Dateline NBC: How was Victor Paleologus caught?

The repeated s*x offender, Victor Paleologus, had been fresh out of prison when he started preying on women and luring them with fake movie offers. Kristi Johnson was found decomposed and dead in a Hollywood Hills ravine on March 3, 2003.

At least 13 women came forward with similar accounts of being approached by Paleologus, per Oxygen. Victor Paleologus was arrested based on heavy circumstantial evidence and testimonies from 40 witnesses and charged with first-degree murder. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2006.

The Dateline NBC episode titled The Girl with the Hibiscus Tattoo showcases the conviction of Victor Paleologus as it airs on May 31, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST on NBC exclusively.

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How was Victor Paleologus caught?

Victor Paleologus had approached 21-year-old Kristi Johnson with an offer for the role of a Bond girl in an upcoming 007 movie before she disappeared on February 15, 2003. Johnson had been at the Westfield Century City Mall when Paleologus offered her the prospect of making a six-figure sum in an upcoming James Bond movie.

Johnson went shopping for a white blouse, black miniskirt, nylons, and stiletto heels as Paleologus mentioned the clothing items as part of the audition procedure. She was last seen on February 15, and her phone records indicated that she had made her way towards the alleged audition location in Studio City, Hollywood Hills.

The Santa Monica Police Department set up an information line for Kristi Johnson's disappearance, and the response was overwhelming as multiple women came forward with similar stories. The first woman, Susan Murphy, mentioned that she had been approached by Victor Thomas at the Century City Mall 21 days ago with the same job offering $100,000, per The Los Angeles Times.

Murphy had helped with the composite sketch, which was later identified by a parole officer, and thus, the authorities had the name of her parolee, Victor Paleologus. Victor Paleologus had also approached Alice Walker, who worked at the Century City Mall, on January 25, 2003, and offered her the same role as a Bond girl.

He had served over eight years in total for the charges of fraudulence, burglary, s**ual assault, and r*pe of Heather Maher, per the Daily Mail. Two days after Kristi Johnson's disappearance, Victor Paleologus was arrested for trying to steal a BMW in Beverly Hills.

According to Oxygen, a real estate agent identified Paleologus from the composite sketch and mentioned that he had looked at 10 houses in early February. She shared with Oxygen,

“Victor wanted him to see if he could hear him shouting from one of the bedrooms.”

All the houses were located in the area where Kristi Johnson's phone had last pinged. Paleologus said that he wanted to check for acoustics in the houses.

While Paleologus was in the Los Angeles County Jail for theft, the authorities gathered significant evidence from several witnesses who agreed to testify against him. He pleaded guilty to the charges of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison with the possibility of parole.

According to Deputy District Atty. David Walgren, the trial prosecutor,

“The cumulative effect of all these women who didn’t know each other coming forward with similar stories definitely had an impact.”

Along with the murder charge, Paleologus faced additional charges of theft, forgery, and receiving stolen property.

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Catch all the details of Kristi Johnson's murder on the upcoming Dateline episode airing Friday, May 31 at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.