From Suspected Rival to Betrayal by Friends: The Twisted Stalking Saga of a Celebrity Esthetician
LOS ANGELES — In the competitive world of Hollywood skincare, Dawn DaLuise built a reputation as a trusted facialist to the stars. But in 2013, her successful practice, Skin Refinery, became the epicenter of a bizarre and terrifying harassment campaign that would lead to shocking betrayals and a dramatic courtroom showdown.
For months, DaLuise was plagued by slashed tires, defaced property, and viciously photoshopped flyers depicting her in explicit scenarios. Her initial suspicion fell on Gabriel Suarez, a rival aesthetician who had opened a clinic next door. "I was convinced he was trying to ruin me," DaLuise recounts in an upcoming episode of Investigation Discovery's The Curious Case Of… series. The two-part episode, "The Skincare Queen and the Hitman," premieres its conclusion on February 2.
The situation escalated to the point where DaLuise, feeling failed by local police, confided in friends about her desperation. In a stunning twist, it was through this very circle of confidants that the truth emerged. The investigation pivoted from Suarez to two of DaLuise's own associates: Edward Feinstein, a friend with a fraud conviction, and Nicholas Prugo, the infamous "Bling Ring" burglar whom DaLuise had once managed.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Feinstein and Prugo were ultimately charged with stalking DaLuise and soliciting a man to rape her. The harassment, it was alleged, was a retaliatory plot after DaLuise reported Prugo for a parole violation.
The case took another dramatic turn when DaLuise herself was arrested in 2014 and charged with solicitation of murder against Suarez—a charge based on text messages she claims were taken out of context. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I was just blowing off steam," she explains in the documentary. A California jury acquitted her in just 40 minutes in January 2015.
Feinstein and Prugo later pleaded no contest to stalking. A felony solicitation for rape charge was dismissed for lack of evidence. Both received probation and community service, and were ordered to stay away from DaLuise and her family.
The case exposes the dark undercurrents of personal and professional envy, and the perils of misplaced trust. "This wasn't a random act," notes former prosecutor Christine Von Helmolt in the film. "It was a calculated, personal war waged from within her inner circle."
Reactions & Commentary
Marcus Thorne, True Crime Analyst: "This case is a textbook example of how a police investigation can fixate on an initial, plausible suspect while the real culprits operate in the shadows. The failure to properly vet DaLuise's inner circle early on prolonged her nightmare."
Linda Chen, Small Business Advocate: "The professional jealousy angle is chilling. It highlights the extreme pressures and rivalries in boutique industries, especially in a place like L.A. where reputation is everything. The system failed to protect a business owner being actively destroyed."
David Riggs, Former LAPD Detective (Ret.): "The police advising her to 'move or quit her job' is an unacceptable response to a sustained stalking campaign. It shows a fundamental lack of training in handling complex harassment cases, especially those involving digital elements."
Kara Simmons, Legal Blogger (sharply critical): "Let's not turn DaLuise into a pure victim here. She was acquitted, yes, but those texts about having Suarez 'taken out' are damning. This is a mess of her own making—consorting with a convicted fraudster and a parole-violating burglar, then playing the victim when that toxic circle turned on her. It's a saga of poor judgment from start to finish."
The Curious Case Of… The Skincare Queen and The Hitman concludes Thursday, February 2 at 10 p.m. ET on ID. Episodes are available to stream on HBO Max.