Minnesota man arrested for murder of Los Angeles model found dead in her apartment refrigerator

A Minnesota man has been arrested for the September 2023 killing of a Los Angeles model in her high-end downtown apartment where she was found bound and gagged inside a refrigerator, authorities said. 

Magnus Daniel Humphrey, who was on probation for federal narcotics offenses, was taken into custody at his home in Minnesota on an unrelated federal warrant, the Los Angeles Police Department said Wednesday. 

He now faces a murder charge in the death of Maleesa Mooney, the LAPD said. 

Mooney, 31, was found dead in her apartment on Sept. 12, 2023 during a police welfare check requested by her family. She was last seen alive on Sept. 6 on surveillance cameras in her apartment complex. 

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Her body showed evidence of blunt force trauma, including abrasions, lacerations and contusions around her head and neck, body and extremities, according to an autopsy reported obtained by Fox Los Angeles. 

Her body was “wedged inside the refrigerator” with blood on the floor outside of it, the report said. Her wrists and ankles were bound and bindings “were tied to each other behind her back with miscellaneous electronic cords and clothing items. Other clothing items were found around her face and neck.” 

A piece of clothing was stuffed in her mouth, the report said. 

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Security video from the apartment building also captured a male using her key FOB to enter the elevator and then carrying plastic bags to her unit, police said. 

Authorities have not disclosed Humphrey’s relationship with Mooney or a motive for the killing. Her death was ruled a homicide and a toxicology report said cocaine was found in her system. 

Mooney was two months pregnant when she died, her family said. She primarily worked as a real estate agent with NestSeekers International showing million dollar homes but was going back into modeling, her sister, Jourdin Pauline, previously told Fox News Digital.  

Mooney’s body was found two days after another woman, Nichole Coats, 32, an aspiring model, was found dead inside her downtown apartment nearby. Investigators determined the deaths weren’t related.