She survived a Hollywood monster—only to die a hero. The cop raped by producer David Pearce was killed saving crash victims days before he got life in prison.
Lauren Craven, 25, was one of seven women raped by Hollywood producer David Pearce—months before he went on to drug and kill model Christy Giles and her friend in 2021.
David Pearce was sentenced to 146 years behind bars—but the woman who once stood up to him never got to see justice served. Officer Lauren Craven of La Mesa, California, was tragically struck and killed last week while rushing to help victims trapped in an overturned car on the highway.
Just days before she was set to testify against Hollywood producer David Pearce for rape, Officer Lauren Craven was killed in the line of duty. La Mesa Police Departmen
County prosecutors dropped the bombshell revelation right after an LA Superior Court judge sentenced David Pearce for a string of sexual assaults and two brutal murders.
She was only 25—and had just celebrated her birthday weeks earlier—when Lauren Craven was killed on October 23.
Hollywood predator David Brian Pearce will spend the rest of his life behind bars—after being sentenced to multiple life terms in prison. Frederick M. Brown for NY Post
Her bravery had already drawn national attention—even before it was revealed she had a connection to the David Pearce case.
Just before 10:30 p.m. last Monday, she came upon a horrific rollover crash on Interstate 8 northeast of San Diego—a scene that would claim her life, officials said.
She alerted dispatch over the radio, then exited her vehicle and moved toward the car that had overturned.
Officer Lauren Craven was struck by a car while responding to a deadly rollover accident last Monday, authorities said.
Last Monday, Officer Craven was tragically struck by a vehicle while responding to a fatal rollover crash. NBC
Craven was struck by a second car, causing a chain reaction that collided with the vehicles from the initial crash, authorities said.
The young police officer is being honored for her courageous final act of helping others.
"Officer Craven’s final actions showed her unwavering commitment to protecting others—a true reflection of how she lived every single day,” the La Mesa Police Department wrote on Facebook.
Craven was among the women raped by David Pearce before he went on to drug and murder model Christy Giles and a friend in 2021. YouTube/Skyline Church
During the trial, Craven was referred to only as “Jane Doe #5,” while Pearce faced justice for both the deadly druggings of Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26, as well as the rapes of seven other women who came forward after his arrest.
Prosecutors said at trial that Pearce assaulted Craven while she was unconscious in 2020. He received six years for that attack, along with 15 years to life for the other rapes.
Pearce encountered Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26, at a rave in Los Angeles and brought them to his residence, administering fentanyl-laced cocaine and drugged drinks, then failing to summon help when they overdosed.
During the proceedings, Craven was identified in court only as “Jane Doe #5.” YouTube/Skyline Church
A witness testified that Pearce said, “Dead girls don’t talk,” as he urged the perpetrator to dial 911.
Pearce then put their unconscious bodies into his Toyota Prius and abandoned them on the sidewalks outside two hospitals.
Following Pearce’s arrest in connection with the murders, Craven and six additional women publicly accused him of assaults that occurred over several years, starting in 2007.
In 2020, Craven was the victim of an assault by the Los Angeles producer. YouTube/Skyline Church
Craven refused to let her traumatic experience define her. After completing the police academy twice, she joined the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024, realizing her long-held goal of becoming a police officer.
"It has always been my passion to serve others and there has never been a doubt in my mind being a law enforcement officer is what I was meant to do," Craven wrote as part of her LMPD hiring application.
"That’s who Lauren was and that’s how she served and how she will be remembered," La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney stated at a news conference Tuesday.
