Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Trial sparks memories of sordid tale

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, May 3, 2001 | 8:18 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Reach her at deskin@ lasvegassun.com.

Amurder trial in Mexico City has a Las Vegas twist and memories for some of us who remember the flamboyant Cora Galenti.

Galenti's grandson, Joseph Pantuso, has been charged with causing the 1997 death of former Las Vegas show producer George Arnold.

Galenti once ran a million-dollar facial treatment business in Southern California before she incurred the wrath of state medical examiners and was forced to flee to Las Vegas. She settled on a small ranch in the valley, where she began treating patients seeking a new, youthful look through what Galenti claimed was a secret facial peel treatment.

Business was thriving until she had a disagreement with a local doctor's wife, whom she refused to treat.

Her problems were brought to the attention of Sun Publisher Hank Greenspun. He assigned this writer and the late Paul Price to investigate.

Price soon declared the story out of his element, and I agreed to follow through. The result was like a journey through "The Twilight Zone" as I chronicled Galenti's life history and observed the details and results of an actual chemical face peel.

To enumerate Galenti's many idiosyncrasies and problems with the law would take much more space than this column provides. She was charged with practicing medicine without a license and was found guilty in federal court.

Galenti packed up and moved to Mexico in 1963, where she joined Mexican doctors and set up a very profitable business.

Pantuso, Galenti's grandson, was once employed by the city of North Las Vegas. His grandmother had plans for him. As her favorite he was chosen to learn the secret of the face peeling. He moved to Mexico in 1979 and took over the business in 1981.

Galenti died in 1993 at age 96, still trying desperately to return to the United States.

Arnold, the producer, had the Galenti face-peel treatment at least five times over 30 years. In December 1997 he came to the clinic for "retouching" and stayed with his friend, Pantuso.

According to a story in the Los Angeles Times by staff writer James Smith (which supplied much of the background for this column), Pantuso treated Arnold's cheek with the phenol-based chemical. Arnold was lying in bed and suddenly jumped out of bed and fell into the wall and collapsed, Pantuso told police.

Efforts at resuscitation failed and an ambulance crew was called, but Arnold did not survive.

Pantuso has been cooperative and totally honest with police and the prosecution, who first argued that Pantuso killed Arnold by poisoning him, then changed the accusation to say Pantuso had strangled him. No evidence was presented as to why Pantuso would kill the producer, who was a longtime friend.

Today Pantuso languishes in a maximum security prison, held without bail for the last 14 months, waiting for a verdict.

It is difficult for anyone who knows Joe Pantuso to believe he could have murdered his friend.

Cora Galenti was forced into exile on trumped-up charges. Could it be that Joe Pantuso is also a victim of his success?

Note: A story by Los Angeles Times staff writer James Smith supplied much of the background for this column.