Christopher Westley Pearson was 25 years old when he died on Sunday, October 10, 2021, in Woodland Hills. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds after being stabbed near 22111 Erwin St. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a case of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau Homicide unit.
Friends and fans knew him as Chris Pearson. A professional DJ, he made his television debut in 2018 as a cast member on the first season of MTV's dating show "Ex on the Beach."
According to the LAPD, officers from the Topanga Division responded at about 2 a.m. to a call of an "Ambulance Stabbing" at an apartment complex in the 22100 block of Erwin Street, near Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The Los Angeles Fire Department took him to a hospital, where he died. In its news release the department said: "Pearson was stabbed during a verbal dispute with another unknown male. The cause of the dispute is still unknown."
A department representative told Deadline that he "became involved in a verbal argument with the suspect. During the argument, the suspect produced a weapon and stabbed the victim." The statement ended: "The suspect fled to an unknown location." Detectives said they had no suspect information to release and asked the public for help in identifying the killer.
His family set up a GoFundMe page for funeral costs that described his death as "a tragic encounter." It said: "Chris was the most determined person there could ever be. He had a dream, set a goal & didn't stop until he achieved that goal." It added that "the only other thing that Chris loved more than his music was his family and friends," and that "all Chris wanted was to make it far in life to help his family and make them proud." The page asked people to help "his mother and the family" with funeral expenses. The show's official account posted: "We are deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Chris Pearson. Our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."
Woodland Hills sits at the western end of the San Fernando Valley, at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is a mostly residential community of houses and apartment complexes, and it includes the Warner Center business district and the Westfield Topanga shopping center. It is patrolled by the LAPD's Topanga Division.
His death came in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Los Angeles recorded about 260 homicides a year in 2018 and 2019, among the lowest yearly totals in more than half a century, yet many of those killings still went unsolved.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Christopher Westley Pearson could be found in news archives or public records. More than four years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was at or near the apartment complex in the 22100 block of Erwin Street in the early morning hours of October 10, 2021, or who heard about an argument there that night, may hold information that could help. Detectives asked callers to contact Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-9550. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can call the Los Angeles Police Department at 877-527-3247 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
