John Chiv: After several continuances, Ashley Pearce-Pifferini's preliminary hearing is finally proceeding this afternoon

Apr 2, 2026

After several continuances, Ashley Pearce-Pifferini's preliminary hearing is finally proceeding this afternoon

After several continuances, Ashley Pearce-Pifferini's preliminary hearing is finally proceeding this afternoon.

Pearce-Pifferini is charged with PC 187 (a) murder of and PC 273 ab(a) assault on a child causing death. Victim in both counts is Phoenix Asti.

It has been assigned to Humboldt Superior Court Judge Lawrence Killoran who is in Courtroom 7 today. The pathologist is one of the witnesses today and it is a two day preliminary hearing. I covered every hearing on this case as well when no other media was there. LOCO is here today, once again, covering a random hearing. I will post court minutes and the outcome.

My January 22, 2025 has updates upto the 3/30/26 hearing when this preliminary hearing was confirmed.

Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm is the prosecutor. Deputy Public Defender Casey Russo is Pearce-Pifferini's attorney.

4/3/26: Ashley Pearce-Pifferini held to answer to both charges. She was not remanded into custody and remains on supervised release. You can read the court minutes from both days which include a complete list of witnesses and exhibits such as photo of side of child's face with bruising, footage from WINCO, 911 call and unusual incident/injury report.

Pearce-Pifferini had the courtroom packed with supporters. The victim, an innocent child, had no one except Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm. I saw someone in the courtroom that maybe there for the victim but due to the nature of the case and who the person is, I cannot ask them.