• Renowned “space economist” Molly Macauley was stabbed to death by a mysterious assailant Friday night while walking her two large dogs.
• She was stabbed in the neck around the corner from her home in Baltimore’s affluent Roland Park neighborhood.
• On Monday, police said they still don’t have a suspect or know a motive.
• Officers were combing the crime scene Monday and asked neighbors with video cameras to check their footage for possible clues.
• While Macauley’s murder was the first in Roland Park since 1998, it was one of five murders which took place in Baltimore over the weekend.
• Despite the lack of a suspect or description of one, social media is overflowing with racially charged commentary about Macauley’s death.
Twitter has erupted with racially charged outrage – much of it based on incomplete or inaccurate information – after the tragic murder of a prominent woman economist in Baltimore on Friday night.
59-year-old Molly Macauley, one of the only economists who focused on space and satellites, was stabbed to death while walking her dogs. The unsolved homicide, the first murder in 18 years in Baltimore’s affluent Roland Park neighborhood, took place on a well-groomed, tree-lined street of large homes.
The investigation into Macauley’s murder is now in full swing with no apparent eyewitnesses. Police have not identified a suspect or provided any description. Social media commenters however have been quick to claim that the killer was black, and that Macauley’s murder is being ignored as politicians and the media focus on the recent killings elsewhere of black civilians by police.
The highly influential alt-right Twitter personality “Ricky Vaughn” Tweeted this weekend that Macauley was murdered by “a black career criminal” (police have not identified or described a suspect).
Professor #MollyMacauley. Stabbed to death last night by a black career criminal in Baltimore. Say her name. pic.twitter.com/1X3IrvSjAh
— Ricky Vaughn (@Ricky_Vaughn99) July 9, 2016
Vaughn’s Tweet was re-Tweeted by almost 2,000 users, including the prominent cable news host Lou Dobbs.
Many other Twitter users weighed in on Macauley’s death with racially charged language, ascribing her death to “thugs” and “crazed” black people. Other users used less offensive language.
Hey #BlackLivesMatter did #MollyMacauley's life matter? If all cops are blamed for the actions of one, are all blacks culpable in her death?
— Anita Murderweapon (@Ann_Tagonist_) July 9, 2016
#MollyMacauley being white, professional and an asset to the community and the world gets you murdered in Baltimore pic.twitter.com/0H9j2gC7VJ
— RockPrincess (@Rockprincess818) July 9, 2016
Users also accused Twitter, which has been accused of favoring the Black Lives Matter movement, of refusing to allow Macauley’s name to trend.
Twitter qualifiers for letting deceased trend
White woman killed by black man
✖️ #MollyMacauleyBlack man killed by cop
✔️ #AlvaBraziel— Jared Wyand (@JaredWyand) July 9, 2016
All non-leftist hashtags either never auto fill or auto fill with some weird spelling mistake @popup82 @JONATHANWEISMEN @MollyMacauley
— Deplorable NonZombie (@PCisCrazy) July 9, 2016
Macauley, a widow, was a vice president at Resources for the Future in Washington, having joined the group in 1987. She was also an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University and had testified before Congress many times. Neighbors and colleagues described her as an esteemed professional who was also in love with Baltimore.
