An 84-year-old man in Texas has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his 83-year-old roommate and her dog in what police described as a “very, very brutal attack.”
The tragedy unfolded in Austin’s University Hills neighborhood earlier this week. On Monday afternoon, police responded to a call about a deceased person at a house in the area. Inside, they found Linda Mlsna, 83, and her dog dead. The crime scene was so gruesome that detectives were visibly shaken, calling it one of the worst they’d seen.
Linda shared her home with Jack Moore, an old friend of her son. When her son moved out, Moore stayed behind as her roommate. Neighbors said things hadn’t been going well between them lately. Lupita Diaz, who lived across the street, shared that Linda had recently confided in her, saying she didn’t feel safe with Moore anymore.
As detectives pieced together what happened, they discovered Moore wasn’t home. Instead, he was already on the run. The investigation took a dark turn when they found out he had been using Linda’s credit cards after her death, making purchases and seemingly planning to flee the country.
Police eventually caught up with Moore through a joint effort by Austin’s Tactical Intelligence Unit and the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. They arrested him on an unrelated carjacking warrant. During questioning, Moore confessed to the shocking crime, admitting to killing Linda and her dog, stealing her credit cards, and plotting his escape.
Moore, who has a history of criminal behavior and has spent time in prison, is now being held in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $1 million. Despite his age, police warned against underestimating him. “He’s 84 years old, but you can’t predict who’s dangerous,” said Detective Israel Pina. “It’s disturbing to think you never really know who you’re living with unless you truly know their history.”
This case marks the 63rd homicide in Austin this year and leaves a somber reminder of the importance of trust and safety in our relationships.
