Elderly man accused of roommate and dog’s ‘brutal’ murder had extensive criminal record

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Montana authorities investigating ‘brutal’ murder first reported as bear attack

Dustin Kjersem, 35, was found dead from a "vicious" attack while camping near Big Sky, Montana, last Saturday. No suspect is in custody. (Credit: Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office)

An elderly man has been arrested in connection with what police have dubbed the “brutal murder” of his roommate and her dog then using her credit cards to attempt to flee the country.

Just before 2 p.m. on Nov. 18, officers from the Austin Police Department were called to a home in reference to a dead person.

When officers arrived, they found a woman, later identified as Linda Mlsna 83, and a dog dead inside the home. Mlsna had not been heard from in six days, according to court documents obtained by FOX 7 Austin.

APD Homicide Det. Israel Pena said in a Nov. 21 news briefing that a neighbor had approached the home and detected an “odor consistent with decomposition and fly activity or insect activity in the windows of the residence.”

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Austin police have arrested and charged an elderly man with a “very brutal” deadly attack on his roommate and her dog. He then allegedly using her credit cards to purchase several gift cards and planned to flee the country. (Austin Police Department)

A family member who lived locally also reported entering the home and finding Mlsna in a downstairs closet with a dead dog on top of her, court documents said.  

When Austin officers got inside the home, they also found a broken piece of furniture and additional evidence of a disturbance, which Pena said confirmed officers’ belief that her death was a homicide.

The initial investigation showed Mlsna’s roommate, 84-year-old Jack Moore, was not at the home and no one knew where he was. However, investigators later discovered that Moore allegedly used Mlsna’s credit cards to make fraudulent purchases after her death.

Officers were ultimately able to find Moore and arrested him on an unrelated warrant.

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An 84-year-old man was arrested for murder after killing his elderly roommate and her dog, the Austin Police Department said during a news briefing. (Austin Police Department)

During an interview with detectives, Moore allegedly confessed to killing Mlsna and her dog, taking her credit cards and making a plan to flee the country.

Moore also told police that he was afraid Mlsna’s family was going to move her out to a nursing home because of her advanced age and claimed he knew she wanted to live in the home until her death. He also admitted to killing her dog because he wanted him to be with her forever, according to the arrest affidavit via FOX 7.

A search warrant for the home uncovered blood in several areas and a cell phone belonging to Mlsna, which showed several text message alerts from various financial institutions about suspicious purchases made with several of her credit cards, all over an eight-day period at one store, the report read. 

Mlsna’s family told police Moore had been stealing money from her.

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Mlsna’s death is being investigated as Austin’s 63rd homicide of 2024. (Austin Police Department)

Police went to the store linked to the theft to obtain surveillance video of several of the purchases and discovered Moore had allegedly purchased 36 gift cards over 21 separate transactions. Police said several of those purchases were made during the time Mlsna was known to be dead.

Moore was arrested by US Marshals on a parole violation for carjacking at an apartment about three and a half miles away from Mlsna’s home.

A search of the apartment where Moore was arrested uncovered over 30 gift cards and receipts, credit cards issued to Mlsna and women’s jewelry, the affidavit said.

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It was also uncovered during the investigation that Moore had an extensive criminal record, including bank robberies and time served in prison.

Moore was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder and a parole violation for felony carjacking. He is currently being held at the Travis County Jail on a $1 million bond. 

According to the police, this case is being investigated as Austin’s 63rd homicide of 2024.

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com