Mason County Sheriff's Office deputies said William Foster, 25, stabbed and beat his mother, Claudia Foster, 62, to death.
“Claudia was a beautiful person. Nobody deserves this, whether they’re a beautiful person or not. (It’s a) tragedy,” Jim Johnson said.
William Foster appeared in court Wednesday. The judge addressed him through a TV monitor.
According to court documents, William Foster showed up at a family member’s home Christmas evening in his underwear and covered in blood. Deputies said he told them he thought his mother was a demon.
He admitted to stabbing her in the head and beating her with a baseball bat.
Johnson lives next door in a home Claudia Foster owned and said the two were friends. He said he cannot believe she is dead.
“She’s a real nice lady, just like you or me. She cared about people,” Johnson said. “This isn’t something she deserved, obviously. It’s just a big tragedy.”
William Foster is being held on a $500,000 bond.
Officials said he also has pending charges in Clark County for attempting to elude a police officer.
William Foster will be back in a Mason County courtroom on Jan. 7. 2019.
About the Author