Los Angeles police have launched a murder investigation into the apparent homicide of a beautiful 31-year-old Beverly Hills licensed real estate agent who was found slain inside her downtown Los Angeles high rise apartment.
Police discovered the body of Maleesa Mooney inside her fifth-floor residence in the 200 block of South Figueroa overlooking the 110 Freeway during a welfare check around shortly before 4 p.m. Sept. 12.
Mooney is listed as a licensed real estate agent by Nestseekers International in its Beverly Hills office on North Cannon Drive. She had also been in the modeling business and continued to model occasionally, according to one of her friends.
Detective’s from the LAPD’s Central Bureau Homicide responded to the scene and assumed investigative responsibility for the case. The investigation indicated that that Mooney had been killed inside her apartment, police said.
How Mooney was killed remains unknown. An autopsy is expected to be conducted by the L.A. County coroner’s office.
Mooney’s family started becoming anxious when they couldn’t get ahold of her last week.
They noticed that the iPhone messages they sent to her changed from blue bubbles to green bubbles, which usually indicates that the messages have not been received.
Police conducted two welfare checks at her home, according to KABC. The first occurred late last week while the second occurred on Tuesday, during which police found her body in her downtown Los Angeles apartment..
“We’re supposed to grow old together,” said Mooney’s sister Jourdin Pauline. “That’s not supposed to happen to her.”
She then pointed to Mooney’s other Apple products, which gave indications that something was amiss. “Whoever did it stole her belongings, because they’re trying to sell her iPhone and her MacBook,” Pauline said. “Her iCloud had an alert like she was on.”
Pauline described her Mooney as the “most amazing girl ever.”
“She’s so kind, she’s so genuine, she’s so loving,” she said. “To have someone do what they did to my sister, to that caliber, is sick. It’s demented.”
Pauline also posted a heartfelt tribute to her sister writing, “This is so sick I can’t believe my baby big sister is gone…the reason I’m me is because of you!!! I’m still waiting for a call to tell me this isn’t real.”
Eleanor Davenport described Mooney as her “best friend.” She said they would talk on the phone for hours, describing Mooney as her “twin sister” since they are just four months apart in age. Mooney was “one of the smartest people I’ve ever met” but also had a “big heart” and was “always sharing love with people,” Davenport added.
Davenport met Mooney in the modeling industry. She recalled that Mooney just seemed to know how to act and “helped me adjust to LA as a model.” The 31-year-old model added that she had “never met someone like her” who was so welcoming to a “nobody from Kentucky,” referring to herself.
She said Mooney had been homeschooled and worked as a real estate agent when she wasn’t modeling. Mooney was “so popular,” noting that the model was always on her phone.
Mooney’s neighbors are also distraught over the news.
“It is scary… I’m just right down the hall,” neighbor Kristin Verduin told KABC. Anyone with information regarding Mooney’s death was urged to call LAPD Central Bureau Homicide Detectives Pierce or Marcinek at 213-996-4150. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222- 8477. During non-business hours or weekends, calls should be made to 877-527- 3247.
