentence delivers long-awaited justice for Ms. Cabrales-Arzola, Ms. Giles, and the courageous sexual assault victims who came forward and testified,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “Not only were the victims sexually assaulted, but the lives of Ms. Cabrales-Arzola and Ms. Giles were stolen in one of the most devasting ways — a fentanyl-induced sexual assault by Pearce. I would like to thank Deputy District Attorneys Catherine Mariano and Seth Carmack and all those who assisted in this prosecution within the Sex Crimes Division and the Los Angeles Police Department, whose tireless dedication made this outcome possible.”
From the murder of Gabby Petito to the Rust tragedy, many true crime documentaries are coming our way in 2025. Hulu announced in February the release of Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, which comes two years after actor Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023 following cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ […]
“This case is a stark reminder of the devastation caused by fentanyl. Fentanyl poisoners who harm and exploit others will be held accountable,” Hochman continued. “Every prosecution and sentence like this one moves us a step closer to deterring criminals from committing these crimes and protecting others from a similar fate.”
At trial, a jury found Pearce guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of forcible rape, two counts of sexual penetration by force, one count of sodomy by use of force and one count of rape of an unconscious woman, per the LA County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said that Pearce met Giles and Cabrales-Arzola at a warehouse party in Los Angeles in November 2021. He later took them back to his Beverly Hills apartment, where he provided them GHB and fentanyl, “causing Giles and Cabrales-Arzola to fatally overdose,” per a press release.
The following day, Pearce dropped the victims off at two different hospitals. Giles, who was 24, was already dead. Cabrales-Arzola, 26, was resuscitated but died 11 days later, prosecutors said.
In a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday, Pearce’s attorney, Ronda Dixon, said it was “never proven” that her client provided the two women the drugs that killed them.
“My heart goes out to their families, as it is difficult to lose a loved one to a fentanyl overdose. However, the message the DA sent out today is chilling to good Samaritans who seek to help someone who is an overdose victim. Certainly, people will think twice before taking anyone to the hospital who they think is a victim of overdose,” Dixon said.
A co-defendant in the case, Brant Osborn, was charged with two counts of accessory to murder after the fact. In February, a judge declared a mistrial after a jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on the charges. A new trial is expected to begin next month.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
