Man Arrested in Studio City, Accused of Kicking off a War Among Estheticians

A 28-year-old man was free today on $150,000 bail after allegedly making cyberstalking rape threats against a West Hollywood skin salon owner who was later arrested on suspicion of trying to hire someone to kill a rival business owner she believed made the threats, authorities said.

Edward Feinstein allegedly had a falling out with so-called skin care specialist to the stars Dawn DaLuise, 55, with whom he claimed to have been friends, and beginning in July, he allegedly created and distributed sexually-explicit flyers with a photo of DaLuise's face on them and posted Craigslist ads in which he posed as DaLuise and requested males to act out a rape fantasy, according to Capt. Mike Parker of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Headquarters Bureau.

"The ads included the home address, phone number, and a photo of Dawn DaLuise," Parker said.

After she learned of the ads, DaLuise came to believe they were posted by the proprietor of a skin care business that opened near her shop, Skin Refinery at 8543 Santa Monica Blvd., Parker said.

DaLuise "then began communications by text and phone calls with more than one person, in an effort to hire someone to kill the person she believed was trying to solicit rape against her and threaten the safety of her daughters," Parker said.

Sheriff's investigators arrested DaLuise on March 5 and she remains held at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood in lieu of $1 million bail, with arraignment scheduled for Wednesday at the airport courthouse, according to online booking records.

"She is culpable for soliciting someone to kill the victim," Capt. Shaun Mathers of the Sheriff's Fraud & Cyber Crimes Bureau alleged. "She believed it would be carried out."

Evidence led investigators to believe Feinstein created and distributed the explicit flyers, sent out mass emails and posted the Craigslist ads, Parker said.

"He also utilized various forms of media and photographs to make DaLuise believe that her adult daughters were in danger," Parker said, adding that when the investigation into the alleged cyberstalking began, "at least one media outlet published possible evidence that was reportedly given to them by Feinstein."

Investigators served a search warrant at Feinstein's West Hollywood apartment on Monday, only to learn that he had moved out four days earlier, Parker said.

Feinstein was arrested at his new home in Studio City after a search warrant was served there around 10 a.m. on Wednesday and booked at the sheriff's West Hollywood Station on suspicion of stalking, Parker said.

Feinstein was released Wednesday after posting $150,000 bail and is due to appear at the airport courthouse on May 14, he said.

Parker said "an additional male is under investigation as a possibly additional suspect in the cyber stalking of DaLuise."

The target of DaLuise's alleged plot was Gabriel Suarez, who opened Smooth Cheeks next door to Skin Refinery about seven months ago. He said business has been good, and he never suspected he was the target of a murder plot.

According to the criminal complaint, one person DaLuise allegedly tried to hire was Chris Geile, an Anaheim native who played in three games as an offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions in 1987.

On her website, DaLuise says she's a former Frederick's of Hollywood model whose skin care clients have included Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Alicia Silverstone, Christina Ricci, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alyson Hannigan and Sally Struthers.

--City News Service