Do you know who murdered Foster? In the winter of 1978, a quiet Tulsa neighborhood was shaken by a brutal crime that remains a haunting mystery. On December 5th, 41-year-old Foster Ellis Luyster Jr., a white male, was found murdered in his home at 1326 S. Indian Avenue. The devastating discovery was made by his own 6-year-old son, who had just returned from school. The young boy found his father on a bed, initially believing he had been in a fight and was merely sleeping.
The alarm was raised when Foster's wife called
home after he failed to pick her up from her appointment at 4:30 p.m. It was then that their son uttered the chilling words, “Daddy is bleeding and hurt.” Upon her arrival, she found her husband had been shot. Investigators found no signs of forced entry into the residence, suggesting that Foster may have known his killer. The initial investigation was unfortunately complicated by well-meaning neighbors who, in an attempt to help, had started cleaning up blood at the scene before police arrived, potentially disturbing crucial evidence.
Years after the murder, investigators publicly identified two persons of interest they were seeking to identify and question. The first is a white male known as 'Cliff' or 'Clifford,' who in 1978 was in his early to mid-30s, stood between 5'10' and 5'11', and weighed approximately 150-160 pounds. He had short blond hair, a mustache, and a ruddy complexion. It is believed he may have been employed at a Git-N-Gone store in Sand Springs and was going through a divorce at the time. There is also a possibility he was arrested for a DUI in November or December of 1978.
The second individual sought for questioning is a Native American man named 'George,' who was in his mid-to-late 30s or early 40s in 1978. He had black hair, dark brown eyes, and a poor complexion. 'George' was known to wear a distinctive dozen or so rubber bands on his wrist and had a hobby of flying model airplanes. It is thought that he may have struggled with substance abuse. Investigators received information that 'Cliff' and 'George' may have been living together at the Outrigger Apartments located at 8500 S. Lewis Avenue. Despite these leads, no arrests have ever been made in the case, and the death of Foster Luyster remains an unsolved homicide.
