92-year-old man arrested and found guilty of murdering woman born 133 years ago due to new DNA evidence
A 92-year-old man, Ryland Headley, has been convicted of raping and murdering 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in 1967, marking what may be the UK’s longest cold case to reach trial. The verdict was delivered at Bristol Crown Court on June 30, nearly 60 years after the crime.
Louisa, a mother of two, was found dead in her home by concerned neighbors on June 28, 1967. She had blood from one ear and her underwear around her ankles. Evidence at the scene included semen traces and palm prints, but DNA technology was unavailable then.
Police initially conducted a massive investigation, taking over 19,000 palm prints and 8,000 house-to-house statements. However, Headley, then in his 30s, lived just outside the search area, evading detection. The case went cold, with evidence stored for decades.
In 2024, advancements in DNA testing linked the semen to Headley, with odds of a match being “a billion times” more likely than anyone else. Palm prints from the scene also matched his.
Headley, arrested in November 2024, had prior convictions for two rapes a decade after Louisa’s murder. Prosecutors noted his pattern of targeting elderly women living alone.
The jury found him guilty of both rape and murder. Detective Inspector Dave Marchant emphasized the importance of revisiting cold cases, stating, “You should never give up.”
Louisa’s family finally saw justice after nearly six decades. For support regarding sexual assault, contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).
