Anita Rose, 57, walking her dog, police investigating suspected murder, Brantham, Suffolk, 24th July 2024'

[martinwatts5]

In my initial post on Anita’s thread I brought up the question of leashed vs not because it seemed notable to me that a perpretator would attack her if she clearly has her dog by her side. Many a dog would attack and bite to defend their human, so the assaulter would get injured.

Did the attacker not know she was with her dog, because maybe Bruce was away from her at the time, exploring off-leash?

MOO

It’s a very good point. Why attack somebody with a dog which is likely to react badly. Maybe the dog was away from Anita or maybe there was a thought that it was so early in the morning any dog noise would not be heard by anybody.

 

[nao]

Moo..it is a myth that your dog will protect you, that is unless it is human aggressive in the first place. Your dog may be guardy around your home or vehicle but on neutral territory, as in while on a walk dogs rarely will challenge a human.....moo

 

[Inthedetails]

Such an odd and sad case. The location of her body, off her known route, is particularly curious.
Could she have tried to run from her assailant and been caught up with there?
Or was she moved against her will, either before or after sustaining the head injury? That might explain the missing jacket somewhat, as perps will often drag a person by their clothing, causing it to tear, fasteners to break and the garment to come off completely.

The deceased looks fit and youthful on the CCTV and I wonder if that may have been a factor in her attracting attention.

Total speculation: I can envision a scenario where a disturbed/sadistic young man spotted her walking past his house at an early hour, and decided to follow her with SA in mind. Only some time later, once he was directly upon his intended victim, does he realise that she was in fact older and perhaps did not meet his intended ideal profile for a victim (we know that many sex offenders have a specific fantasy or ‘type’ they prefer to victimise, with youth often being a factor in this).

As is typical, the offender lashes out in rage at being ‘thwarted’ or otherwise disappointed in his intent, which could explain the head and face injuries, robbery and lack of reported SA. It could also explains him not ‘finishing the job’ and still leaving her alive. The offender then flees the scene, discarding the jacket en route, and passing the phone on to friends/family to get it out of his possession once he realised his panicked mistake.

Phone is tracked to the person currently in possession, who says they got it from X. X is found to live on the walking route, have a relevant criminal history and/or be seen on CCTV also walking in the early hours some way behind the victim.

Enough to arrest, but not to charge. JMO and pure speculation based on what we have so far.

You bring up good questions. I have been assuming she first encountered the assailant where she was found, but perhaps something happened earlier? Was she hurrying away? Or, if she hadn't seen him earlier, did he see her and follow her or cut her off?

jmo

 

[slowpoke]

No charges four weeks after Brantham murder inquiry started

Police have yet to charge anyone in connection with the death of Anita Rose.

www.bbc.com

“So far, three people have been arrested and bailed in connection with the attack, including two on suspicion of murder and one on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

In a statement Suffolk Police said officers would continue to carry out inquiries in Brantham and the investigation was being treated as a "priority".”

How were the police able to locate the three that they arrested and let go on bail? They seemed to do so rather quickly, but it’s been four weeks and they’ve not been charged. Do you think they had the right persons who assaulted Anita?

What “key information or evidence to the investigation” could the pink jacket and phone case hold? By that, I mean, do they need those items in order to charge the suspects?

JMO

 

[Dotta]

How were the police able to locate the three that they arrested and let go on bail? They seemed to do so rather quickly, but it’s been four weeks and they’ve not been charged. Do you think they had the right persons who assaulted Anita?

What “key information or evidence to the investigation” could the pink jacket and phone case hold? By that, I mean, do they need those items in order to charge the suspects?

JMO

I guess a phone's signal led Police to one of them.
This led to another and another still.

But as there is no strong evidence,
they are bailed till October.

Coroner didn't even give the cause of death.

JMO

 

[Grouse]

Moo..it is a myth that your dog will protect you, that is unless it is human aggressive in the first place. Your dog may be guardy around your home or vehicle but on neutral territory, as in while on a walk dogs rarely will challenge a human.....moo

As was evident in the Julia James case.

 

[Grouse]

Such an odd and sad case. The location of her body, off her known route, is particularly curious.
Could she have tried to run from her assailant and been caught up with there?
Or was she moved against her will, either before or after sustaining the head injury? That might explain the missing jacket somewhat, as perps will often drag a person by their clothing, causing it to tear, fasteners to break and the garment to come off completely.

RSBM

In an article that was linked to up thread, it was said the police believed from phone data she had retraced her steps and gone back up Newmill Rd. The location where she was found was, I believe, on what would have been her normal route had she not gone back (possibly running from someone as you say). In light of that the location is indeed curious.

I think though, if she'd been dragged there would have been evidence of that on her other clothing/shoes.

 

[arrogantcat]

RSBM

In an article that was linked to up thread, it was said the police believed from phone data she had retraced her steps and gone back up Newmill Rd. The location where she was found was, I believe, on what would have been her normal route had she not gone back (possibly running from someone as you say). In light of that the location is indeed curious.

I think though, if she'd been dragged there would have been evidence of that on her other clothing/shoes.

I believe this was superseded by a subsequent article that said police did initially think this, but have since updated her route. A member in this thread helpfully compared the two maps.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding, though.

 

[StillDiggin]

Police are keen to find two men who may hold key information to find the person responsible for the suspected murder of Anita Rose.

Ms Rose, 57, was found by a member of the public lying unconscious on a track near Rectory Lane in Brantham on Wednesday, July 24.
<modsnip for copyright violation - only 10% of article can be posted>

No charges have been made since Ms Rose's death.

Police keen to speak to two men over Anita Rose murder probe

Police are keen to speak to two men in connection with the suspected murder of Anita Rose in Brantham, Suffolk.

www.eadt.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

Police are keen to find two men who may hold key information to find the person responsible for the suspected murder of Anita Rose.

Ms Rose, 57, was found by a member of the public lying unconscious on a track near Rectory Lane in Brantham on Wednesday, July 24.
<modsnip for copyright violation - only 10% of article can be posted>

No charges have been made since Ms Rose's death.

Police keen to speak to two men over Anita Rose murder probe

Police are keen to speak to two men in connection with the suspected murder of Anita Rose in Brantham, Suffolk.

www.eadt.co.uk

View attachment 528928

Wow
For a quiet sleepy village
the paths were surely crowded so early during that fateful morning.
At the crack of the dawn

JMO

 

[slowpoke]

The map says she started recording her walk with the dog on an app when she left her home at around 5:00 am. Why did it stop recording when she reaches the top of Newmill on the return walk (at 6:03 am)? She wasn’t home yet, so it seems unusual she would want to stop recording her walk at that point. Is this where something all went down, the beginning of something bad happening to poor Anita?
Suffolk News

 

[nao]

Moo.. there are residences at top of Newmill Lane so most likely place to run into people..moo

 

[Tortoise]

The map says she started recording her walk with the dog on an app when she left her home at around 5:00 am. Why did it stop recording when she reaches the top of Newmill on the return walk (at 6:03 am)? She wasn’t home yet, so it seems unusual she would want to stop recording her walk at that point. Is this where something all went down, the beginning of something bad happening to poor Anita?
Suffolk News

View attachment 529036

The article says analysis of her phone shows it was normal for the app to be stopped at this point on her usual walk.

Looking at that map, I would guess the distance between point 3 and her expected turn off just before point 4, if she was retracing her walk, looks to be approximately a 15 minute walk, if you divide up the four roughly equal legs of her walk which took her an hour. That means she is roughly where she would be expected to be if she continued walking back down that track from point 3 to point 4, minus a further 7 minutes before she was discovered 22 minutes later at point 4. Bruce was with her, so I'm assuming she walked him most of that leg from point 3 to point 4. So the person responsible had about 5/6/7 minutes to disappear before the member of the public who found her came by. My guess is she came across her attacker close to where she was found, or close to where she might have been expecting to turn off.

 

[slowpoke]

The article says analysis of her phone shows it was normal for the app to be stopped at this point on her usual walk.

Looking at that map, I would guess the distance between point 3 and her expected turn off just before point 4, if she was retracing her walk, looks to be approximately a 15 minute walk, if you divide up the four roughly equal legs of her walk which took her an hour. That means she is roughly where she would be expected to be if she continued walking back down that track from point 3 to point 4, minus a further 7 minutes before she was discovered 22 minutes later at point 4. Bruce was with her, so I'm assuming she walked him most of that leg from point 3 to point 4. So the person responsible had about 5/6/7 minutes to disappear before the member of the public who found her came by. My guess is she came across her attacker close to where she was found, or close to where she might have been expecting to turn off.

Oh, thank you, @Tortoise! I hadn’t seen that part in the article. I was so focused on the map I failed to read the entire news report.

Here’s the part you are referencing:
“The walk reached the end of Newmill Lane by the river, then turned around and returned back up Newmill Lane where the app was manually stopped at 6.03am close to The Street, at the top of Newmill Lane.
Analysis has shown it was normal for the app to be stopped at this point on Anita’s usual walk.”

It says “manually stopped”. I wonder why she normally did that, then? If I went for a walk and was counting steps or miles in interest of health, I wouldn’t stop the count until the walk was done. Seems unusual, to me. Or maybe I’m misunderstanding what “recording dog walk on app” is for, purpose wise. JMO

 

[Grouse]

Oh, thank you, @Tortoise! I hadn’t seen that part in the article. I was so focused on the map I failed to read the entire news report.

Here’s the part you are referencing:
“The walk reached the end of Newmill Lane by the river, then turned around and returned back up Newmill Lane where the app was manually stopped at 6.03am close to The Street, at the top of Newmill Lane.
Analysis has shown it was normal for the app to be stopped at this point on Anita’s usual walk.”

It says “manually stopped”. I wonder why she normally did that, then? If I went for a walk and was counting steps or miles in interest of health, I wouldn’t stop the count until the walk was done. Seems unusual, to me. Or maybe I’m misunderstanding what “recording dog walk on app” is for, purpose wise. JMO

As someone who regularly records walks and cycle rides I find that unusual as well, but if the article is to be believed presumably that's what she did on previous walks.

It also seems slightly odd to me that she would double back like that up Newmill Lane, I would have thought it would be more pleasant a walk to turn right and walk by the river (although a big river and a spaniel might not always be the best idea, the Stour looks to be nearly a mile wide at that point), and to have a more circular route, as was originally said. But if they found on her phone that that indeed was her norm then it probably rules out an encounter being the reason for doubling back.

 

[starlightstarbright]

I’m really interested in these images of people LE would like to speak to. The first image of the man from the side/front looks very much like someone out for their brisk morning walk being picked up by a doorbell camera.

The second image is interesting, however. It looks more like a photo someone snapped on their phone of someone in front of them on a path through the woods. If it is, why did they take the photo? And this man is not dressed how I’d expect someone out at 6am for exercise to dress. Camo top and bottom with white trainers (even this summer, it was very muddy still in lots of places, white trainers wouldn’t be a first choice for a walk in the woods). I’d like the know where and when this photo was taken.

Another thought that came to mind, we’ve all been assuming that this was a stranger atttack, but what if it was someone close to Anita who knew her usual routine and didn’t want to risk leaving evidence behind in a home or car if they wanted to harm her? So followed her to make it look like a robbery. I’m sure LE has considered this possibility, but I thought I’d mention it, because maybe it’s more obvious that we thought. JMO

 

[Tortoise]

I must say I'm very impressed if this was a routine walk, after an hour Anita had still not completed her return journey. I wonder if it was her commitment to owning a Springer Spaniel and living in a house with not much opportunity for his exercise. I do wonder if the app she used was to ensure that Bruce had a minimum mileage/distance covered per day or morning, perhaps even with an additional later walk. Looking at Google maps the point at which Anita turns off the app is by the railway bridge where she presumably entered back down that track running alongside the railway, which converges with Rectory Lane further down. I wonder if at that point she habitually let Bruce off his lead to have a run about which would not be recordable by the app, but she is not worried because he has had his minimum 'goal' of exercise? I can't think of another reason for ceasing the recording at that point, unless she wanted to be clandestine about part of her route, which seems unlikely to me. It might explain one puzzle I have, which is the greater unlikelihood of a stranger encounter with anyone with a very lively dog on a lead. I wonder if Bruce was found with his lead on or off.

Just a few musings.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831271824950263811

 

[Tortoise]

So yes I have just researched the minimum minutes of exercise needed by a Springer (category of breed is sporting dog) per day, and it is 60 minutes.

I will put MOO because some other sites may say something different and it is not MSM so no link provided.

 

[Inthedetails]

So yes I have just researched the minimum minutes of exercise needed by a Springer (category of breed is sporting dog) per day, and it is 60 minutes.

I will put MOO because some other sites may say something different and it is not MSM so no link provided.

Having lived with a springer in the past, I would say they need 60 minutes of exercise per hour!

I wonder if she turned off the tracker when she stopped to let the dog run around while she stayed in one spot, and then she knew the distance home so no need to turn it back on? I agree it is an odd habit.

jmo