The RI Cold Case That’s Still Cold - Neronha Says “No Evidence” of Homicide in Malloy’s Death

The RI Cold Case That’s Still Cold - Neronha Says “No Evidence” of Homicide in Malloy’s Death

After years of waiting, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office has issued a report determining that there was “a lack of evidence” to establish the death of Lori Lee Malloy as homicide. 

Four years ago, GoLocal first reported that Lauren Lee Malloy believed her mother’s death 30 years ago was a murder, and that new information should reopen the case.

GoLocal reported, that on March 7, 1993, East Providence Police found Lori Lee Malloy “nude on the bathroom floor” with “pieces of hair wrapped around her left hand and around one foot.”

“The refrigerator in the kitchen was found to be unplugged and there was food still inside. There were two empty glasses found on the table and a small tub (plastic) of some sort of food salad, also the faucet in the bathroom was running freely,” East Providence Police wrote.

The Rhode Island Attorney General's office announced in June of 2022 it would examine the case, after the cause of death was first ruled “natural” before subsequent examinations found the cause to be “undetermined.” 

Now, Neronha’s office this week said it found that “three medical examiners, including one initially contacted by Lauren Malloy, found no evidence to support the conclusion that Ms. Malloy was murdered or otherwise died at the hands of another.”

“The Cold Case Unit investigators and prosecutors met and spoke with Lauren Malloy frequently and acknowledge and understand how disappointed she is with our decision,” the unit announced in their report presented to Malloy this week. “But our review has been thorough. Given the current state of the evidence, or lack thereof, the RIAC closes its investigation of this matter and declines to reclassify it as a homicide.” 

Now, Malloy has responded to the report. 

“I reject the characterization of my response as mere ‘disappointment,’” said Malloy. “I am deeply disturbed that the Attorney General publicly cited my mother’s case in 2023 as justification for establishing a Cold Case Unit, referring to her as an example of a victim whose family was in need of answers and justice, yet did not attend the meeting where the findings of this investigation were presented. That absence speaks for itself.”


Malloy on Record

Throughout the investigation, Malloy provided updates on the process - and the timeframe in which she waited. 

On October 28, 2025, Malloy sent an open letter to the AG’s office expressing her frustration. 

“One thousand days ago — on February 1, 2023 — your office emailed to say my mother had been exhumed and that we could expect results in ‘several weeks.’” wrote Malloy. How dare you inform a daughter by email that her mother was exhumed? How dare you exclude her family from being there. How dare you give no notice — after we asked for nothing more than that.”

Now, Malloy said she has taken affront to a number of elements in the report provided by Neronha’s office. 

“While I appreciate the efforts of the Cold Case Unit in reviewing my mother’s death, I respectfully disagree with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s assertion that there is ‘no evidence’ to establish it as a homicide,” said Malloy. “It is important to clarify what that statement actually means. The RIAG cannot definitively state that my mother’s death was not a homicide; rather, they are stating that they do not believe there is sufficient evidence to meet the legal burden of proving homicide beyond a reasonable doubt. Those are not the same conclusion.”

Malloy went on to point out what she found were inconsistencies in the AG’s report. 

“It is equally important to note that [Medical Examiner] Dr. Chirkov ultimately classified both the cause and manner of death as ‘undetermined,’ amending the original designation of ‘natural’ listed on my mother’s death certificate. That change alone underscores that her death was, at minimum, not conclusively explained,” said Malloy. 



Questioning Investigation

“I also take issue with how the initial 1993 East Providence Police investigation is characterized [in the report],” Malloy continued. “The report omits a critical fact: my mother’s death was initially investigated as a potential homicide by members of the detective division. The investigation was closed prematurely following conclusions by a medical examiner whose work was later subject to quality concerns, before a full and thorough inquiry could take place.”

“Within the RIAG’s own summary of updated forensic testing is a notable detail — hair recovered from my mother’s hands in 1993 was determined to belong to ‘Ms. Malloy or one of her female blood relatives,” said Malloy. “My mother’s sister was never excluded as a potential contributor.”

Malloy questioned why the AG’s office didn’t look at what she said was critical information. 

“Between 2021 and May 2025, I conducted multiple interviews with my mother’s sister. Across those conversations, her statements were inconsistent and raised significant concerns. Additional witnesses, including members of the Malloy family, also expressed suspicion regarding her involvement, citing longstanding jealousy and financial instability as potential motives,” said Malloy. “Experts interviewed during the production of my podcast, ‘My Mom’s Murder: Season Two,’ affirmed these suspicions.

Malloy continued: 

“Notably, my mother’s sister never provided a clear account of her whereabouts on the day my mother’s body was discovered, nor an explanation for her sudden appearance at our apartment while police were actively securing the scene. Further, a personal planner recovered after her death in July 2025 includes a handwritten entry on March 7, 1993 — my mother’s name, alongside a specific early morning time, before dawn — a detail she never disclosed to investigators, despite preserving that planner for over three decades.”

In particular, Malloy addressed Neronha’s office decision to include her mother’s past mental health and drug use. 

“I am also deeply troubled by the repeated emphasis on my mother’s history of mental illness and past drug use throughout the report. No illicit substances were detected in either the original or updated toxicology reports. The medical records referenced reflect only a limited period of her life and do not represent her condition in the years leading up to her death,” said Malloy. “Multiple witnesses have stated she was doing well and was devoted to being a mother. There is no evidence establishing any link between her mental health history and her death, yet it is repeatedly implied.”

“My own investigation has spanned years and explored multiple possibilities. Based on the totality of information available to me, I believe my mother’s sister was responsible for her death. The RIAG did not review my interviews with her, nor the materials recovered from her residence following her death in 2025,” said Malloy. “Despite repeated requests, I have not been provided with my mother’s updated autopsy report, toxicology findings, amended death certificate, or original crime scene photographs.”

“I will continue to advocate for my mother and stand firm in my belief that her death was a homicide,” said Malloy.