David Pearce, a disgraced Hollywood producer, decided to change his defense attorney just before being sentenced for a double murder case. His new legal team plans to request a new trial.
Pearce was convicted a month ago for the murders of model Christy Giles, 24, and architect Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26. He is potentially facing a sentence of 148 years to life in prison.
The two victims were drugged and left at different hospitals in Los Angeles in November 2021 after socializing with Pearce and two of his associates.
Giles was pronounced dead immediately, while Cabrales-Arzola was declared dead after two weeks in a coma.
Pearce’s outgoing lawyer told The U.S. Sun he doesn’t believe the producer will be successful in his last-ditch effort to avoid the sentencing with a new trial – despite his continued brazen efforts to be cleared.
Pearce appeared in court in an orange jumpsuit on Thursday morning, and his now ex-attorney, Jeff Voll, revealed he was off the case months after Pearce had previously tried to hire new lawyers.
He has now retained Ronda Dixon, one of Los Angeles’ top criminal defense attorneys, and co-counsel.
Asked if he wanted to replace his lead attorney with the new team, who appeared in court, Pearce loudly told Judge Eleanor J. Hunter, “Absolutely, yes your honor.”
A date was set for June 30 for his attorneys to file any motions in the case after they have received the transcripts from the previous trial and related documents from Voll.
Judge Hunter said, “Motions, if they are granted, they will set a new trial if they are denied we will set your actual sentencing to three weeks after that.”
A source told The U.S. Sun Pearce is keen to try and get a new trial after being found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder, while his new team declined to comment on the case.
A motion for a new trial, or motion for retrial, is a request made to the court after a jury has reached a verdict.
It asks that the judgment be vacated and the case be tried again, usually due to perceived errors or irregularities in the original trial.
Speaking exclusively to The U.S. Sun after the hearing, Jeff Voll said, “Today we were set for sentencing and Mr Pearce hired two new attorneys to take over that sentencing.
“But before that, they’re going to file a motion for a new trial. That’s the only purpose for a new and different attorney to substitute in today.
“I was the one who put in his mind that he should … if he feels he wants to take one extra chance at it, to hire new counsel to file a motion for a new trial.”
But Voll admitted, “I wouldn’t have because I don’t think the criteria has been met for a motion for a new trial.
“I don’t think Judge Hunter will ever grant a new trial in this case.”
The jury deliberated for two and a half days and announced their verdict on February 4.
“Today, a serial rapist was held accountable for the deaths of Christy Giles and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, both of whom tragically died as a result of fentanyl poisoning, and the victimization of seven other women across Los Angeles,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.
Distraught dad demands life sentence for Hollywood producer David Pearce
Luis Cabrales Rivera, the father of Cabrales-Arzola, previously spoke to The U.S. Sun from his home in Mexico about the long-awaited day of justice for his daughter.
“This is all too difficult for me to try to remember till this day,” Rivera told The U.S. Sun in Spanish.
“I know this week is the start of the trial, and the only thing I can tell you is I hope justice is served and this f**ker pays for what he did.
“Like every parent who loses a child, we’re never prepared to lose a child.
“Most of us are prepared to lose a sibling, your grandparents, your own parents, but never a child.
“It’s a different kind of pain to lose a child, especially in that way, so tragic. She was my baby.”
The devastated father raced to Los Angeles from Monterrey, Mexico, the capital of the border northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León, after learning his 26-year-old daughter was in a medically induced coma.
In the years since his daughter’s murder, Cabrales-Arzola’s father has tried to remain resilient and allow her to rest in peace.
“In reality, we try to rebuild our lives and be strong,” Rivera told The U.S Sun.
“I promised myself to remain strong for her, whether my daughter, my Hildi, is here or not.
“I try not to worry her so much by continuing to mourn her and being sad all the time because if I continue, I’m probably not allowing her to rest in peace.
“Rivera said he can’t gather the strength to be present during the trial and has chosen to remain in Mexico to protect his mental health
.”I, voluntarily, decided to avoid the pain, to avoid reliving the moment and letting it affect my health, I decided not to go,” the grieving father said.
“I’ll be up to date with what happens at the trial, but I won’t be there physically.
“To be honest, it’s very, very difficult to relive all that.”If I do, if I think about it, I’ll fall back into depression, being without comfort, reopen wounds.
“The pain of losing a child never heals completely, but now I’ll leave justice up to the court and pray the full might of the law falls on this person and hope he never gets out of jail for everything he did to my daughter and her friend.”
“I thank the trial team, Deputy District Attorneys Catherine Mariano and Seth Carmack, for their tireless pursuit of justice and determination to give a voice to the women who bravely came forward to report the crimes committed against them.
“The office will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who illegally supply fentanyl and destroy lives, especially those who commit sexual assaults.”
Meanwhile, Voll told The U.S. Sun he hadn’t seen Pearce since he was found guilty as he reached out to new counsel immediately after the verdict.
Asked how he’s coping behind bars, he said, “As best as anyone could in county custody.
“I couldn’t see that he was struggling but he obviously wasn’t happy, so like right in between.”
Discussing the charges, Voll insisted, “On the two murder counts I’ll always believe that there was enough reasonable doubt for a jury to not convict.”
If Pearce does manage to get a new trial, Voll feels “every single victim and witness” will return to give testimony as they are keen to get justice.
Giles and Cabrales-Arzol had been to a warehouse party where they met Pearce and his friend Brandt Osborn, who was later charged with two counts of accessory after the fact.
They decided to go back to their Beverly Hills apartment with another man but ordered an Uber to leave after texting each other about feeling uncomfortable.
Giles was already dead when she was later found outside Southern California Hospital in Culver City, authorities said.
Cabrales-Arzol was in critical condition when she was discovered outside Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Hospital just hours after Giles was dropped off.
She later had to be taken off life support after being declared brain dead.
Giles died of a mixture of cocaine, fentanyl, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (date-rape drug GHB), and ketamine, according to a toxicology report.
Cabrales-Arzol’s death was a result of multiple organ failure, as well as drug intoxication.
She had cocaine, MDMA, and “probable other undetermined” drugs in her system, the medical examiner-coroner ruled.Â
Prosecutors told jurors the women died because of drugs Pearce gave them, while his defense attorney argued that the women were responsible for their own deaths.
He claimed they had been taking drugs they had brought with them to the party.
Another friend at the party told the court during the trial that he noticed neither woman was moving and that Giles “didn’t appear to be alive.”
He claimed he begged Pearce to get them medical assistance but was ignored.
He claimed Pearce told him, “Dead girls don’t talk.”
While Pearce was eventually convicted, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on both counts of accessory after the fact in the charges against Osborn.
He did not appear in court on Thursday as a pretrial hearing has now been pushed back to May 7, 2025.
Pearce was also found guilty of a slew of unrelated charges for rape and sexual assault involving seven women who came in contact with him between 2007 and 2020.
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