Critical Testimony in High-Profile Rape and Murder Trial
David Pearce recounted a disturbing morning when he discovered two women unconscious in his apartment around 5 a.m., surrounded by empty liquor bottles and a mysterious powdery substance. Pearce, 42, stated that at first, he didn’t find the situation alarming.
“Given my lifestyle at the time, such behavior seemed normal,” Pearce testified in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. “People frequently used my apartment for impromptu gatherings or as a place to crash. I know that sounds terrible, but friends were passing out at my house almost weekly.”
The Party That Turned Tragic
Pearce, who describes himself as an “entertainment professional,” is currently facing charges of rape and murder. The women found in his living room—Christy Giles, Hilda Marcela Cabrales Arzola, and Michael Ansbach—had joined Pearce and his roommate, Brandt Osborn, for a night out at a warehouse rave in November 2021, where cocaine was heavily consumed. Pearce claimed that he assisted the unconscious women by placing them on their sides with water and a trash can nearby, then went to sleep.
Growing Concerns
After almost 12 hours had passed without either woman waking, Pearce expressed his concern and checked on them multiple times, ultimately deciding to take Giles to a local hospital. Upon returning to his apartment on Olympic Boulevard, he found Arzola still unresponsive. Describing his actions, Pearce said he began performing CPR but never called 911 for assistance.
“She was responding to the chest compressions and the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” he testified. “I was perplexed. I had no idea how much drugs they had taken.”
A Defiant Stand
Despite advice from his legal counsel, Pearce chose to testify in his defense this week, as prosecutors allege he provided fatal dosages of narcotics to the women and neglected to seek medical help. He portrayed himself as a concerned individual trying to assist two women he barely knew.
Pearce was arrested in December 2021, along with Osborn and Ansbach, following the deaths of Giles and Arzola. In the time since, seven other women have accused him of sexual assault. Osborn faces charges as an accomplice in the deaths, while Ansbach has emerged as a key witness for the prosecution.
Denying the Allegations
Over two days of testimony, Pearce rejected all accusations of rape, asserting that he had never met at least one of the accusers and characterizing his other interactions as consensual. He described a lifestyle marked by heavy drinking and drug use, claiming that many women pursued him at parties or through dating apps.
A Starkly Different Narrative
In contrast, prosecutors have painted a troubling picture of Pearce as a manipulative figure in Hollywood, alleged to have lured women to his apartment under the pretext of aiding their dreams in acting, modeling, or music. Several women reported feeling sick or incapacitated after consuming drinks he provided. Toxicology results indicated that Giles had the date-rape drug GHB in her system following her time at Pearce’s residence.
Events at the Rave
On the night prosecutors claim Pearce served the women a lethal dose of cocaine, Pearce reported meeting them in a designated “drug room” at the rave, where drug use was rampant. He described a scene where drugs were being shared, stating, “It was clear that this was the place for people to get high.”
During testimony, Ansbach recounted how Pearce produced cocaine that caused him to feel ill, ultimately leading him to induce vomiting the next day. Pearce, however, disputed Ansbach’s testimony, claiming he had not offered drugs to anyone in his apartment. Court documents indicated that Giles and Arzola had their own drugs at the rave.
Challenging Testimony
Defendants typically avoid testifying to shield themselves from cross-examination by prosecutors. Yet, Pearce found himself fiercely interrogated by Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Seth Carmack. Pearce was questioned intensely about inconsistencies regarding the timeline of his interactions with one of his accusers, which left him struggling to explain.
Carmack criticized Pearce for his failure to call for help, especially after Arzola remained unconscious for more than 12 hours in his apartment. Pearce defended himself, stating he was uncertain about their condition and had previously faced challenges when trying to summon help for other sick individuals.
However, testimony from Ansbach indicated that Pearce discouraged anyone from taking the women to the hospital, likely due to concerns about his own legal liability. Additional evidence revealed Pearce’s car lacked license plates when he drove the women to medical facilities, raising further questions about his actions.
The Trial Continues
As this two-week trial approaches its closing arguments, the stark contrasts in testimony highlight a troubling narrative surrounding trust and responsibility, especially for women in potentially vulnerable situations.
