Post Mortem | "Dead Girls Don’t Talk"

Summary

Podcast Summary: 48 Hours – Post Mortem | "Dead Girls Don’t Talk"

Introduction

In the episode titled Post Mortem | "Dead Girls Don’t Talk" from the acclaimed CBS News series "48 Hours," hosts Jonathan Vigliotti and producer Michelle Fanucci delve deep into the harrowing case of Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales. Released on April 1, 2025, this episode offers a comprehensive analysis of the events leading to the tragic deaths of the two women, the subsequent investigation, and the landmark trial that sought justice for the victims.

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Background of the Case

The case centers around the murders of Christy Giles and Hilda Cabrales, two friends who spent a night out in Los Angeles in 2021. After their evening, both women went home with David Pierce, alongside his roommate Brand Osborne. The following evening, both women were taken to separate hospitals with elevated fentanyl levels in their systems, leading to fatal overdoses. Pierce and Osborne denied any involvement in their deaths during the trial. Additionally, Pierce faced charges of rape for seven Jane Does, who provided testimonies highlighting his pattern of violent sexual assault.

Notable Quote:

Jonathan Vigliotti [00:59]: "Both Pierce and Osborne denied involvement in their deaths at trial."

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Initial Investigation and Community Impact

Michelle Fanucci discusses the early stages of the investigation, highlighting the skepticism surrounding the initial assumption of drug overdoses. It wasn't until Christy’s husband, Yan Cillier, expressed his belief in foul play that the investigation took a pivotal turn.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [02:30]: "He [Yan Cillier] said, trust me, this is foul play. You know, I know my wife. I know something happened."

The episode emphasizes the ripple effect of the tragedy on friends, family, and the broader community. Jonathan Vigliotti shares a personal connection to the case, revealing how mutual friends and neighbors played a role in bringing the story to light.

Notable Quote:

Jonathan Vigliotti [04:30]: "It was already on their radar. And I can't tell you the relief that it brought to the family members of Hilda and Christie."

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Detective Work and Uncovering Patterns

Detective Jonathan Vanderlee's critical role is highlighted, especially his interactions with Yan Cillier, which provided essential leads that connected the dots in the investigation. The narrative uncovers how community members came forward with their experiences with David Pierce, revealing a consistent pattern of sexual assault and manipulation.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [06:31]: "She received messages from women who had bad experiences with Mr. Pierce, who were sexual assault victims themselves."

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The Trial: Unveiling the Truth

The episode transitions to the courtroom, detailing the challenges prosecutors faced in building a case against Pierce, given the presence of recreational drug use by the victims. To strengthen their case, the DA brought forward testimonies from twelve women, seven of whom were Jane Does alleging rape by Pierce.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [09:40]: "I was personally really touched, and I was also very impressed. He said I would go to the ends of the earth for my wife. And that is what he Did."

The discussion includes the strategic decisions made during the trial, such as Pierce's unexpected decision to testify against his attorney's advice, aiming to control his narrative. However, his testimony was riddled with inconsistencies and outright falsehoods, undermining his credibility.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [15:03]: "Everything about this man is unusual. And the judge said, no, this isn't the David Pierce show."

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Evidence of Malintent and Attempts to Flee

A significant portion of the episode examines Pierce's attempts to evade justice, as evidenced by his Google searches related to fleeing the country and meeting women abroad. These findings were pivotal in portraying his intent to escape prosecution.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [16:45]: "We have international money transfers, best places in the world to disappear... How can you track someone by their passport number?"

Furthermore, Pierce's fascination with Ron Jeremy, a disgraced former porn actor with multiple sexual assault charges, paints a disturbing picture of his character and influences.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [18:54]: "Allison... blames, you know, David Pierce for destroying the fabric of her family."

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Verdict and Aftermath

On February 4, 2025, after two days of deliberation, the jury found David Pierce guilty of first-degree murder for both Hilda and Christy, as well as guilty of sexually assaulting the seven Jane Does. Pierce showed minimal emotional response upon hearing the verdict, merely shaking his head in denial.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [22:51]: "He's slowly shaking his head like, no, no, no, no. No real emotional response besides his head shaking."

However, the jury was deadlocked on charges against Brand Osborne, leading to a mistrial. Pierce subsequently fired his attorney and intends to file for a new trial, while the state's response regarding Osborne remains pending.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [23:26]: "The state has not announced their decision regarding Brent Osborne."

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Personal Reflections and Closure

Throughout the episode, both Vigliotti and Fanucci reflect on the profound impact of the case on those involved. Fanucci emphasizes the bravery of the women who testified and the collective effort to seek justice for the victims and themselves.

Notable Quote:

Michelle Fanucci [23:53]: "I've been so inspired and amazed at all the 12 women who testified and came forward bringing justice..."

Jonathan Vigliotti expresses deep empathy and highlights the transformation of David Pierce from a perceived Hollywood producer to a man stripped of his facade in court.

Notable Quote:

Jonathan Vigliotti [14:25]: "The real David Pierce was sitting there in court."

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Conclusion

"Dead Girls Don’t Talk" serves as a poignant exploration of systemic failures, personal tragedies, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Through meticulous reporting and heartfelt interviews, "48 Hours" not only sheds light on the heinous acts committed by David Pierce but also honors the resilience of the victims and their advocates. The episode underscores the importance of community vigilance and the enduring impact of true crime on society.

Transcript

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[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Foreign welcome back to postmortem. I'm CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti, filling in today for Anne Marie Green. And joining me is 48 Hours producer Michelle Fanucci 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, Brand 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.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Thank you for having me.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

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 Pierce and Osborne's trial. And I wonder, and I imagine a lot of listeners and viewers want to know the same. What has it, from your perspective, been like to watch this case develop over the years?

[Michelle Fanucci]

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 Yan Cillier, who is Kristi'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. I. He said, I know they were held against their will in that apartment. And he was right.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

But what was. What was he like? What. What state of mind was he in?

[Michelle Fanucci]

He was an absolute shock. I will never forget it. 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.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

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 Yan Cilier, and through that friendship, knew Christie. 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. 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 Tygard, 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 Christie, knowing that there was this media attention, being focused on trying to figure out what went wrong. And to that point, Chrissy and Hilda, they clearly had a lot of friends and family who didn't just care about them, but. But really advocated for them. And I've been thinking about Jan Selye and the incredible detective work that he did. Were you impressed? Were you surprised by Jan's determination to find Kristi?

[Michelle Fanucci]

I was personally really touched, and I was also very impressed. He said I would go to the ends of the earth for my wife. And that is what he Did.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

When Jan was trying to get in touch with Kristi, he was out of town. He couldn't get any responses. He wasn't getting responses through texts. So he went and checked his. The location on his cell phone and saw that Christy was at an unfamiliar address. And this was very early in the morning. And, of course, we learned that address was later the apartment of David Pierce. That location for Chrissy then changed hours later to an emergency room. So Jan delivered all of that information to investigators. I was speaking with Detective Jonathan Vanderlee, who told me, without that information, connecting the dots would have been so much harder. Could have taken days, if longer to pinpoint what exactly had happened.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Absolutely. And this was a case where, oh, looks like they were partying, they were doing drugs. Very easy to write this case off. So early on, Jan posted on social media about the case, looking for information, and he received messages from women who had bad experiences with Mr. Pierce, who were sexual assault victims themselves. And he had encouraged them to go forward to police.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

In the hour, we talk about how police learned that while Kristy and Hilda were in the apartment, Pierce's downstairs neighbor heard someone moaning in pain on and off for six hours. Now, neither Pierce Osborne nor their friend Michael Onsbach, who was also in the apartment at the time, called for help. Ansbach, we need to point out, he was charged. Those charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence. That downstairs neighbor, though, also didn't call for help, which initially I had the question why. But during our reporting, we found out that there was more to this story. Can you explain?

[Michelle Fanucci]

The woman who lived there was about to call the 911, and her husband said, no, no, you don't want to mess with David Pierce. Just let it go. And she ended up not calling, unfortunately. And that just shows how this man sort of instills a sense of fear that, you know, not want to mess with him.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

You know, David Pierce was maintaining very early on and really throughout that he was just trying to help Christy and Hilda. But I think about those six hours, and I know it's so difficult to think about where you had. And I. I think we later learned it was believed to be Hilda that was moaning in pain for so long. Those aren't the actions of someone that's trying to help them. And there's another layer to this because we weren't able to get to all of this in the show. But the men first attempted to drop Christie off. Remember, Christy was the first person that was taken to a hospital. They went to one that was closest to their home to Cedars, which is about an eight minute drive. They went to the back entrance of the hospital. They were told that they needed to go to the front entrance. But David Pierce, according to Osborne's testimony, didn't want to do that. So instead they drove to a completely different hospital, Southern California Hospital, 20 minutes south of their home. Does that sound like the behavior of people that are trying to provide swift help?

[Michelle Fanucci]

No, no. I mean, none of, none of his actions add up. They didn't leave their names at the hospitals. They were disguised, you know, no license plates on the cars.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

All of that I want to shift gears and dig into, really the main update in this hour, which is the trial. Detectives told me, and we always knew this, that it would be a tough case to prosecute because there was evidence that Chrisan Hilda voluntarily took record recreational drugs that night. And ultimately that's why the DA asked other women to come forward to share their experiences with Pierce. Michelle, you attended the trial, you heard several of those Jane does testify. What was that like for you?

[Michelle Fanucci]

First of all, it was one of the most fascinating trials I have ever sat in. There were 12 women in total, seven Jane does who had allegations of rape by Mr. Pierce and the other's sexual assault experiences. They stacked those women up one by one by one by one, all 12 of them with the same similar eerie stories. I met this man. He promised me a career. He was a Hollywood producer. He gives me a drink. It tastes a little salty. All of a sudden I can't remember anything. And the next memory, I wake up and there's someone on top of me. You know, it's story after story after story. And then the prosecution brings in Christy and Hilda's story. It was a really powerful way to prove this man's pattern and how he prays off of power and control.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

They really created an mo. A way of. Of consistent behavior this, this pattern that ultimately led to the deaths of Christian Hilda.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Absolutely.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

I have kind of a two part question for you because we spoke with Jackie, to the jury, she was known as Jane Doe number two. She was brave enough to share her story with us as well. But our interview with her was postponed a few times because there was still that fear. You were in communication with Jacqui during this process. What was that fear?

[Michelle Fanucci]

She was scared of David Pierce ever seeing the light of day. You know, if there was a mistrial or something like that. She, you know, described him to me as a very dangerous person. And that's what he does. He intimidates people. He Scares them so that they are silent. She told me, once I hear that guilty, we will talk. But until then, she was too scared to do the interview, which I totally respected. And Jackie is a real inspiration in herself. She came to LA to go to law school and she was looking for an apartment. And that's how she came across David Pierce through a Craigslist ad. And he had her come to the apartment, offered her a drink. She takes the drink and then she's blacked out. And her next memory, she wakes up and she fights this man off of her. This is how bad she was drugged was that she couldn't even feel her legs. So she's crawling down his apartment stairs screaming, and runs to her car and stays in her car long enough to sober up. She truly fought for her life. This forever changed her life, forever haunted her. She did a lot of work in therapy. And she is a remarkable woman who's become an attorney who wants to help other victims. And she, you know, you will see her on the episode. She stares right at the camera and she's brave and speaks for Christy, she speaks for Hilda, she speaks for herself and she speaks for all the women who've been silenced by Mr. Pierce and who've been harmed by Mr. Pierce.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

I think about the power dynamic. His apartment, David Pierce's apartment, was the place where he was in power. But then during the trial, that power shifts. You have the Jane does, people like Jackie, Jane Doe number two, now in power. And what struck me was the image that emerged of David Pierce, at least him now after being in jail for several months or years, and how much he changed. Very much. Not the producer. He pretended to be this younger looking guy with his dark hair. What we saw was a man with gray hair, wearing glasses, who looked at times, defeated.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Yeah, the women who testified, some sometimes had a hard time pointing him out because they couldn't recognize him.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Yeah, I could understand. And so different than what the prosecutor pointed out in his photos, that quote, unquote, Zoolander face, that duck face that he put on in his photos, he.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Just was stripped down. The real David Pierce was sitting there in court.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Welcome back. So, Michelle, another key moment at trial was when Pierce took the stand himself. And now this was against the advice of his defense attorney. I'm wondering what insight you had into that decision and also for you, what it was like to see him testify, to see him take the stand.

[Michelle Fanucci]

I mean, I only wish cameras were in the courtroom because that was a show in itself. And originally he asked the judge to give a Narrative, testify through a narrative, meaning he wanted to control what he was putting out there. He didn't want to be cross examined like everybody else has to be.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

So he was trying to control. He wanted to come out with his own monologue to set everything up. Yeah, that seems highly unusual.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Everything about this man is unusual. And the judge said, no, this isn't the David Pierce show. So then he said, well, then I'm not gonna testify then. And then he changed his mind at the last minute and he's up there and my God, it was something I've never seen before. Basically, he said that all the women, they all wanted him. Everything was consensual. And even one Jane Doe, the Jane Doe that we interviewed, he says, I've never even met that woman in my life. Just straight out lying, straight out lied about that night. They came home to his home. I didn't give them drugs. I was walking my puppy while they were in my house. I mean, it was all wild and there was no remorse. There was no sense of, I'm so sorry. Nothing.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Yeah. This grand image in his head of what transpired.

[Michelle Fanucci]

The prosecution and the cops say that all the evidence the state provided contradicts his story.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Yeah, this didn't make it into the show, but it was something that when I heard, I struggled to understand initially because Detective Jonathan Vanderleet told me that before the arrest, as they were still trying to get enough evidence to bring Pierce in, he was already taking steps, it appeared, to flee. He was talking to women in Ukraine on dating apps. At trial, the prosecution was able to show some pretty damning Google searches. Michelle, can you take me through this?

[Michelle Fanucci]

LAPD detective sent me over the Google searches, so I have them right here. We have international money transfers, best places in the world to disappear. Best places to meet girls in Kyiv, Ukraine. Strip clubs, exotic massages and sex in Kyiv. Brothels in Kyiv. Nightlife in Kyiv. One way flights, apartments in Kyiv. How can you track someone by their passport number? And lastly, penis enlargement.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Okay, let me stop you there. Everything else you have described up until that point describes a man looking to flee and still with a one track mind. He is wanted in connection with the murders of two women and alleged sexual assault. And he is looking for sex in another country and ways of fleeing and outwitting authority.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Yeah, I know. I. I just. I can't stop even thinking about it. When he went up on stand and explained why were you looking for apartments.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

In Ukraine, what was his answer to this?

[Michelle Fanucci]

He said he was going to make a documentary on the Ukraine war, like Sean Penn did.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

So this plays into his whole I'm a. I'm a movie producer thing. What's wrong with this explanation?

[Michelle Fanucci]

Well, the Ukraine war had not started at the time of those Google searches. So that's what I'm saying. That's why when he went on stand, it was just like everything got debunked.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

You know, Something else that didn't make it into this hour, but I think helps shed some light on Pierce's character, is that when police first searched his home, they found, and this is their description to us, a shrine to Ron Jeremy. For those who don't know Ron Jeremy, he's a former porn actor who was indicted in over 30 counts of sexual assault. Michelle, you were able to learn more about who Pierce was by talking to his family. What did they say?

[Michelle Fanucci]

Yeah, that was a sad conversation. You know, I spoke with his sister, Allison Pierce, who has nothing to do with the family now and blames, you know, David Pierce for destroying the fabric of her family. And she says that Ron Jeremy was, like, worshiped in their household. So he idolized Ron Jeremy. Alison, of course, didn't like any of that. And she plans to give an impact statement. She wants everyone to know that he is, in a sense, a villain. And she feels terrible for what happened to Christy and Hilda and what he's done to so many people.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

The fallout from this tragedy far and wide, impacting so many people. Pierce's defense attorney, Jeff hall, he argued that because Krista and Hilda were using drugs before meeting Pierce that night, there was no case for murder. But we interviewed him, and during our interview, I pressed him on his true feelings on Pierce. I want to play a clip that didn't make it into the show because I think it highlights how Vol was really thinking, separate yourself from the defense attorney. You're a father. Put yourself in that setting as you are. Would you be saying the same thing right now, taking the role of attorney? Otomie? No. No. If I'm the average person looking at this case, looking at 48 hours, looking at some articles in the paper, you're probably going to think that it's about time they got this guy. That will be the part of me that's not the lawyer.

[Michelle Fanucci]

That says a lot. I was really surprised he said that to you. It was sort of a humanizing moment for a defense attorney.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

I agree. I was surprised, too. You were in the room with me, and I don't know if this was your impression as this was unfolding. I felt like V Was waiting for me to give him permission to say those things. That he wanted to separate himself from his client. He was struggling to balance his two hats. The hat as the defense attorney and the hat as a father. Having to digest the allegations and what he later described as a mountain of evidence against his client.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Yeah, yeah. No, he. He. He was doing the best to be the best defense attorney. And. And I think he. He did succeed in that, but he was wrestling with a moral and ethical dilemma, it felt like. And that was David Pierce.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

He described him as a very difficult client. What did he mean by that?

[Michelle Fanucci]

Difficult, I mean. Yes, difficult. He stole the jury list. He stole his documents. He was trying to create a mistrial and say that he knew the jury.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

How do we know that he stole those documents? How did this come out?

[Michelle Fanucci]

Well, we don't know exactly how he got his hands on them, but the judge addressed in court that he was taking court documents. And he was warned twice, I believe, throughout the trial to stop this behavior.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

God, if. If I'm putting myself in his defense attorney shoes, this is the worst case scenario. And I think we should point out that. That Vol. As we make it very clear in the episode, he was sixth in a long line of other defense attorneys that didn't last.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Exactly.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

So let's go to the conclusion of this trial. It was February 4, 2025. Two days of deliberations, the jury found Pierce guilty of the first degree murder of both Hilda and Christie and guilty of sexually assaulting the seven Jane Does. How did he react when the verdict was read?

[Michelle Fanucci]

Michelle, we have him on camera. Of course he has his mask on, but he's slowly shaking his head like, no, no, no, no. No real emotional response besides his head shaking.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

The jury was deadlocked when it came to Brandt Osborne. This is Pierce's roommate who helped transport Hilda and Christy to the hospital. He was charged with accessory after the fact in his case. There was a hung jury and a mistrial was declared. Can you tell me if you know what's next for both cases now?

[Michelle Fanucci]

So the latest is Pierce fired his attorney and plans to file a motion for a new trial. The state has not announced their decision regarding Brant Osborne.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

You have sat with this tragedy for so many years now. You, I feel like, have come to truly learn who Christy and Hilda were. Their friends, their families.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Yeah, you know, I. I can't stress enough how much myself, and I know our whole team truly cares about Christy, Hilda, the victims and their families. We've gotten to know them so well, and I am mostly so inspired and amazed at all the 12 women who testified and came forward bringing justice to two women who went out to have fun one night and came in the hands of a very dangerous man, David Pierce. And they fought for those those women. And in doing so, they fought for their own stories.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

So well said, Michelle. And I can't thank you enough for taking the time today to chat with us. Really, thank you for joining us.

[Michelle Fanucci]

Thank you, Jonathan. It's been, it's been such an honor to work with you on this one.

[Jonathan Vigliotti]

Same here. If you like this series postmortem, please rate and review 48 hours on app podcasts and follow 48 hours wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen ad free with a 48 hours plus subscription on Apple Podcasts. Thanks again for listening.

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See what's screaming free all month long during Pluto TV's April ghouls get your heart pounding with nightmare, fueling classics like Insidious and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Or test your nerves with haunting hits like Urban Legend and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Pluto TV has hundreds of channels and thousands of terrifying movies, live and on demand. Download Pluto TV on all your favorite devices and start streaming now.