As a gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the vast universe of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine“, I never thought I’d find such a captivating tale outside the confines of Quark’s bar. Cathy DeBuono, the mesmerizing actor who brought M’Pella to life, has proven to be more than just a dabo girl; she’s a real-life heroine. Her bravery in helping catch a serial killer is nothing short of astounding.
Lovers of the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” understand that the attractive women working at Quark’s bar, including M’Pella, played by Cathy DeBuono, were more than just decorative elements. However, in real life, DeBuono demonstrated her mix of beauty, intelligence, and courage when she assisted in capturing a serial killer. On a 2024 episode of “Dateline” titled “The Girl With the Hibiscus Tattoo,” DeBuono shared her encounter with a predator living in the Hollywood Hills who disguised himself as a casting agent to trap his victims.
In a “Dateline” episode narrated by Keith Morrison, it was detailed that DeBuono was one of multiple women in Los Angeles who were approached over several years by a man pretending to be a Hollywood casting director. As these women described, this man would seek out his targets in public areas like the Westfield Century City Mall and propose an audition for the role of the next Bond girl. The women were instructed to follow a distinct dress code for the audition, reminiscent of Shania Twain’s style: a men’s white shirt, ultra-short black miniskirt, sheer pantyhose, slicked-back hair in a ponytail, and high black heels. The casting director allegedly promised to provide a black tie at the audition.
In late 1998 or early 1999, DeBuono was shopping at the mall when a well-dressed man, who happened to be a 28-year-old actor on “Deep Space Nine” at the time, lured her into his trap. According to DeBuono, she didn’t suspect anything fishy initially as the man complimented her and mentioned he was casting for something. Later, she admitted that it wasn’t until later in their conversation that she realized there was something strange about him.
DeBuono narrowly missed her audition
As per DeBuono, the unusual demand for a photo session caused her suspicion, even though it didn’t appear harmful initially. Normally, auditions would be handled by her agent as per DeBuono’s explanation. However, despite the warning signals and the emergence of red flags, DeBuono admitted that her own curiosity overcame her caution. She stated to Morrison that “He appeared very skilled at what he was doing, so I chose to stay and continue our conversation.
At that moment, the man proposed she exit the mall immediately and travel with him to a spot in Hollywood Hills for a photo session. Suspecting something fishy yet unwilling to walk away, DeBuono went to the second location independently, accompanied by “Deep Space Nine” stuntman Chester E. Tripp III. However, upon arrival, the man did not show up to greet her. “He spotted Chester and abandoned his plan,” DeBuño deduced. “I’d just have to carry on and pray that nobody fell for his trick.
However, other women were also deceived by his trickery, such as aspiring actress Alice Walker. In 2003, she was working at a restaurant in Century City when she encountered the man, who presented himself as Victor and suggested a photo shoot with the film’s director at a questionable location in West Hollywood. Despite arriving dressed as instructed, she found that the director wasn’t present. Yet, he still managed to persuade her to return on two more occasions. It was approximately during these meetings that DeBuono and Walker both recognized a man resembling Victor in a local news report. He was being sought for his connection to the disappearance of actress Kristi Johnson, who vanished while heading to an audition with him for a Bond girl role.
The former dabo girl got a confession
Tracking down Victor Paleologus, whose actual name was revealed to be this man, would turn out to be relatively straightforward. Fresh from parole following a term as a sexual offender, the cunning criminal mastermind Paleologus had barely managed to evade arrest again before attempting to steal a test drive vehicle. However, despite Johnson’s body being found in a gully and several eyewitnesses connecting Paleologus to the crime, it proved difficult to make him confess to murder alongside his grand theft auto charges.
Despite numerous women recounting disturbing stories about him dating back to 1989, involving allegations of assaults and spiked drinks, Paleologus chose not to admit wrongdoing. This could have resulted in the death penalty at that time. To make matters worse, soon after reaching a plea deal during the trial, Paleologus attempted to retract his guilty plea, stating he was forced into it. However, the judge rejected this attempt and Paleologus was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
As a fervent enthusiast and psychology student with a focus on criminal psychopathy, I, Cathy DeBuono, found myself unable to shake the suspicion that Victor, a New York detective’s daughter and a man whose actions had always raised red flags, was involved in something sinister. In 2016, my fascination led me to embark on a true crime documentary about Paleologus, connecting with his surviving victims to seek justice together.
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2024-09-17 15:00