I think she had her dog with her. Poor girl probably thought she was protected. The perp is clearly insane. Prayers for the victim’s soul and her family. How awful they have to live with how she died
I was telling my brother who is a detective, she went hiking in a popular place, not desolate at all. You have your dog and you see and elderly man with his dog. Most people would not feel threatened by an old man with a dog. Dog people are notorious for striking up conversations with other dog people. Witnesses saw them talking and the dogs playing off leash in an open space. Even the fact that the old guy had the baton can be easily written off. Many people walk their dogs with sticks or other things to ward off other animals. Even a gun or pepper spray would not have saved her if she did not feel threatened, all she had to do was turn her back on him to put the leash on her dog for instance and he hit her in the head.
I am sick about this whole thing. How evil this man is. I believe I would have spoken to him as well. I think we will find out he is a serial killer.
Prayers for her family and may Meredith rest in peace.