A 92-year-old man has been convicted of the rape and murder of a woman in southwestern England, marking the end of what is believed to be the UK’s longest-running cold case. Ryland Headley, then 34 years old, was found guilty of attacking 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in June 1967 after a jury trial at Bristol Crown Court.
The prosecutor, Charlotte Ream, described the crime as a horrifying attack that took place in Dunne’s own home, where she should have felt safe. The case remained unsolved for 58 years until Headley was finally brought to justice. Dunne was discovered dead in her home on June 28, 1967, with evidence pointing to strangulation, asphyxiation, and sexual assault.
Investigators collected Dunne’s clothing, including a blue skirt, and other samples for examination. They also found a palm print on a window that Headley allegedly used to enter the victim’s home. In 2023, the case was reopened, and forensic testing on the skirt led to the identification of Headley’s DNA, which had been added to the national database in 2012.
Headley, who had previously been convicted of two counts of rape in the late 1970s for attacking women in Ipswich, was arrested in November after forensic scientists linked him to Dunne’s murder. Testimonies from his previous victims were presented during the trial, adding to the evidence against him.
Detective Inspector Dave Marchant, the senior investigating officer, highlighted the emotional impact of hearing from the victims of Headley’s past crimes. He also expressed a commitment to pursuing any other unsolved cases that Headley may be linked to. Dunne’s granddaughter, Mary Dainton, expressed her shock at the arrest, as she had accepted that some murders may never be solved.
The National Crime Agency is working with local authorities to investigate any potential connections between Headley and other unsolved cases in the Avon and Somerset area. Headley is set to be sentenced on Tuesday, bringing closure to a decades-old cold case and ensuring that justice is served for Louisa Dunne.
