A 92-year-old man has been found guilty of raping and murdering a woman who was born over 130 years ago. His conviction marks a significant moment in what is believed to be the UK’s longest-running cold case ever brought to trial.
Ryland Headley was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, June 30—almost six decades after 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, a mother of two, lost her life.
When they went to check on her, they made a horrifying discovery—Louisa was lying dead inside her home. She was found with blood coming from her ear and her underwear pulled down around her ankles.
Police at the scene discovered semen and palm prints, which could not be analyzed properly at the time since DNA testing did not yet exist. An autopsy also revealed serious abrasions on her face. Investigators believed they were caused by someone forcefully pressing a hand over her mouth.
“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.”
However, Headley wasn’t questioned at the time because he had been living just beyond the area where police were focusing their investigation.
It remained untouched for decades until the case was reopened in 2024.
Thanks to breakthroughs in DNA analysis, officers were able to identify a match using the national database.
The result showed that the sperm found at the scene was ‘a billion times’ more likely to belong to Headley than to any other person.
In addition to that, forensic teams were able to match the palm prints left at the crime scene to Headley as well.
During the court proceedings, it came to light that Headley had previously served time in prison for two separate rape cases, both of which happened roughly ten years after Louisa was murdered. This led prosecutor Anna Vigars KC to argue that he had a clear pattern of behavior consistent with the brutal nature of Louisa’s killing.
“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 told the jury.
Detective Inspector Marchant said the outcome highlighted why cold cases should never be ignored, stating: “I think this investigation shows you should never give up.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by the topics covered in this article, support is available through The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673). The service is available 24 hours a day. You can also reach out online at online.rainn.org.