The discovery of an aspiring model and real-estate agent found dead in her Los Angeles apartment on Tuesday has left a family grieving, police searching for a suspect, and tenants alarmed.
Maleesa Mooney, 31, was found dead inside her apartment at Skye at Bunker Hill luxury apartments on the 200 block of South Figueroa Street around 4 p.m. on Tuesday. After her family became worried because she wasn’t answering calls or texts, Los Angeles Police Department officers were dispatched for a welfare check and discovered Mooney’s body inside.
“When a week went by, we just knew something was off,” said Bailey Babb, Mooney’s cousin. “Her messages weren’t delivering and we knew something was up because we all have a special relationship with Maleesa.”
Maleesa’s sister, Jourdin Pauline, says she was kind, loving, and opened her arms up to so many friends and she has no idea who would be capable of doing this. She says life without Maleesa isn’t the same.
“Maleesa has always been someone who is a peacemaker in our family, someone that’s always been the backbone, and making sure everyone’s getting together, loving on each other,” Pauline said. “So this is a really big piece of us that’s gone now.”
Police did not release any details about possible injuries and her cause of death is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Police have confirmed, however, that her death is being investigated as a murder.
Mooney’s family wants justice and for the person or people responsible to be held accountable.
Anyone who has any information about the suspects responsible for Mooney’s death is urged to contact the LAPD detectives Pierce or Marcinek at 213-996-4150. Anonymous tips can be submitted online or by calling 800-222-8477.
