“I Had No Choice” Dogsitter Found Guilty of Murder After TikTok Confession
A dogsitter who stabbed a man to death for letting her white Pomeranian pet escape, later boasting about the crime on TikTok, has been found guilty of murder. Winter Swan-Miller, 37, claimed she had “no choice” but to kill 62-year-old Stuart Crocker after he allowed her therapy pet, Oblivion, to get out and be stolen.
Swan-Miller’s disturbing actions came to light during an 11-week trial at Winchester Crown Court, where jurors were told about the chilling details of the murder. Prosecutors said Swan-Miller posted a video on TikTok soon after Crocker’s death, addressing the thieves: “Taking my dog from me, the only thing in the entire world that I’ve got”, told The Telegragh.
On June 28 last year, paramedics discovered Mr. Crocker’s body in his flat in Andover, Wiltshire. He had been stabbed 26 times and was found under a white blanket with a fan running behind his head to keep his body cool. Notes written by Swan-Miller surrounded the scene, creating a “trail for pigs to follow,” according to Nicola Shannon KC, the prosecuting attorney.
Jurors viewed a series of TikTok videos posted by Swan-Miller on June 23. In “Part Two,” she can be heard saying, “Taking my dog from me, the only thing in the entire world that I’ve got. I did do what I did and I did it because I had no choice. They took away the only thing in my life that I have got, and that’s my dog Oblivion.” She added, “I swore if anyone hurt my dog I would never let it go. I did it as a f***ing statement my morals let me do it.”
Swan-Miller’s online behavior continued to be erratic. She informed her TikTok followers, “I’m going to be taking a break from TikTok for a bit I think because I’ve been a bad girl. If you want to write to me, I’ll happily write back.” She also expressed no remorse, stating, “At the moment, I feel sick. But I don’t feel like I’ve done a bad thing at all.”
The court was also shown a letter she sent to a friend, admitting, “I killed Stewart. He f***ing let my dog out and Kelly Smith stole him so I stabbed him.”
After the murder, Swan-Miller went to McDonald’s for a sausage and egg McMuffin meal and appeared cheerful and laid back to those she encountered. She even offered her dog to another woman, saying she was going to prison. Eventually, she fled to Birmingham and was arrested on June 30.
Swan-Miller, who denied the charges, has been found guilty of murder and two counts of fraud. Her co-defendant, Edward Jones, was acquitted of assisting an offender and fraud related to the use of a credit card. Swan-Miller will be sentenced today.