Police are investigating the murder of Malessa Mooney, inset. (Screenshots from Los Angeles station KABC/YouTube)
Homicide detectives are investigating the death of an aspiring model and real estate agent whose body was found in her Los Angeles apartment.
The body of Malessa Mooney, 31, was found at the Skye at Bunker Hill luxury apartments in the 200 block of South Figueroa Street around 4 p.m. on Tuesday when patrol officers responded to a radio call for a welfare check, officials said.
Police confirmed in a news release they are investigating but did not release details about how she died, saying the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office is investigating her cause of death. Police requested the public’s help for any information in the case.
Family members are baffled.
“When a week went by, we just knew something was off,” said Bailey Babb, Mooney’s cousin, told KTLA. “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, told the station she was “a peacemaker in our family, someone that’s always been the backbone, and making sure everyone’s getting together, loving on each other. So this is a really big piece of us that’s gone now.”
Pauline told local station KABC that whoever killed her stole her belongings.
“They’re trying to sell her iPhone and her MacBook,” Pauline told the station. “Her iCloud had an alert like she was on.
“To have someone do what they did to my sister, to that caliber, is sick. It’s demented.”
On Instagram, Pauline said her heart is crushed.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d have to make this post,” she said. “I can’t believe you won’t be here with us anymore. You were so loving and so kind to everyone.”
“This is so sick. I can’t believe my baby big sister is gone!!!!! The reason I’m me is because of you!!!”
“This feels so surreal. I keep waking up crying, thinking I’m in a bad dream.”
The killing left residents at the apartment on edge.
“It is scary,” one woman said. “It does scare me because I’m just right down the hall.”
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Police are investigating the murder of Malessa Mooney