Family suspects foul play after woman found dead in downtown LA apartment

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A family is left heartbroken and demanding answers after their loved one was found dead Tuesday in her downtown Los Angeles apartment.

Family members are left reeling over the death of 31-year-old Malessa Mooney.

Police made two separate welfare checks to Mooney's apartment - the first came late last week and the second was on Tuesday when her body was found.

Her family believes she was murdered.

LAPD's homicide bureau is now investigating to determine a cause of death.

"We're supposed to grow old together," said Mooney's sister Jourdin Pauline. "That's not supposed to happen to her."

Her family began to get worried late last week when they couldn't reach her. Suddenly, their iPhone text messages changed from blue to green.

"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."

Residents at Skye at Bunker Hill Apartments, where Mooney was found, have been left shaken.

"It is scary... I'm just right down the hall," Kristin Verduin said.

Pauline described her sister as the "most amazing girl ever."

"She's so kind, she's so genuine, she's so loving," Pauline said. "To have someone do what they did to my sister, to that caliber, is sick. It's demented."