WEST HOLLYWOOD—West Hollywood salon owner Dawn DaLuise was arrested in March 2014 for allegedly attempting to contract a hitman to murder rival salon owner Gabriel Suarez. DaLuise owned the Skin Refinery Beauty salon.
On Monday, January 12, details of the investigation of the alleged plot to murder the rival business owner became public.
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Detective Steve McCauley testified saying that DaLuise gave him a list of witnesses who saw Suarez conduct a slanderous campaign against the salon owner. McCauley stated that DaLuise had shown him photoshopped pornographic images that had been digitally altered to picture DaLuise.
The pictures, allegedly spread via fliers, Craigalist, and emails included DaLuise’s phone number and promises of acting-out violent sexual fantasies.
The slanderous images were then linked to an acquaintance of DaLuise, Edward Feinstein, who was arrested on suspicion of stalking her.
Further investigation from McCauley did not match-up with DaLuise’s statements, culminating in the discovery of a text message from DaLuise to Feinstein saying: “What time can you talk today? We need to firm up our story for the detective.”
The investigation also led to the discovery of a text message from DaLuise saying: “I found someone who is going to take Gabriel out. His name is Chris Geile and he’s an ex-Detroit Lion quarterback.”
Taking the stand on Monday, Suarez testified that he had discovered some of the fliers in question in his own salon, but wasn’t responsible for placing them there.
“This woman was scared out of her mind…she believed she was being stalked,” Jamon Hicks, DaLuise’s lead counsel, said. “She wasn’t trying to have anybody murdered. She was venting. She was rambling.”
