Justice delayed but not denied: A 92-year-old man convicted for a 1967 crime

Longest-Running Cold Case in UK Solved

A man in his 90s has been found guilty of a brutal crime that happened over half a century ago. Ryland Headley, now 92, was 34 when he attacked and killed Louisa Dunne, a 75-year-old woman, in her own home back in June 1967. This case is notable for being the longest-running cold case in the UK to ever be solved.

The Crime

Louisa Dunne was found dead in her home on June 28, 1967. The cause of her death was determined to be strangulation and asphyxiation, and she had also been raped. The police kept some of her clothing, including a blue skirt, and other evidence for further tests. They also found a palm print on a window, which they believe Headley used to break into her home.

The Breakthrough

The case was reopened in 2023, and the skirt was sent for forensic testing in May of that year. DNA from the skirt matched Headley’s, and the palm print was also identified as his. Headley had been arrested at his home in Suffolk in November 2023.

Headley’s Criminal History

This wasn’t Headley’s first run-in with the law. He had been convicted of two counts of rape in the late 1970s after attacking two elderly women, aged 79 and 84, in Ipswich. He pleaded guilty to those charges in 1978 and was jailed for seven years. The testimonies of those two women were presented during Headley’s trial in 2025.

Impact on the Family

Mary Dainton, Dunne’s granddaughter, was shocked when she heard that Headley had been arrested. She had come to terms with the fact that her grandmother’s murder might never be solved.

Ongoing Investigations

Detective Inspector Dave Marchant, the senior investigating officer for the case, is now working with the National Crime Agency to see if Headley could be responsible for any other unsolved crimes.

Sentencing and Justice

Headley will be sentenced on Tuesday. This case shows that justice can be served, even after many years. It also highlights the importance of advances in forensic technology in solving cold cases.