Post Mortem | Deceased Girls Don't Talk
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What happened to Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales?
Welcome back to Postmortem. I'm CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti filling in today for Anne-Marie Greene. And joining me is 48 Hours producer Michelle Finucci to discuss our latest report on the murders of Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales, two friends who went home with David Pierce after a night out in Los Angeles in 2021. Pierce and his roommate, Brant Osborne, took the women to two separate hospitals the following evening. Both women had elevated levels of fentanyl in their systems, and tragically, they both ultimately died of drug overdoses. Both Pierce and Osborne denied involvement in their deaths. At trial, Pierce was also charged with rape for seven Jane Does, and they testified about Pierce's pattern of violent sexual assault.
Michelle, thank you for joining us.
Thank you for having me.
Before we get started, a reminder, if you haven't listened to the 48 Hours episode yet, you can find the full audio just below this episode in your podcast feed. So go take a listen, then come back here for our conversation. Michelle, you have been covering this case from the very beginning. Our first 48 Hours episode, I believe, aired nearly two years ago. This was before Pearson Osborne's trial. And I wonder and I imagine a lot of listeners and viewers want to know the same.
How did David Pearce's actions lead to the trial?
What has it, from your perspective, been like? to watch this case develop over the years.
This is a case that started just as a, you know, a headline of two women dropped at separate hospitals. We really didn't know if it was just a drug overdose case, a tragic drug overdose. But about six days into this, I met with Jan Sillier, who is Christy's husband. He looked at me in the eyes and he said, trust me, this is foul play. You know, I know my wife. I know something happened. He said, I know they were held against their will in that apartment. And he was right.
What was he like? What state of mind was he in?
He was in absolute shock. I will never forget it.
What role did Jan Sillier play in uncovering the truth?
I mean, he was in that adrenaline of trying to figure this out. I remember when we sat on his couch, he had a group of friends in the back kitchen. And he said, I have to have them stay with me at all times. I'm scared what I'll do with myself if they leave. And so it's the worst of the worst. And... Your heart breaks so much, especially when you spend so much time with these families.
You know, I know, Michelle, you and I have talked about this and I've been reflecting on the ripple effect a tragedy like this can have with friends, family and an entire community. And to that point, I have a connection to this case in a very loose way. My husband briefly met Hilda at an event through mutual friends. In the neighborhood I live in, two neighbors that I could see outside my front door both knew these women. One was close friends with Jan Sillier and through that friendship knew Christy. The other neighbor used to live in Monterrey, Mexico and dated Hilda for several years. They broke up there. They both moved separately at different times to LA and reconnected as friends.
What evidence was presented during the trial?
And I first learned about this case In 2021, Thanksgiving, I had that neighbor over for Thanksgiving. He came here, distraught at times, couldn't even get words out, and told me about what happened, how just the day before Hilda was taken off of life support. I asked if they were comfortable with me bringing this story to 48 Hours, not so that I could report it, but just so that the story could get out there. And Judy Tigard, the executive producer, the amazing executive producer of 48, let me know it was already on their radar. And I can't tell you the relief that it brought to the family members of Hilda and Christy, knowing that there was this media attention being focused on trying to figure out what went wrong.
And to that point, Christy and Hilda, they clearly had a lot of friends and family who didn't just care about them, but really advocated for them. And I've been thinking about Jan Sillier and the incredible detective work that he did. Were you impressed? Were you surprised by Jan's determination to find Christy?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What happened to Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales?
0:07–1:24
2
How did David Pearce's actions lead to the trial?
1:24–2:17
3
What role did Jan Sillier play in uncovering the truth?
2:17–3:30
4
What evidence was presented during the trial?
3:30–4:48
5
How did the victims' families respond to the media coverage?
4:48–5:55
6
What were the testimonies of the Jane Does like in court?
5:55–7:18
7
What were the key moments during David Pearce's testimony?
7:18–8:26
8
What was the outcome of the trial and its implications?
8:26–24:25