People close to Gavin Arvizo reveal how he coped after the Michael Jackson 2005 trial

Gavin Arvizo was just 13 years old when he accused Michael Jackson of molesting him, but in June 2005, a jury found Jackson not guilty on all 14 counts, so how has Gavin been coping since?

The case became one of the biggest celebrity trials in history, and Gavin suddenly found himself at the centre of worldwide media attention. Although he largely withdrew from public life, the attention surrounding the case never completely disappeared. He was reportedly targeted on social media pages dedicated to defending Jackson.

So, how did Gavin Arvizo cope after the trial?

via Netflix

Following the trial, Gavin appears to have focused heavily on faith and religion. Speaking in 2010, Santa Barbara prosecutor Ron Zonen, who worked on the case, said Gavin had become a regular churchgoer and was living a very different life from the one many people might assume.

“He’s a deeply religious young man,” Zonen told Radar Online.

Zonen added, “He attends church on a regular basis. He doesn’t drink, doesn’t do drugs. And he’s delightful in his presentation.”

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While many people expected Gavin to spend years speaking publicly about the case, reports suggest he instead threw himself into his studies. According to Zonen, Gavin attended a prominent university on the East Coast and excelled academically.

“He’s an Honour student who has a 3.5 GPA, and a double major in Philosophy and History,” Zonen said.

In 2013, a family friend revealed that Gavin was working as a paralegal while preparing to take the LSAT. Years later, he had worked in several different fields,u including sales and teaching. He also wanted to attend business and law school.

More than 20 years after the trial verdict, Gavin remains one of the most private figures connected to Michael Jackson’s legacy. Unlike Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who later appeared in Leaving Neverland and continued pursuing legal action, Gavin has avoided documentaries, interviews and public appearances.

Even Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed reportedly attempted to contact him while making the documentary but never received a response.

Michael Jackson: The Verdict is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.