Texas Man Charged with Murder After Claiming 'Lucifer' Killed His 81-Year-Old Neighbor 

Leonard Foster's family believes he was the victim of a hate crime and was possibly targeted because he was gay

Tamorian Moore. Photo: Austin Police Department

A Texas man was arrested and charged with murder after claiming he blacked out and "Lucifer" killed his 81-year-old neighbor, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox 7 Austin.

Police officers were called to the victim's Austin apartment for a welfare check just before 2 p.m. on Feb. 18, according to a press release from the Austin Police Department. The caller said they had been waiting to hear from Leonard Foster for several days.

The person claimed to have gone to Foster's house, where a door was open and his car was missing, the release states. They also reportedly told police they saw Tamorian Moore, 23, driving Foster's car before carrying trash bags from Foster's apartment.

Officers arrived and detained Moore while he was holding garbage bags, according to police. Cops then searched Foster's apartment, but he wasn't there.

Investigators learned that Moore was Foster's neighbor and ultimately found Foster's body inside Moore's apartment, police said.

Citing the arrest affidavit, Fox 7 Austin reports that when police questioned Moore, he said he thought Foster was trying to seduce him and "Lucifer" killed him. He reportedly added that he blacked out and wasn't sure how "Lucifer" committed the murder, which also happened on Foster's 81st birthday.

The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office determined Foster died of blunt force trauma and had cuts on his body.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Foster's family believes he was the victim of a hate crime and was possibly targeted because he was gay.

"We would like to see the charges upgraded," Foster's niece, Debra Adams, told KXAN. Police have not confirmed whether this is the path they intend to take in their investigation, as it's currently unclear whether Foster's sexual orientation was a motivating factor in the crime.

Adams described her uncle as having a "wonderful, beautiful spirit."

Moore is being held in the Travis County Jail on a first-degree murder charge. It is unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Anyone with any information on the homicide case is asked to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS.