Experiences of eight callers to tip-line point to pattern
Since 1989, at least eight women have been lured under false pretenses by the man accused of killing a 21-year-old Santa Monica woman, according to court testimony last week.
Of those eight, four were assaulted by Victor Paleologus but were able to escape, while three others were approached within a week of his release from state prison earlier this year, according to testimony from six Santa Monica Police officers last week.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dennis Aichroth ruled Thursday in a preliminary hearing that enough evidence existed to try Paleologus, 40, for capital murder, as well as six counts relating to the Beverly Hills case, including identity theft, filing a false financial statement, burglary, grand theft auto, forgery and receiving stolen property.
Paleologus has been convicted of six felonies since 1998 ranging from grand theft to burglary to assault.
He is now accused of killing Kristi Johnson, a 21-year-old Santa Monica College student who disappeared Feb. 15 and was found dead March 3 in the Hollywood Hills. An autopsy on Johnson’s body revealed that she was sexually assaulted and died of strangulation, as well as being the victim of blunt-force trauma, said Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Eleanor Hunter.
Johnson was one of five women that Paleologus — who police have called a smooth-talking predator — allegedly told had a good chance of being chosen as the female lead in the next James Bond movie.
Police learned of the women’s stories after establishing a tip-line during the search for Johnson. The tip-line brought in hundreds of leads, many from women who recognized Paleologus from a composite sketch and pictures.
He allegedly asked each of the women to meet him for photo shoots wearing specific items of clothing — black high-heeled shoes, a black mini-skirt and a men’s white dress shirt. He told the women a necktie would be provided for them, police testified during the hearing last week.
SMPD detectives identified Paleologus — who was released from state prison on Jan. 20 — as the suspect in Johnson’s disappearance based on the women’s stories, as well as discovering evidence linking him to the crime.
Prosecutors presented the women’s stories in hopes of persuading Aichroth that Paleologus was following a well-established ruse.
Based on interviews with the women, police officers testified that: ■ On Jan. 24, Paleologus allegedly approached a woman shopping at the Sherman Oaks Mall. She noticed he was staring at her and following her throughout the department store, police said. He finally approached her, said he was a photographer and asked if she wanted to be a model. She declined and was able to “ditch” Paleologus in the mall after he continued to follow her, police testified.
The woman recognized the composite sketch from a television news program Feb. 26 and called SMPD. She was able to identify Paleologus from one of six photos shown to her by SMPD detectives. ■ On Jan. 24 a woman met Paleologus at the Century City Mall. He allegedly told her he was head of photography for Silverscreen, a Disney-affiliated production company, police testified. He told her the company was producing a new James Bond film and she could have a major role in it. Paleologus asked to her to bring the specific shoes, skirt and shirt to a pre-arranged location the next day, police testified.
The woman became suspicious after she contacted the Screen Actor’s Guild to ask if a James Bond movie was in the works by Silverscreen. SAG officials said it wasn’t.
The woman brought her boyfriend to the meeting with Paleologus, who waited in the car while she talked to Paleologus on a street corner in West Hollywood, police testified. She didn’t bring the clothes, which allegedly upset Paleologus. He then told her that they had to move to another location to meet more girls interested in the film role. That’s when the woman ran from Paleologus.
She and her boyfriend then drove through the area in search of Paleologus, who they found hiding in the bushes near his residence on La Cienga Boulevard. The boyfriend approached Paleologus and asked for identification but he ran across Santa Monica Boulevard and disappeared, police testified.
When the woman saw media reports of Johnson’s disappearance and the circumstances surrounding it, she called SMPD. Police say they have videotape of the woman and Paleologus talking in Macy’s at the Century City Mall on Jan. 24. ■ On Jan. 26, a woman arrived at a former pilates studio on Santa Monica and La Cienga boulevards to practice for an audition to be the next James Bond girl. She had previously met Paleologus at Houston’s restaurant in the Century City Mall where she works, police testified.
Paleologus allegedly told her he had just moved from New York and was staying at the Century Plaza Hotel. Paleologus told the woman he had a friend who was a film director producing a new James Bond movie, police testified. He told her she had a good shot of being the next female lead in the movie and could make up to $200,000, along with possible sponsorships with cosmetic companies, police testified.
She showed up to the arranged location so she could practice with Paleologus for the anticipated audition, police testified. She changed into the required clothes, the two of them talked for a while, and then she began posing and walking around studio, police testified.
The two acted out a potential scene in the film and Paleologus told her to be more sexy, police testified. She told him she wasn’t “a whore,” to which he replied, “Yes, you are.”
Paleologus then kissed her and said it was part of the scene, but she didn’t feel comfortable, police said. She was able to leave the studio but had dinner with Paleologus a week later when she told him she had a boyfriend and she wanted to keep their relationship professional. Paleologus called her once but she didn’t call him back, police said. ■ A woman recalled that sometime in 1999 or 2000, she was approached by a man fitting Paleologus’ description asking her to audition wearing the specific clothing in a photo shoot for a James Bond movie. He asked her to meet him at a house in the Hollywood Hills. When she arrived without the clothes, Paleologus told her to get them and come back. She never went back. ■ In August 1998, a woman said she was leaving the Skybar in Hollywood when Paleologus allegedly approached her and told her he was a publicity photographer for an upcoming James Bond film, police testified. She agreed to meet him on Aug. 30, 1998 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina del Ray with the requested clothing. They briefly met in the hotel lobby where she posed in a chair with her legs together and feet on the floor, police testified. Paleologus then took her to an abandoned restaurant at 11600 San Vicente Boulevard, saying they were going to meet his partner named “Gretchen.”
At the restaurant, the woman sat in a chair and posed the same way she did in the hotel lobby. When she got on the floor to pose at Paleologus’ request, he allegedly bound her ankles together with a nylon cord. He pushed her on her back and straddled her, police testified. He took off his necktie in an attempt to tie her hands. The woman was able to turn herself over, push him away and run out of the restaurant, police testified. ■ Another woman was allegedly assaulted by Paleologus at the abandoned restaurant a few years earli-er — except this woman had been in a relationship with him. After she broke up with him, he contacted her saying he had lost the key to her safety deposit box where he was storing some jewelry. He asked her to meet him at the restaurant. There, Paleologus allegedly forced her into the bathroom but she was able to flee. Ten days later, the woman found Paleologus lying on her bedroom floor. She sprayed him with pepper spray and called police. ■ In October 1989, a woman met Paleologus at a bar in Manhattan Beach. He told her he was a record executive for Columbia Records, police testified. They met a second time, when they had dinner and went to a club at the Century City Mall. He allegedly told her Columbia Records was having a promotional party at the Bonaventure Hotel. The two of them got into a limousine and he took her to a hotel room, where he allegedly tied her to the bed and attempted to rape her. But the woman had martial arts experience and was able to bite Paleologus in the groin, which caused him to fall on the floor. She ran out of the hotel room, police said.
Paleologus got three years probation after a jury deadlocked on charges against him in 1991 for attempted rape, assault and false imprisonment. ■ Sometime in 1999, a woman said she met Paleologus at the Century City Mall who said his name was “Brian” and was a publicity photographer for an upcoming James Bond movie, police testified. She agreed to meet him at a home in the Hollywood Hills. When she arrived with a friend, the home was empty and Paleologus was not there.
Paleologus has been in and out of jail for the past two decades. He has been convicted of six felonies since 1998 ranging from grand theft to burglary to assault. He is scheduled to be arraigned July 10.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 30, 2003. Read the original PDF.