Man, 92, found guilty of murder in ‘UK’s oldest cold case’
A 92 -year -old man was found guilty of rape and murder, an old widow, who was thought to be the longest cold case of Britain.
Later, 34 -year -old Ryland Headley was forced to his home in June 1967, 75 -year -old Louisa Dunne in Bristol before attacking him.
The body of his dual mother was found on the morning of June 28 by the neighbors in the terrace house on the Britannia Road in the Easton region of the city.
He was heard that a woman screamed hours before the discovery of Mrs. Dunne, who lived twice her widows and alone.
Ms. Dunne, who used the front room as a bedroom, was found on a pile of old outfit and the police could not find any evidence that it was a violent struggle at home.
The case has not been solved for more than 50 years until the Avon and Somerset detectives sent the elements from the original research for the DNA test.
These results provided a DNA match with Headley, who has been moved to Suffolk since the murder and sentenced to imprisonment to rape two old women in 1977.
Headley of Ipswich, Clarence Road rejected both charges, but was found guilty by the jury in Bristol Crown Court in the afternoon after nine hours and 53 minutes of negotiations. He didn’t give evidence.
Mr. Justice Sweeting said eight men and four women would punish Headley for two crimes on Tuesday morning.
“This was a situation in the eyes of the people.
“Certainly it contained many non -sad details. If you are called again for the jury service in the next 10 years, you have the right to reject.”
The hearing concluded that a patologist had died of asphyxia because of drowning and pressure on his mouth, Mrs. Dunne died and was forcibly held on her mouth.
The gauges were taken from the body of Mrs. Dunne, who tested positively for semen, but scientific examinations were limited at that time.
The police also saved the left hand palm pressure from a window on the upper floor in 1967 compared to 19,000 men and men, but none of them matched the suspect.
Headley, a railway worker at that time, lived on Pictton Street with his wife – one and a half miles from Mrs. Dunne, but most importantly, men and men are just outside the geographical area where they are asked to pressure.
Soon he took his family to London, then moved to Ipswich, and the palm pressure was never taken in Bristol.
Finally, when the police were found, he collected the material from his investigations, including clothes worn by Mrs. Dunne, and sealed them for more work in the future.
All evidence, including Ms. Dunne’s clothes and other judicial evidence, was celebrated and kept by Avon and Somerset detectives to wait for progress in science.
In 2023, the case was re -examined and Ms. Dunne’s blue skirt was sent for a judicial test in May last year.
DNA reached an ratio, which means that headley, which was recovered from the skirt, was one billion times higher than one of the DNA.
The DNA was taken by the police and was loaded into the national database after an indifferent crime in 2012, which did not result in a accusation.
When Headley was arrested on suspicion of killing Mrs. Dunne in November last year, she said to the detectives: orum I don’t know why she was talking about. Very strange, very strange. ”
During the previous arrests, Headley had given his fingerprints, but he did not give pressure. In the form of 2012, “Arthritis on both wrists, the palm is not flexible,” he said.
This time, Headley’s Palm prints were taken and a fingerprint expert found more than 25 features that matched the 1967 edition.
The trial heard that Headley had been imprisoned for the rape of two elderly women whom He broke their homes in 1977 – threatened them to violence if they did not follow.
In addition, he asked for 10 crimes of theft overnight when he was previously sentenced to a night.
During the 2025 case, Headley used a hearing cycle and was supported by a vehicle. The jury members were told that the court would sit on short days to ensure that Headley continues to concentrate.
Jeremy Benson KC, representing Headley, said that his client did not “remember” to visit Ms. Dunne or had sexual intercourse with him.
“He certainly didn’t rape him and he didn’t kill him, Mr. Benson said to the jury in his closing speech.
Speaking after the decisions, Detective Inspector Dave Marchant of Avon and Somerset Police said that the forces around the country are now related to whether Headley is connected to other unresolved crimes.
“Ryland Headley now proved for the rape of three old women in his address, and the murder in the case of Louisa Dunne,” PA said to the PA news agency.
“When he was sentenced in 1978, he confessed to a number of other theft crimes.
“I think there is a possibility that Mr. Headley could be guilty in the 60s, in the 70s, but for a long time – other crimes.
“We are working with the country and other police forces and the national crime agency to try to understand and define more crimes and if we can match them with any judicial technique, if possible, and hopefully bring it before a court to face justice.”
