Scott Edgar Dyleski was born in San Francisco, California, in 1988. After his parents separated when he was just two years old, he was raised by his mother, Esther Fielding. During his early years, the two moved to Lafayette, California, where they lived with a family friend. Dyleski was described by peers as intelligent but eccentric, often dressing in trench coats and showing an interest in gothic art and imagery. He attended Acalanes High School, where some students found him quiet but respectful. Despite his unusual appearance, those close to him described him as a generally gentle and thoughtful teenager, although others testified he expressed disturbing fantasies. He was 16 years old at the time of the murder.

On October 15, 2005, Scott Dyleski murdered his neighbor, 52-year-old Pamela Vitale, who was the wife of high-profile attorney Daniel Horowitz. Vitale was found bludgeoned and eviscerated inside her Lafayette, California home. A chilling "H"-shaped symbol or cross was carved into her back. Dyleski was arrested five days later after investigators linked him to a failed identity theft scam involving stolen credit card information from neighbors.

Prosecutors argued that Dyleski had attempted to order marijuana-growing equipment using stolen card data, accidentally using Vitale’s address as the billing location. When the order failed, he reportedly told his accomplice he would “take care of it.” Authorities believed he broke into Vitale’s home and violently attacked her after she surprised him. DNA evidence connected Dyleski to the crime scene, including blood on his belongings and a ski mask worn during the murder that contained DNA from both Dyleski and Vitale.

During trial, his girlfriend and friends testified that he had previously expressed interest in human anatomy, violence, and death. His defense argued he was a gentle teenager who valued human and animal life. However, the evidence presented, bloody footprints matching his shoes, DNA on the victim’s body, and incriminating statements, was enough for the jury to convict him on all counts.

Dyleski was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was held in juvenile detention until he turned 18 and was then transferred to adult prison. In 2018, following California Senate Bill 394, his sentence was commuted to 25 years to life, making him eligible for parole in 2030. He is currently incarcerated at California State Prison, Corcoran.