THE GRIEVING widower of slain model Christy Giles has broken his silence after it was ruled that her death was a homicide caused by a cocktail of drugs.
Jan Cilliers, 41, spoke to The Sun after it was revealed his wife died of multiple drug intoxication from narcotics including cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine, and date rape drug GHB.
6
6
Christy, 24, was dumped dead by masked men outside an LA hospital in November following a night out with her friend Hilda Cabrales Arzola.
Mexican-born interior designer Hilda was found outside a second hospital hours later and died a day before what would have been her 27th birthday.
The coroner found Hilda’s death was caused by multiple organ failure and multiple drug intoxication, with cocaine, MDMA and other probable undetermined drugs in her system.
Movie producer and party promoter David Pearce, 37, was arrested in December on suspicion of manslaughter following claims that Christy and Hilda’s last hours were spent at his Beverly Hills apartment.
He remains in jail on a $3.4 million bond on separate charges relating to alleged sex assaults on four other women. He pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Pearce’s actor roommate Brandt Osborn, 42, and cameraman Michael Ansbach, 47, were arrested on suspicion of being accessories to manslaughter in the deaths of Alabama native Christy and Hilda and released on bond.
Since the two friends’ tragic deaths, Christy’s widower Jan has repeatedly said that he suspects they were drugged and sexually assaulted.
Speaking for the first time since the coroner’s report was made public, the South African-born visual effects artist told The Sun: “It’s good news the toxicology report came back and that’s going to help us move forward with the case.
Most read in The Sun
“But it’s also sad that that is what was in her system. It just makes me more sure about what we suspect happened to Christy.
“The cocktail of drugs she had in her system definitely surprised me.
“I was made aware on Thursday last week that the toxicology report had come in and that the coroner’s office had ruled it was a homicide.
“The fact they found date rape drug GHB in Christy’s system is just a step in the direction of confirming our suspicions about what happened to Christy and Hilda that night.
“We’re still waiting on other tests to confirm our suspicion that they were sexually attacked but that evidence will hopefully be coming in soon.
Asked what he wants to see from the district attorney, Jan was clear.
He said: “My preference is that these men are charged with murder rather than manslaughter.
“The longer we can put these guys away, the better.
“They should not be in the streets interacting with anybody that they could potentially hurt. I’m not sure exactly what their intent was but the end result is very clear.
“I’d love to see all three of these guys off the street as soon as possible but I don’t think the DA is going to move forward with the case until all the evidence is in that they’re waiting for.
“Then they get to decide and hopefully things start moving forward a lot faster.
“Those tests should hopefully come back in the next couple of weeks.
“It is disturbing that two of them are still in the streets but I’m glad one of them is locked up.”
Asked how he has been coping since the death of his wife, Jan said: “It’s been a wild emotional rollercoaster – just coming to terms with life without her and the nightmare of how it all came to pass.
“It’s been tough, man. It’s been real hard.
“I’ve been going to a trauma counselor once a week and it’s definitely been helpful to learn how to process everything in a healthy way and get exercises that help my mental state of being.
“Christy’s memory is locked in stone for me, there’s not going to be anything that ever changes that.”
6
6
Jan also explained that he has been in touch with the women who have made claims of historic sex abuse against Pearce.
He told The Sun he is hoping prosecutors will count on that evidence as the homicide case moves forward.
Jan’s lawyer Josh Ritter added: “We’re pleased that the medical examiner has come out with an opinion that’s definitive as to the cause of death.
“Our hope is that this will move the needle with the DA’s office so that they pursue more serious charges.
“From the very beginning we were most concerned that this case was not just classified as another unfortunate overdose but that this was seen as a crime.
“This coroner’s report is coupled with the fact that now several women have come forward and there’s essentially a trail of women in the wake of this man.
“Those women have made similar complaints of interactions with him involving drugs.
“It’s unfortunate but it looks like it was only a matter of time until something tragic like this took place.”
Mr Ritter added that he believes that the DA’s office now has all the evidence it needs to bring charges against the three suspects.
He said: “I think that the DA’s office has the evidence that they need now all these women have come forward, along with this cocktail of narcotics that was found in Christy’s system.
“We’re talking about drugs that are not your typical party drugs.
“These are serious narcotics that are mainly used by people who perpetrate assault.
“I believe he (Pearce) was a menace and it was just a matter of time until someone was killed.
“It’s unfortunate that police and the DA’s office only got involved now after the deaths of these two beautiful young women.”
And he said that if charges are brought, he will be seeking for them to include murder.
“We’ll absolutely be pushing for murder charges,” Mr Ritter said.
“I think it’s supported by the evidence as it continues to unfold.
“I understand that people can say, ‘Well, we were having a party and things went poorly and people overdose all the time’.
“But not when you’re dealing with these types of drugs, not when you’re dealing with a string of women who have experienced similar types of interactions with this man.
“You don’t get to claim that it was all an accident when you keep on participating in this kind of reckless and dangerous behavior, and then someone ends up dead when that happens.”
6
6
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
