If you’re a fan of **Star Trek: Deep Space Nine**, you probably recognize the *dabo girls* from Quark’s bar as more than just eye candy. But did you know that Cathy DeBuono, the talented actor who played the dabo girl M’Pella, risked her life to help catch a real-life serial killer? This jaw-dropping story unfolded in a 2024 episode of “Dateline” titled **”The Girl With the Hibiscus Tattoo.”** In it, DeBuono shared her harrowing encounter with a predator lurking in Hollywood Hills, who lured victims under the guise of a casting agent.
According to the gripping recount by Keith Morrison on “Dateline,” DeBuono was just one of many women approached over several years by a man posing as a Hollywood casting director. He enticed his victims in public places, like Westfield Century City Mall, with promises of auditions for glamorous roles, including a hypothetical Bond girl. But there was a catch—these “auditions” came with a bizarre dress code: a white men’s dress shirt, a revealing black mini skirt, sheer pantyhose, slicked-back ponytails, and sky-high stilettos. As they were told, the casting agent would provide a black tie at the so-called audition.
How DeBuono Almost Became a Victim of a Hollywood Predator
It was late 1998 or early 1999 when DeBuono, then 28 and a regular on **Deep Space Nine**, fell prey to this predator’s tactics. When the elegantly dressed man approached her at the mall, asking whether she was a model or actress, DeBuono felt no immediate alarm. She reflected, “At this point in the conversation, his creep level didn’t exist.” However, her instincts began to stir when he requested her to participate in a photo shoot, which she found odd, as *audition requests normally went through her agent.*
Despite her reservations, curiosity won out, and DeBuono continued the conversation. The casting agent then suggested that she should leave the mall and ride with him to another location for the “photo shoot.” Although she sensed something was off, her intrigue led her to follow him to the Hollywood Hills, but she brought along Chester E. Tripp III, a stuntman from **Deep Space Nine**. Upon their arrival, the man disappeared, likely frightened off by Tripp’s presence. “He saw Chester and aborted his mission,” DeBuono speculated. “I had to move on and hope no one else fell for his ruse.”
Unfortunately, many others did fall victim to this ploy, including *aspiring actress Alice Walker,* who also encountered the predator several years later, leading to a chilling trail of deception.
The Dabo Girl Becomes a Key Player in a Murder Investigation
Eventually, through a series of intertwining stories, authorities identified the *predator as Victor Paleologus*. A troubled individual, Paleologus had barely stepped out from a parole stint as a sex offender when he found himself arrested again for attempting to steal a vehicle. After a horrific track record of violent encounters dating back to 1989, including drugging and assaulting women, Paleologus was notably connected to the disappearance of actor Kristi Johnson, who vanished after meeting him for an audition.
Despite a myriad of witnesses detailing Paleologus’s spine-chilling actions, he initially remained tight-lipped about the murder. It wasn’t until Cathy DeBuono, driven by the desire for justice, got involved that the tides began to turn. With a background in psychology focusing on criminal behavior, she began documenting her findings about Paleologus as part of a true crime project. In a twist of fate, her investigative work led to her surprising confession from him during a prison visit.
Although initially facing potential death penalty charges, Paleologus ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges and received a sentence of 25 years to life behind bars. Years later, he’s eligible for parole, but with DeBuono’s dogged determination, victims’ voices continue to resonate as they seek hyve for justice against such heinous acts.