BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Police are investigating the homicide of a 74-year-old woman at the Raintree Tower Apartments in Beaumont.
A murder warrant has been issued for Leonard Paul Thompson, 66, of Beaumont, who is also a resident at the apartments, according to Jefferson County Precinct One Justice of the Peace Ben Collins, Sr.
Thompson is currently being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on an $800,000 bond.
Peggie Ann Pier, 74, of Beaumont, was found dead in her apartment three floors below Thompson's apartment on Thursday, September 14, 2023, according to a probable cause affidavit in the case.
She was pronounced dead at the scene by "medical personnel" but it was unclear at the time as to how she may have died according to the affidavit.
The apartment manager found her body while doing a welfare check Collins told 12News on Tuesday.
An autopsy ordered by Judge Collins later revealed that Pier had died due to being stabbed in the neck.
Detectives were notified on Monday, September 18, 2023, that Pier's death had been ruled a homicide according to the affidavit.
Police received a tip that Thompson might have information about her death and when detectives reviewed security footage they saw him entering her apartment "about the time of her death."
That video showed Thompson leaving her apartment about two hours later and no one else entering it until the day she was found.
Police also searched his apartment and found several "several evidentiary items" according to a news release from Police.
When detectives questioned Thompson he admitted to being let into the apartment by Pier according to the affidavit.
He also admitted to detectives that he had asked asked for "an amount of money" but that she told him no, the affidavit said.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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