LOS ANGELES, CA – Two models were found dead in their downtown Los Angeles apartments within days of each other, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on Monday. The deaths are not believed to be connected, and only one is currently being investigated as a potential homicide.
The deceased include Maleesa Mooney, 31, a realtor and sister to Guyanese pop star Jourdin Pauline. Mooney was found dead on September 12, following a welfare check by police officers. Following her sister’s death, Pauline took to social media to share her grief and call for justice.
Nichole Coats, 32, was discovered dead in her apartment two days prior, approximately a mile from Mooney’s residence. Mooney’s death is being treated as a homicide by the LAPD. However, the department is awaiting the results of a county medical examiner’s report on Coats’ death before deciding whether to launch a homicide investigation, LAPD spokesperson Tony Im stated. This decision has been met with criticism from Coats’ family, who believe she was violently killed.
May Stevens, Coats’ aunt, is convinced her niece was murdered, pointing to the unusual position of Coats’ body when found. Despite the similarities between the two cases, including the victims’ ages, professions, and addresses, the LAPD insists that the deaths are not linked.
Tony Im stressed the importance of not making assumptions and jumping to conclusions, as the circumstances surrounding the deaths are still unclear. He also reassured the public that there is no immediate threat.