The Los Angeles Police Department has made a breakthrough in the tragic death of L.A. model Maleesa Marie Mooney, whose body was discovered in a chilling scene inside her apartment’s refrigerator in September. Authorities have named 41-year-old Magnus Daniel Humphrey, a resident of Hopkins, Minnesota, as the primary suspect in this harrowing case.
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Humphrey’s arrest came about at his residence but on an unrelated federal warrant linked to narcotics charges. The police have not disclosed the specific reasons connecting Humphrey to Mooney’s murder. Following his arrest, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has proceeded to file murder charges against him. Humphrey has consented to extradition to Los Angeles to stand trial for the allegations tied to Mooney’s demise.
The investigation into Mooney’s death gained momentum when Los Angeles police were dispatched to her apartment for a welfare check on September 12, 2023, around 3:54 p.m. local time, uncovering the 31-year-old model deceased inside her home. An autopsy conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner indicated that Mooney succumbed to “homicidal violence.”
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The examination unveiled that Mooney had suffered physical assault and restraint before her body was placed in the refrigerator. Additionally, it was noted that Mooney had endured blunt-force trauma and had cocaine and alcohol in her system at the time of her death. The report highlighted that although the blunt force injuries were not deemed immediately fatal, the overall evidence suggested a violent altercation leading up to Mooney’s death. The role of drugs and alcohol in the incident remains uncertain, according to the medical examiner.
Further distressing details emerged as it was revealed Mooney, who was last captured on her apartment’s video surveillance on September 6, was two months pregnant. Her sister, Jourdin Pauline, shared with PEOPLE the family’s horror upon visiting Mooney’s apartment post-welfare check, describing the scene as “chilling” and indicating a violent and traumatic event had occurred, leaving the family devastated and seeking justice for Mooney.
