red-handed

Showing clear evidence of guilt; in the act of wrongdoing.

to catch red-handed

Caught, red-handed, on the spot, in the very act of aiding and abetting the traitors against the Republic of France, the Englishman could claim no protection from his own country.

Deadly, bloody.

The demon of fire followed close upon the heels of the unseen fiend of the earth's hidden caverns, and ran red-handed through the metropolis of the West, kindling a thousand unhurt buildings, while the horror-stricken people stood aghast in terror, as helpless to combat this new enemy as they were to check the ravages of the earthquake itself.

I grew to manhood listening to Greeks and Persians plotting various plots in my master's house, and one night all the plots burst forth into ugly blossoms and bore the fruit of red-handed war, and the Greek cities of Ionia revolted against the Persian overlords.

With hands that are red from blood.

The blisters had wept blood for a while, leaving him literally red-handed for the rest of the night.

A red-handed cleaning lady slopped a wet, ragged mop.