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As it happenedended

Christy Giles: Police say model’s death is drug overdose as husband says masked men dumped body

As it happened

Gino Spocchia,Helen Elfer,Graeme Massie,Maroosha Muzaffar
Friday 19 November 2021 04:33 EST
Christy Giles
Christy Giles (ChristyGiles/Instagram )

The husband of LA-based model and aspiring actress Christy Giles has paid tribute to her on Instagram after she was allegedly found outside a Los Angeles hospital at the weekend.

Giles, who died of a suspected drug overdose, was allegedly found dumped outside a Los Angeles hospital following a night out with friends. Her family blame a group of masked men.

A friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, was allegedly dumped at another hospital two hours later and remains in critical care.

Giles’s husband, Jan Cilliers, told his Instagram followers that he could not believe what had happened, and that she was “taken from us. From me. How can this world be so cruel. How can people be so evil.”

He continued by describing the 24-year-old as “the light of my sky. Guiding stars of my journey. The twinkle in my eye. The tongue in my ear”, and said: “My heart is shattered.”

Police have said that it appears Giles’s death was due to a possible overdose that turned fatal.

Christy Giles was ‘a free spirit’ says mother

Christy Giles was a “free spirit” says her mum, who has described her daughter’s character in touching detail.

“She was a Southern girl but non-traditional, she should have been a flower child at Woodstock,” she told The Sun.

Dusty Giles added that her daughter was tough, explaining that she was a military police officer’s daughter, as her father Leslie served in Iraq.

“My daughters have been taught literally how to kill a person with a ballpoint pen,” she said.

More about Ms Giles life and background here:

Who is Christy Giles? Model’s lifeless body dumped outside of LA hospital

The model’s body was found ‘dumped’ on an LA street

Helen.Elfer18 November 2021 16:11

Who are the suspects?

The family of Christy Giles believe that she and her friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, were dropped off outside two different Los Angeles hospitals by the same group of men.

As Graeme Massie writes, Ms Gile’s husband Jan Cilliers believes video footage shows her being left outside Southern California Hospital by a group of masked men, who were hiding their identity.

It remains unclear if the men were the same group who they were seen talking with at a part in LA that night, and no further information is available.

Model Christy Giles dead after being dumped outside Los Angeles hospital

Christy Giles’ lifeless body left on street by group of disguised men, says husband

Gino Spocchia18 November 2021 16:15

Fundraiser for Hilda Marcela

A GoFundMe page has also been set up for Christy Giles’s friend, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, who reminds in a critical condition. More than $92,000 (£68,000) has been raised so far.

It reads: “Her and her friend Christy’s cold bodies were dropped off at different hospitals two hours apart, possibly to avoid suspicion, where Christy lost her life and Marcela was resuscitated and is being kept on life support with a remarkably strong will to live.”

“An official homicide investigation has been opened so we’re asking for your respect and privacy for her family. We ask on behalf of her family for your support in covering the costs that this tragedy has imposed upon them. All funds raised will go directly to Marcela’s family to help cover medical expenses.”

Gino Spocchia18 November 2021 16:30

Friends pay tribute with video of Christy Giles

Another friend of Christy Giles and her husband, Jan Cilliers, has shared a video tribute to the model and aspiring actress.

This was posted by Courtney Scott, a filmmaker and editor.

Gino Spocchia18 November 2021 16:45

‘My daughter has never done heroin’ says mom

ICYMI: Christy Giles’ mother has said there’s no way her daughter died from an accidental overdose.

“My daughter has never done heroin in her life,” she said, adding: “She has a cousin who did heroin once and got addicted. He’s been in and out of rehab twice. She’s very close to him and she was upset that he did that.”

“She’s had close friends OD out there and she told me: “It’s crazy mom, they lace this stuff with fentanyl and people do it once as a party thing and then they’re dead.” reports the New York Post.

Graeme Massie18 November 2021 16:56

Who is Hilda Marcela?

Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola is currently in critical condition after being dumped outside a California hospital on Sunday, writes Jade Brember.

She was last seen at a party with her model friend, who was found dead hours earlier.

Ms Cabrales-Arzola is a 26-year-old Mexican architect designer who studied at the Universidad de Monterrey, in San Pedro Garza García.

Who is Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola? Friend of Christy Giles

A designer and a model went to a party in Los Angeles and both ended up dumped at hospitals

Gino Spocchia18 November 2021 17:00

'My daughter would have fought like hell’

The mother of Christy Giles has spoken of her fears about her daughter’s fate, saying she believes Ms Giles and her friend Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola were drugged and held against their will, possibly sexually assaulted.

“My daughter would have fought like hell and from my understanding from speaking to the emergency room doctor and nurse, they did not see any visible bruises, scratches, or any indication of an altercation” Dusty Giles told The Sun.

Helen.Elfer18 November 2021 17:15

Filmmaker released tribute to Christy Giles

Christy Giles’s husband has posted a tribute to his late wife compiled by filmmaker Courtney Scott.

The series of clips, set to music, show Ms Giles smiling and dancing with her husband. Some of the footage shows her wearing what seems to be a wedding gown and headdress of red flowers.

Jan Cilliers posted the tribute on Instagram, saying: “Thank you for this beautiful video @court_scott

Helen.Elfer18 November 2021 17:30

$100k raised to help find justice for ‘drugged’ model and designer

Nearly $100,000 has been raised to fund investigations in the case of ‘drugged’ model Christy Giles and her friend, the designer Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola.

A GoFundMe page has already raised $92,000, donated by nearly 900 people. The money will go towards funeral and memorial costs for Ms Giles, and private investigators for the cases of both women.

The Independent’s Jade Bremner has more here:

Christy Giles: $100k raised to help find justice for ‘drugged’ model dumped in LA

The model and designer were dumped at two separate California hospitals by ‘three men in all black, masked in bandanas’ states GoFundMe page

Helen.Elfer18 November 2021 17:45

Heroin found in the system of friend Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola

The friend of Christy Giles, Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, was found to have heroin in her bloodstream, according to Ms Giles’ husband Jan Cilliers.

Mr Cilliers suggested that she was forcibly injected with the drug, writes The Independent’s Jade Bremner.

“They found heroin in her system, which is nothing that either of those girls would ever do, not voluntarily,” he said.

Ms Cabrales-Arzola is currently in “critical condition and fighting for her life,” according to a fundraising page for the two women.

Who is Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola? Friend of Christy Giles

A designer and a model went to a party in Los Angeles and both ended up dumped at hospitals

Helen.Elfer18 November 2021 18:00

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