Man arrested over murder of woman in her own home

Police have arrested a man over the murder of a woman found beaten to death in her own home.

Rose Johnston, 68, was discovered at her home in the Dovecot area of Liverpool on 4 October 2025. A man in his 30s was arrested in the following weeks but was released under investigation.

Nearly 12 months on, Merseyside Police detectives working on the case have said they have arrested a 64-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Det Ch Insp Catherine Walsh said: "Although we have made a second arrest our enquiries remain ongoing and it is vital that anybody with information who hasn't already come forward does so as a matter of urgency."

Crimestoppers had offered a £20,000 reward for any information shared exclusively with the charity which leads to the arrest of anyone responsible for her death.

Rose worked as a tutor in adult education for many years and had more recently volunteered with people with special educational needs.

Her family have said her unsolved murder has been a "constant source of pain".

They said if she was alive she would have likely been arranging a break in a caravan or a hotel stay in Southport to celebrate her birthday with her "beloved sister".

Walsh added: "We need people to tell us about any suspicious activity they heard or saw around the time of Rose's murder or any CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage they may have or have seen which could assist with our investigation.

"Rose's family have been living without answers for over 11 months now but we remain committed to finding the person responsible for her death and bringing them to justice.

"My appeal remains with the local community to come forward and tell us what you know."

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