Warning: This article discusses rape and may be distressing for some readers.
A 92-year-old man has been found guilty of raping and murdering a woman from 133 years ago, marking the resolution of what is believed to be the UK’s oldest cold case brought to trial.
Ryland Headley received his conviction at Bristol Crown Court on a Monday (June 30), nearly 60 years after the homicide of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, a mother of two.
On the morning of June 28, 1967, Louisa’s neighbors began to worry about her when they noticed she wasn’t on her doorstep as usual.
Upon checking, they discovered Louisa dead in her home, with blood issuing from one ear and her underwear positioned around her ankles.
During the initial investigation, police found semen and palm prints at the scene, but the technology for DNA testing was not available. An examination also revealed ‘extensive abrasions’ on Louisa’s face, likely from a hand being pressed against her mouth.
Detective Inspector Dave Marchant from Avon and Somerset Police told Sky News: “The original investigation was, by all accounts, massive.
“Over 19,000 palm print eliminations were taken from men and boys in the Bristol area and beyond. Over 8,000 house-to-house records were completed and several thousand statements were taken.”
At that time, Headley, who was in his 30s, resided just outside the area that police were focusing on.
Unable to identify a suspect then, the evidence lingered at Avon and Somerset Police HQ until renewed interest in the case emerged in 2024.
With the evolution of DNA testing, authorities were able to match the DNA on the sperm to a profile in the national database, which showed it was ‘a billion times’ more likely to be Headley’s than anyone else’s.
Forensic professionals also matched the palm prints from the crime scene to Headley.
Headley was arrested in November 2024 and later stood trial.
During the trial, it was revealed that Headley had previously been imprisoned for two other rapes committed about a decade after Louisa’s death, leading prosecutor Anna Vigars KC to indicate that Headley exhibited a ‘tendency’ towards the behavior associated with Louisa’s murder.
“In other words, to break into people’s homes at night and, in some cases, to target an elderly woman living alone, to have sex with her despite her attempts to fend him off, and to threaten violence,” she stated.
Upon conclusion of the trial, the jury found Headley guilty of both rape and murder.
DI Marchant emphasized the importance of revisiting cold cases, stating: “I think this investigation shows you should never give up.”
If you or someone you know has been impacted by the issues in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available around the clock. Online chat is also available at online.rainn.org