‘Known to all’: Beacon Hill grieves art collector who handed out dog treats, donated millions
Every day of her life in Boston, a little brown dog named Tale trotted down Beacon Hill's brick sidewalks, her leash held by a man whose presence had become part of the neighborhood's pulse.
The three-year-old Australian terrier loved the hum of the city's sirens and trucks, the summer parade of people and dogs and the quiet stretch along the Charles River. In the winters, she stayed warm in a red custom-fitted coat.
But on Saturday morning, that rhythm broke.
Another man had pulled over near the Commonwealth Avenue Mall pedestrian walkway to ask if anyone had seen a man walking his dog and wearing "a red jacket," prosecutors said in court Monday.
Moments later, prosecutors said, he drove onto the pathway and struck Tale and her owner, 79-year-old John Axelrod of Beacon Hill , killing them both.
In court, prosecutors described the encounter as "targeted" — not necessarily because Axelrod was known to the driver, but because he was chosen. A stranger, going about a routine walk, became the focus of a deadly decision.
William Haney, 42, has been charged with murder and animal cruelty in connection with the deaths. His attorney, Keith Halpern, told the court that Haney has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, later adding that Haney had recently switched his psychiatric medicine.
A court-ordered clinician told the judge that Haney has struggled since his medication changed in August and that she requested a mental health evaluation after speaking with him. She said Haney expressed what she described as paranoid beliefs, appeared to be experiencing auditory hallucinations and did not seem to understand that he is charged with murder.
Haney was ordered held without bail during his arraignment in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court on Monday and was committed to Bridgewater State Hospital for further mental health evaluations.
'Known to all'
Axelrod and his dog spent "more time on the Mall every day than anyone" and were "known to all," especially from the dog treats Axelrod handed to other passing walkers, a post on Facebook about Axelrod from community member Andrew Celetano II read.
John Axelrod of Beacon Hill and his dog, Tale.(Photo courtesy of Mildred Gonzalez)
"I'm in shock ... I'm at a loss for words, because I don't think he's [Haney] all there," said Mildred Gonzalez, cousin of Axelrod's partner of 43 years, after the arraignment. Tears streamed down her face as the woman spoke with reporters.
"I'm hurt, because John is an amazing human being. He didn't deserve this. No one deserves this," Gonzalez said.
Those who knew Axelrod say his generosity extended far beyond dog treats. He was a well-known socialite who donated between $10 million and $25 million to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston over the course of his lifetime.
"He was a huge art collector, huge in the MFA and in the arts industry in general," Gonzalez said.
The gallery "Art and Jazz," part of the new installation Stories Artists Tell in the Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. May 26, 2022John Axelrod Gallery(Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Axelrod was involved with the MFA for over 40 years. His gifts included 377 pieces of American Modern design from the 1920s and '30s, which helped establish the MFA as a leader in that field, and collections of 20th-century European decorative arts.
The John Axelrod Gallery in the Art of the Americas Wing was named in his honor in 2009, showcasing highlights like Viktor Schreckengost's Jazz Bowl and a Paul T. Frankl desk. In 2011, the MFA acquired from Axelrod 67 works by Black artists — including Archibald Motley, Loïs Mailou Jones, and Kerry James Marshall — along with 18 works by Brazilian artists of African descent.
He was "a generous supporter and passionate advocate for underrepresented artists" and "his legacy will live on at the Museum through the John Axelrod Collection," a statement from the MFA read.
The gallery "Art and Jazz," part of the new installation Stories Artists Tell in the Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. May 26, 2022John Axelrod Gallery(Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
Beyond his deep love for art, Gonzalez said Axelrod had a background in law and was a "foodie like me" who "loved genuine chocolate." He was a part of a Beacon Hill dog walking group who met at 8 a.m. every Tuesday, she said.
"John was a very brave and outspoken man with a very brave and outspoken dog," Ceretano's post read. "He was not the kind of man who sat idly by, comfortable and complacent, content to let evil fester."
Before he came to own Tale in the summer of 2022, Axelrod had another Australian terrier named Myrna for 15 and a half years who lived in "total love" and enjoyed the same walks Tale did, his own Facebook posts read.
"He was a very well respected, amazing human being. There's no one that's ever going to replace him ... We're torn. We're just — there's no words. There's no words," Gonzalez said.
Haney is expected back in court on Jan. 23 for a probable cause hearing.
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