Is there a new episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered this week (10th September, 2025)? Explained

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered has a new episode this week. Titled The Girl with the Hibiscus Tattoo, the episode is scheduled to air on Wednesday, September 10, at 8 pm ET on Oxygen.

The story revisits the 2003 killing of Kristi Johnson in Los Angeles. The case was first featured as a two-hour Dateline NBC broadcast on May 31, 2024. The midweek airing presents a new Secrets Uncovered cut of that investigation, with the same core facts and outcome.

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered case overview

Kristi Johnson left a Century City mall on February 15, 2003, after meeting a man who pitched a fake James Bond audition. She never returned home. Hikers discovered her body on March 3 in the Hollywood Hills. She had been bound and strangled, according to contemporaneous reporting from the Los Angeles Times (2004).

Hikers found Kristi Johnson’s body in the Hollywood Hills. (Image via Pexels)

Also read: Dateline: Unforgettable - Sarm Heslop - A detailed case overview

Investigators learned the man often posed as an entertainment insider. Multiple women described similar pitches that asked for the same outfit and a secluded “audition” site. Those accounts helped police see a pattern and focus on a suspect with prior s*x-crime convictions, per NBC News (2024).

Detectives linked the approach to Victor Paleologus, who had recently been paroled. A parole officer recognized a composite sketch tied to the mall encounters. Phone activity near Laurel Canyon on the night Johnson vanished supported the timeline investigators built, as reported by the Los Angeles Times (2004).

Police lacked direct forensic evidence, likely lost to rain and time. Even so, the witness testimony was strong. Several women who survived encounters with the man came forward and gave matching details about the scheme and the clothing requests. Their testimonies later became central in court, as reported by NBC News (2024).

Prosecutors charged Paleologus with first-degree murder. Less than two weeks into the trial in 2006, he entered a plea to avoid the death penalty and received 25 years to life in state prison. He later tried to withdraw the plea, but sentencing stood, according to the Los Angeles Times (2006).

The case did not end there. A group of survivors continued to monitor parole steps and gathered material they believed showed ongoing risk. Paleologus waived an early hearing in 2023. His next hearing is scheduled in 2025, per NBC News (2024).

The Girl with the Hibiscus Tattoo Episode Cover Image (Image via @DatelineNBC YouTube)

The Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode title refers to the tattoo that helped identify Johnson after her body was found. The broadcast also includes on-camera accounts from women who say they were targeted by the same man and escaped, reported NBC News (2024).

Where to watch Dateline: Secrets Uncovered

Watch Dateline: Secrets Uncovered's new episode, The Girl with the Hibiscus Tattoo, on Oxygen at 8 pm ET on Wednesday, September 10. The channel has re-airs throughout the day, with encore slots in the morning, afternoon, and late night.

Oxygen schedule for Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Wednesday, September 10. Times are converted from ET to CT and PT.

ET start	CT start	PT start	Episode
6:00 am	5:00 am	3:00 am	Devil’s Bathtub (S7 E1)
7:00 am	6:00 am	4:00 am	Deadly Circumstances (S7 E2)
8:00 am	7:00 am	5:00 am	A Crack in Everything (S7 E3)
9:00 am	8:00 am	6:00 am	A Night of the New Moon (S7 E4)
10:00 am	9:00 am	7:00 am	Twisted in Texas (S7 E5)
11:00 am	10:00 am	8:00 am	Tangled Web (S7 E6)
12:00 pm	11:00 am	9:00 am	A Shot in the Dark (S7 E9)
2:00 pm	1:00 pm	11:00 am	Haunting (S7 E12)
4:00 pm	3:00 pm	1:00 pm	Someone Was Waiting (S7 E13)
6:00 pm	5:00 pm	3:00 pm	A Deadly Path (S7 E14)
8:00 pm	7:00 pm	5:00 pm	The Girl with the Hibiscus Tattoo (S15 E15) (NEW)
10:00 pm	9:00 pm	7:00 pm	Murder in Broad Daylight (S7 E16)
11:00 pm	10:00 pm	8:00 pm	Betrayal of Trust (S7 E17)

Dateline: Secrets Uncovered can also be streamed on fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Oxygen.

Also read: The true story behind Theresa Cox's brutal crime against her ex-husband

About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

Know More

Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar