A 31-year-old model named Maleesa Mooney was tragically found dead in her downtown Los Angeles apartment. The autopsy report, released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, revealed that she had been severely beaten, bound, and gagged. Mooney’s body was discovered inside her refrigerator, adding to the shocking nature of the crime. The exact cause of her death had not been previously disclosed, but authorities were treating the case as a homicide.
The incident occurred on September 12 when police responded to a call from Mooney’s mother, who requested a welfare check. Mooney’s body was found two days after another model, Nichole Coats, was discovered dead in a downtown apartment just a few miles away. Despite initial concerns that the deaths might be linked, investigators determined that they were unrelated. The Medical Examiner declared Coats’ death as an accidental result of cocaine and ethanol toxicity.
The autopsy report on Mooney detailed evidence of blunt force trauma, including injuries such as abrasions, lacerations, and contusions on her head, neck, body, and extremities. Surveillance footage showed Mooney alive on September 6 at her apartment complex. However, when police arrived at her residence, they made the grim discovery of her body wedged inside the refrigerator. Blood was also found on the floor outside the appliance.
Mooney had been bound at her wrists and ankles, with the bindings secured behind her back using electronic cords and clothing items. Additional clothes were found around her face and neck, indicating that she had been gagged with an article of clothing. The autopsy report also revealed the presence of recent cocaine use in her system.
Although the injuries she sustained were not immediately life-threatening, given the circumstances, they suggested Mooney had been involved in a violent physical altercation before her death. The report concluded that suffocation may have played a role, but it remains uncertain whether alcohol or drugs contributed to her demise. The Medical Examiner firmly classified her death as a homicide caused by homicidal violence.
Investigators are urging anyone with information about the case to come forward and contact the LAPD Central Bureau Homicide Division. Mooney’s tragic passing has left her family devastated. Her sister, Jourdin Pauline, a popular singer from Guyana, expressed her grief on Instagram, promising to seek justice for her sibling.
It is worth noting that Mooney’s family had stated she was two months pregnant at the time of her death. However, the autopsy report does not mention anything about her pregnancy. Surveillance footage captured an unidentified male using Mooney’s key FOB to access the apartment building’s elevator and later entering her unit carrying plastic bags. This detail may provide crucial clues in unraveling the mystery surrounding Mooney’s tragic end.
