If, like us, you're obsessed with true crime, then you'll be pleased to know that the BBC just dropped a new two-episode documentary as part of its Murder Trial series.
Death of a Dog Walker tells the tragic story of Brian Low, who was found dead in rural Scotland in 2024. Although police initially treated Low's death as "non-suspicious", believing him to have passed away from a medical issue, a forensic examination carried out days later revealed that the 65-year-old had, in fact, been shot.
As the investigation unfolded, Low's former colleague, David Campbell, was identified as the potential killer – but the prosecution had a tough case to build against him. As Murder Trial: Death of a Dog Walker examines, the murder site had been exposed to the elements for days, resulting in a lack of forensic evidence that would surely convict Campbell.
So, was Campbell convicted? Or did he get away with murder? Here's everything you need to know about killer David Campbell, including where he is now...
Who is David Campbell?
David Campbell is the former colleague and neighbour of victim Brian Low. Low was a gamekeeper on a Scottish estate who, on the afternoon of Friday, 16 February 2024, was murdered. At the time of his death, Low had been walking his dog in the rural area of Pitilie, Aberfeldy, and his beloved black labrador Millie was still by his side when police arrived on the scene the following morning.
What did David Campbell do?
Despite a post-mortem examination later revealing that Brian Low had been shot and killed, police on the scene did not initially notice this. At David Campbell's trial (more on that later), Detective Constable Mark Chance, noted that he saw blood on Low's face and hands, but believed his injuries had been caused by a fall, per the BBC. Similarly, the first paramedic to attend the scene thought Low had died from a "sudden medical event".
Everyone's clicking on...
As a result of these assumptions, Low's death was treated as "non-suspicious". It wasn't until a shotgun pellet fell out of the body bag while Low was being prepared for a post-mortem examination that investigators suspected homicide. From that point, the case was escalated, and it was later confirmed that Low had been shot and killed, suffering approximately 30 pellet injuries.
It took investigators months to find a suspect, however, and police spoke to 800 witnesses and reviewed thousands of hours of CCTV footage from the local area. During their investigation, one name repeatedly cropped up: David Campbell. He was described by locals as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character.
As the case unfolded, it became clear that Low and Campbell – who were former colleagues at Edradynate Estate – had been embroiled in a decades-old feud. But missed forensic opportunities (read: the lack of cordon around the scene due to the mis-categorisation of Low's death) meant the prosecution team had to build a case based on circumstancial evidence rather than the likes of footprints or tyre tracks at the scene.
Nonetheless, at Campbell's trial, witnesses described a "coldness" between the accused and Low. Campbell even said he "loathed" and "hated" Low, due to a feud over birds of prey allegedly being poisoned at the estate where they both worked.
At the end of his 15-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow, which concluded in February 2026, the jury deliberated for three-days and then delivered a non-unanimous guilty verdict. Per Scotland Police, Campbell sentenced to at least 19 years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
Where is David Campbell now?
Following his 19-year sentence for the murder of Brian Low, David Campbell – who is now 77 years old – remains in prison, although the exact penitentiary he is serving at is undisclosed.
Has David Campbell appealed his sentence?
Just months after being handed a 19-year sentence for the killing of Brian Low, David Campbell appealed his conviction. However, he failed to overturn this, with the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service refusing Campbell's appeal at second sift.
"A senior judge or appeal sheriff decides whether or not to grant permission for an appeal to proceed. This is called the sift process. There can be two parts to this," the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service website explains. "A single judge or appeal sheriff will consider whether there are 'arguable grounds' for an appeal to proceed based on legal matters and evidence."
As for the difference between a first and second sift, the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service elaborates: "Where permission to appeal is refused at the first sift, an appeal can be made against that refusal to a second sift. This will be considered by two or three judges/sheriffs, depending on the type of appeal."
Both episodes of Murder Trial: Death of a Dog Walker are available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Scotland from 11 August.
