80-year-old Seattle woman identified after fatal Madison Valley carjacking
SEATTLE - An 80-year-old woman who was carjacked and run over in Seattle's Madison Valley neighborhood Tuesday morning has been identified as Ruth Diane Dalton.
A Facebook page titled "Remembering Ruth Dalton" was created on Wednesday by her granddaughter, Melanie Roberts, who invited the community to share memories, pictures, and comments. The page highlights Dalton’s legacy as the owner of Grandma’s Critter Care, a pet care service she founded 35 years ago to pay for her granddaughter’s education at a private Christian school.
"One of Grandma's favorite Bible verses was 2 Corinthians 5:8: 'To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,'" one post on the page read. Another shared a "fun fact" about the origins of Grandma’s Critter Care: "She named it Grandma's Critter Care because she would say, 'Well I'm Melanie's Grandma ... and I take care of all the critters.' And she did in the beginning ... it wasn't just dogs and cats! There were birds, reptiles, and even some ferrets!"
Seattle Police say Dalton was carjacked, dragged, and run over with her own car on Tuesday morning while walking dogs in the Madison Valley neighborhood. Investigators say the suspect then drove away, leaving the woman fatally injured and the tight-knit community devastated.
Neighbors, who described Dalton as a beloved fixture in the area, are now grappling with the senseless crime. Laura Dynan, who witnessed the incident, said she heard a commotion and screams before realizing a local dog walker was being attacked.
"I basically got out of my front door before I realized there were dogs running down the street and screaming," Dynan said. By the time she got outside, the suspect was already at the wheel of Dalton’s blue SUV, with several dogs trapped inside.
"There was a Corgi and a couple of Doodles in there," she said. Dynan added that a plumber working nearby attempted to intervene by smashing the car’s windows with a bat to free the dogs.
"The guy with the bat was batting out all the windows. There were dogs leaping out. It was just chaos," she recalled.
Despite efforts to stop the carjacker, the suspect drove off, leaving Dalton injured in the street. Neighbors rushed to perform CPR and called 911, but Dalton ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
"She loved what she did. She loved her customers, she loved the animals. She wasn't ready to retire."
Seattle police located the stolen SUV Tuesday afternoon, about 20 minutes away on S. Juneau Street near Brighton Playfield. A dead dog, believed to be Dalton’s small mutt, was found with what appeared to be stab wounds near a recycling bin in the park.
On Wednesday, Seattle police said they arrested a 48-year-old man who was being held for investigation of murder.
"I feel like she was taken from us too soon. Eighty is not old in my family, said Roberts. "Her mom lived to 99, her grandma lived to 94. She still had a lot of years left with us."
The tragic incident has prompted an outpouring of grief from the community. A growing memorial now marks the site of the crash, where neighbors and community members have gathered to honor Dalton. Dozens of flowers and heartfelt messages from those who knew her, along with tributes from fellow dog walkers, have been left at the scene. Her granddaughter, Melanie, described Dalton as the "pioneer of dog walking in the area."
"Ruth died trying to save her dogs … I don't know, there's a dog that would do the same, cause they’re like our children," said Pam Newcomer, a Kent dog walker.
Dalton’s presence in the neighborhood was widely felt. Neighbors say she was a dedicated and compassionate caregiver who always put the pets in her care first. "Folks would stop and honk or wave when she was out walking," said one community member. Despite a previous incident where she was struck by a car a few years ago, Dalton remained committed to her work, even using a Great Dane to guide her home after that accident.
Neighbors like Py Bateman, who grabbed her own dogs’ leashes and treats to canvas the neighborhood for any missing pets after Tuesday’s attack, said Dalton’s dedication was evident in how she lived her life.
"Pretty concerning to everybody in the neighborhood," said Bateman. "I thought, I can’t do anything to help her, but I can go look for the dogs and give treats to anyone who might see the dogs."
Dynan believes Dalton died trying to protect the dogs in her care. "All the dogs that were in the car were not hers, they were other people’s in the neighborhood, and she was trying to protect them, I’m sure," she said.
"She loved what she did. She loved her customers, she loved the animals. She wasn't ready to retire," said Roberts.
MORE NEWS FROM FOX SEATTLE
Exclusive: WA DCYF head responds to calls to step down after Green Hill School failures
Two retired WA ferries set sail for Ecuador, ending Puget Sound legacy
Marysville School District addressing budget after state's most 'alarming audit' in 17 years
Gorge Amphitheatre hit by thunderstorm, Bass Canyon day two canceled
Kayaker still missing after stormy weather in Everett, paddleboarders rescued
Mud, boulders delay reopening of WA's North Cascades Highway
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.
