Maleesa Mooney, a 31-year-old mannequin and actual property agent whose physique was discovered stuffed inside a fridge in her downtown L.A. house final fall, allowed the suspect in her slaying to remain in her house solely to be “repaid with torture and homicide,” in accordance with prosecutors.
Mooney was discovered useless Sept. 12 in her house within the 200 block of South Figueroa Road after her household requested a welfare verify, authorities mentioned. Mooney’s physique was discovered inside a fridge, with wrists and ankles certain and her mouth gagged, in accordance with an post-mortem report by the L.A. County health worker.
She died by “homicidal violence” inflicted by others, the health worker dominated. Her household confirmed that Mooney was two months pregnant on the time of her loss of life. She is believed to have been killed on Sept. 7, 5 days earlier than her physique was discovered, in accordance with court docket data.
Suspect Magnus Daniel Humphrey, 41, of Hopkins, Minn., was arrested on Nov. 3, 2023, in Minneapolis and was extradited to Los Angeles, in accordance with a press release from the Los Angeles County district lawyer’s workplace. Humphrey was on federal probation on the time and was arrested at his house on an unrelated federal warrant, in accordance with the Los Angeles Police Division.
Magnus Daniel Humphrey, 41, of Hopkins, Minn., was arrested on an “unrelated federal warrant” earlier than he was extradited to L.A. and charged within the loss of life of Maleesa Mooney.
(KTLA)
L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascón mentioned in a press release that Humphrey had been staying with Mooney earlier than her brutal killing however didn’t specify their relationship or how lengthy Humphrey had lived along with her.
“Ms. Mooney opened her house to this particular person with belief, however was repaid with torture and homicide,” Gascón mentioned. “The heinous disregard for Ms. Mooney’s life won’t go unpunished. Justice is being sought, and he can be held accountable.”
Humphrey was charged with one rely of homicide and one rely of torture; he pleaded not responsible to each expenses Thursday and is being held with out bail, in accordance with the district lawyer’s workplace. If convicted, Humphrey might face a most sentence of life in jail with out parole.
Humphrey’s preliminary listening to is scheduled for March 7.
“We’re very happy that an arrest was made,” Heather Hammock, Mooney’s aunt, instructed TV station ABC7 exterior the courthouse Thursday. “We’re filled with so many alternative feelings. We’re very grateful and grateful that he was caught. Please proceed to wish for our household. We simply need justice for my niece.”
Humphrey has an in depth legal historical past spanning throughout a number of states. In Illinois, Humphrey was charged in September 1999 with felony battery and aggravated assault however the case was dropped, in accordance with court docket data. He was arrested once more in 1999 and 2002 on a number of drug-related expenses, together with possession with intent to ship hashish.
In Minnesota, Humphrey was convicted in August 2009 of felony second-degree assault and in Might 2013 of felony third-degree assault, in accordance with court docket data. He was barred from possessing firearms and ammunition.
He was additionally charged in 2009 with false imprisonment and first-degree aggravated theft, however these expenses have been dismissed, in accordance with court docket data. He was convicted in 2009 of illegally possessing a firearm, a felony offense.
Mooney was final seen on video surveillance at her house complicated on Sept. 6, in accordance with her post-mortem report. Her mom requested a welfare verify six days later and police entered the house utilizing a key from property administration.
Jourdin Pauline, Mooney’s sister, instructed The Occasions in October that Mooney’s laptop computer and cellphone had been stolen, together with a designer purse. She mentioned that whoever killed her sister most likely knew her cellphone passcode, as a result of they have been sending her household “obscure” texts. Pauline didn’t specify what the textual content messages mentioned.
Mooney had gone out with mates to a bar in Santa Monica on Sept. 6 and frolicked with them in her house till 3 or 4 a.m., Pauline mentioned. She additionally FaceTimed their cousin that very same day. Her household by no means heard from her once more after that.
Mooney labored for Nester Seekers, a Beverly Hills actual property company, for practically two years and likewise modeled part-time, Pauline mentioned.
