NCIS Star Pauley Perrette Opens Up About Near-Fatal Attack and Advocates for Homeless Care
Pauley Perrette, best known for her role as the quirky forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on NCIS, faced a life-altering experience in 2015 when she was brutally assaulted by a homeless man outside her Hollywood Hills home. Despite the harrowing attack, Pauley turned her pain into a powerful call for action on homelessness and mental health care.
The terrifying incident occurred as Pauley was heading to a guesthouse to meet her architect. The attacker, later identified as 45-year-old David Merck, punched Pauley in the face, pinned her down, and threatened to kill her. “He grabbed me so forcefully, pinned my arm, punched me… repeatedly telling me he was going to kill me,” she recalled in a chilling interview.
Pauley’s prayers eventually freed her from his grasp, and she managed to escape, though she collapsed on the sidewalk. Using her phone, she texted friends for help, including one who was a cop. Her quick thinking led to Merck’s arrest at a nearby 7-Eleven.
Despite the trauma, Pauley expressed no anger toward her attacker. “We need full mental health care. We need housing and help for the homeless,” she said, emphasizing the need for better support for both the homeless and law enforcement. “My heart breaks for the guy, and it breaks for every single person that’s out there on the streets.”
Pauley left NCIS in 2018 after 15 years on the show, but her powerful message continues to resonate as she advocates for change in her community.
