Millionaire art collector's horrific final moments revealed after he and his pet dog were mown down on Boston street by stranger who took a dislike to them

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 23:50, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 23:54, 13 July 2026 A wealthy art collector's final moments before he was gruesomely mowed down in Boston have been revealed, as the stranger who struck him with his car is indicted for murder.  John Axelrod, 79, had been walking his dog, Tale, on the morning of January 3 when he and his beloved pet were fatally struck by a car.  Axelrod's alleged killer, William Haney Jr, acted 'methodically and deliberately' in the millionaire's death, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight told the court on Monday.  Haney, 43, is said to have targeted the art collector in a random attack, authorities said.  In the weeks after his arrest, Haney was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial in February following his long history of schizophrenia and is undergoing court-ordered psychiatric treatment at Bridgewater State Hospital.  He was indicted on Monday on charges of first-degree murder and animal cruelty, as not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf at his arraignment on Monday morning, the Boston Globe reported.  Axelrod and his dog had been walking near the Commonwealth Avenue Mall with the millionaire's best friend 'who witnessed the horror,' Knight said.  Haney had allegedly stopped a passerby and asked if they had seen a man in a red coat with a 'yappy dog,' the district attorney continued, the Globe reported.  William Haney Jr, 43, is said to have targeted John Axelrod, 79, in a random attack on January 3 after he allegedly mowed the art collector and his dog down  Axelrod holding his pup, Tale, on the streets of Boston near his million-dollar apartment Dog-walkers pass by the Boston Women's Memorial in Commonwealth Avenue Mall In just moments, Haney drove onto the mall, dodging trees and a statue,  before colliding with the beloved local man and his dog.  A witness to the horror said they heard a loud bang before the sound of a yelping dog, the Globe reported.  Law enforcement responded to the scene at around 9am before Axelrod was rushed to hospital, where he later died.  Haney had sped away from the scene toward Brookline before stopping at a Dunkin' Donuts where he pulled Tale's leash out of his SUV's grill, prosecutors said.  'He intended to conceal [the leash] in the nearby trash, but it was later removed in the ensuing investigation,' the prosecution wrote in the filing.  The suspect also stopped at a mechanic in hopes of having the front of his car fixed, but he was refused. The attendant at the mechanic told Haney that they were not a body shop.  Haney then called his brother, who picked him up and took him to the Brookline police station where he was arrested, the Globe reported.  While Haney and Axelrod both lived in Back Bay, the pair were said to have had no prior relationship, authorities said.  Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight, seen left, told the court on Monday that Axelrod's alleged killer acted 'methodically and deliberately' in the millionaire's death As Haney stood in front of the court on Monday, he appeared emotionless while his parents and Axelrod's family and friends looked on to the hearing.  Keith Halpern, Haney's attorney, argued that his client was defending himself against an imaginary assailant when he mowed Axelrod down, according to the outlet.  Haney was diagnosed with schizophrenia 20 years ago, but through medical treatment and family support he was able to manage his symptoms.  He began experiencing paranoia and delusions shortly after his medication was changed last summer, his family said, according to the Globe.  While currently undergoing treatment, Halpern said that Haney 'understands what he's charged with.' 'He is seriously delusional,' Halpern said after Haney's arraignment in February. 'Today he had no understanding of why's here and what happened.' Haney will continue to be held without bail until the case can proceed.  Axelrod was known as a 'generous supporter and passionate advocate for underrepresented artists,' the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) said in a statement. Axelrod (right) posing with a friend while walking Tale along the streets of Boston The benefactor had been deeply invested in the museum since the 1980s, and his death has rocked the local artistic community. 'His legacy will live on at the museum through the John Axelrod Collection - a transformative acquisition of nearly 70 works by Black artists,' the MFA said. The John Axelrod Gallery in the Art of the Americas Wing was dedicated to him in 2009, standing as a tribute to his undying legacy. The collector's first work was donated to the museum in 1985, per the Globe, and his gifted pieces covered areas he felt were underrepresented and didn't get the attention they deserved. Axelrod had donated over 700 pieces, the museum said in 2014.  'His gift of 67 works of African American artists established the John Axelrod Collection in 2011,' per the statement. The 79-year-old was a New Jersey native who was a student at the Phillips Academy. He went on to study at Yale University and Harvard Law School. The art enthusiast had an unwavering love for dogs. A friend of Axelrod, Mildred Gonzalez, told Boston 25 News: 'I'm in shock. I don't know what to do, I don't think he's mentally all there. I feel bad. I'm hurt because John is an amazing human being.' 'He didn't deserve this, no one deserves this,' Gonzalez added.