A Woman Took Her Dog for a Walk — and Encountered a Man Who Thought He Was 'Too Cunning to Be Caught'

A 56-year-old man in England was found guilty of murder after he attacked a dog walker in what police say was a random act of violence. 

On July 24, 2024, Roy Barclay attacked Anita Rose in South Yorkshire while she was walking her dog Bruce, viciously kicking and stamping on Rose and before leaving her for dead, according to a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service. 

A male bicyclist called an ambulance after finding Rose unconscious with Bruce still by her side, The Guardian reported, citing police. She was taken to a nearby hospital with serious head and facial injuries and died four days later. 

For three months, Barclay was on the run, evading police by constantly changing his physical appearance, the Crown Prosecution Office said in their statement. They arrested several people before finding him. 

Police say they found Barclay at a makeshift outdoor camp in Suffolk, where they recovered personal items belonging to Rose, including a backdoor key, a mobile phone case and her missing pink jacket. 

Police said they were able to build a successful case against Barclay with DNA recovered from Rose’s belongings and CCTV footage.

“This was a savage attack on a much-loved mother who was murdered in an act of terrifying senselessness — and we were determined to ensure the perpetrator was brought to justice,” said Nicola Pope, a prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service. “I hope today’s result provides some measure of solace to all those who knew and loved Anita, as they continue to mourn their loss.” 

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Rose’s daughter Jessica spoke to court reporters following the verdict about how her mother was a “strong, brave, vibrant woman,” per the BBC. 

“We will not forget the wonderful woman she was and the light that she brought to everybody’s life,” she said. “I am so incredibly proud of the woman she was and the legacy that she has left and it will remain in her children and grandchildren.”

Barclay is set to be sentenced on August 6, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.