A Southern California police officer who was killed by a suspected DUI driver was among the victims who were sexually assaulted by David Pearce, a Hollywood producer sentenced to prison for the murders of two women and for drugging and raping seven others.
Among his victims was Lauren Craven, 25, an officer with the La Mesa Police Department, according to the New York Post, which first reported Craven’s connection with the case. La Mesa is a city located about 12 miles from downtown San Diego.
Pearce was later convicted of first-degree murder for the overdose deaths of Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26 and was sentenced to 146 years in prison.
The assaults took place between 2005 to 2021, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Pearce’s victims said he would lure women to his apartment after a night of partying by pretending to be a well-connected Hollywood insider. Many of the victims said that after drinking at his apartment, they would awaken while he was assaulting them.
Craven was a student at Loyola Marymount when she was sexually assaulted by Pearce in 2020, the Los Angeles Times reported.
After surviving the trauma, she later followed her dreams of becoming a police officer and joined the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024.
On Oct. 20, 2025, Craven responded to a multi-vehicle crash on the 8 Freeway near San Diego.
While helping victims in an overturned car, she was struck and killed by a Toyota Camry driven by Antonio Alcantar, 38, who was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
On Oct. 27, thousands attended a funeral procession to honor Craven, traveling from Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley to Rancho San Diego. More than 700 law enforcement vehicles and thousands of officers and mourners took part in the procession.
Her father told NBC 7 in San Diego that Craven got to live her dream of becoming a police officer. “It was the start of [her career], and she was never happier,” he said.
“Officer Craven served her community with pride and dedication,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement on Oct. 21. “Jennifer and I are heartbroken by her loss and the significant impact her passing leaves on the larger San Diego community. We join her family, friends, and fellow officers in mourning. May her memory never be forgotten.”
“It is with deep sorrow that we share the tragic loss of La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, who was killed in the line of duty late Monday night,” The La Mesa Police Department wrote on a Facebook post. “Officer Craven’s actions in her final moments exemplified her unwavering dedication to service and the safety of others—a reflection of how she lived every day. Officer Craven was known for her tenacity, courage, and compassion—qualities that inspired her peers and strengthened her community. We ask that you keep her family, friends, and the members of the La Mesa Police Department in your prayers as they navigate this profound loss. Her legacy of service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
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