RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The family of a man found buried in the backyard of a Riverside home is speaking out after he was allegedly killed by his roommate.

“I want that monster to know what a beautiful person he took from us,” Leona Hodo said.

Hodo said he last spoke to his son, Bradley Minder, on Oct. 12 after his alleged roommate searched his room.

“She wanted to let me know that she had returned home and cleaned her room because the man broke into her room and destroyed a lot of her belongings,” she said.

Three days later, his son’s body was found buried in the backyard of the house.

Riverside police said they were called to a residence in the 8700 block of Sylvan Drive after Minder had not been seen or heard from for several days.

At the home, a man identified as 48-year-old Richard Thomas Martinez made statements claiming he killed his roommate, police said.

Martinez was taken into custody while detectives searched the home. Minder’s remains were found buried in the backyard.

The victim’s family said the two did not know each other and occasionally stayed at the home owned by Martinez’s grandfather.

“Bradley didn’t really know him, the guy was a little drunk or something. He wasn’t in the right mind… drugs — he was always doing meth and stuff,” said Vinnie Casella, Minder’s brother.

Casella said his brother was ready to move out once he found a new room to rent.

“The day after the cops arrested the guy, she thought she would be safe and wouldn’t have to worry about him being out, so she came back with all her belongings destroyed,” Casella said.

He said Martinez was first arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of a controlled substance when he attacked his grandfather and ransacked his brother’s room before the murder.

“He was never angry at anyone, he was never an angry person, he was full of love, he had a heart of gold,” Hodo said.

Minder, the eldest in the family, helped raise her younger siblings and is remembered as friendly and protective of her loved ones.

“He told me he was going to get better, he said, ‘I love you mom, you are my rock,’ and that was the last time I spoke to my son,” she said.

Hodo said he will be in the courtroom Nov. 4 when Martinez is arraigned on murder charges.

A. GoFundMe The account was opened to help the family with funeral expenses.