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Search continues for killer who took the life of renowned space economist

Molly Macauley murdered July 2016 in Roland Park
Posted at 8:13 PM, Oct 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-26 20:13:43-04

It's a case that sticks with Baltimore City homicide Detective Sean Dallessandro.

“I didn't leave work. I got a shower at home, changed my suit, but I was here for a good two months straight,” said Detective Dallessandro.

Ever since July 8, 2016, Dallessandro’s been hard at work trying to figure out who killed 59-year-old Molly Macauley. 

Macauley was walking her two dogs on the 600 block of West University Parkway just before 11 p.m., when she was attacked. A neighbor heard her scream then found Macauley on the ground still gripping the leashes in her hand.

“I walked into the crime scene and what was immediately evident was the amount of blood,” said Dallessandro.

Police didn't find a weapon, there were no witnesses or surveillance video, and nothing was taken from Macauley.

A few days later, Dallessandro asked cadets to comb the neighborhood and wooded areas to look for any hidden clues. Nothing turned up
    
“It's something different. It was unlike any other case that I've ever had,” said Dallessandro.

The violent attack happened in a neighborhood that's mostly immune to Baltimore’s murder epidemic. Roland Park hadn't seen a homicide since 1998.

Macauley was also a notable person. She was a space economist and vice president for research for think tank Resources for the Future.

“She was big in this field. She was really the main person doing this kind of work. She had a lot of colleagues at NOAA and NASA, served on the advisory committees, testified, she was quite the expert,” said Margaret Walls, one of Macauley’s co-workers.

Dallessandro couldn't find any enemies at her work. He looked at everyone who was in the neighborhood that night, and ruled them all out.

He even sought the assistance of the FBI.

“I went to Quantico, talked to them [to] see what they could come up with. There's somebody out there that did this and there's somebody out here that may know who did this and that's what I'm looking for,” said Dallessandro.

If you have any information on Macauley's murder, contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCK-UP. All tips can remain anonymous.

Metro Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in Macauley's case.