Murderer Ryland Headley, 92, to be investigated over cold cases

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Mariam Issimdar reported that there is a breakthrough in a decades-old cold case as a man named Ryland Headley, aged 92, was convicted of raping and murdering Louisa Dunne in 1967. The incident occurred when Headley broke into Dunne’s home in Bristol and carried out the brutal attack. Headley, a former railway worker, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years and was told he would never be released.

The joint Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team (MIT) announced that they would be looking into Headley’s activities since he relocated to Ipswich in the early 1970s. Justice Sweeting, the presiding judge, condemned the attack on Mrs. Dunne as “pitiless and cruel”, highlighting that Headley had shown no remorse for his actions. The court heard that Dunne, a vulnerable elderly woman who lived alone, was the victim of a planned rape by Headley.

After almost six decades of evading justice, Headley was finally linked to the crime through DNA evidence. The Avon and Somerset Police were able to obtain a full DNA profile from a skirt worn by Dunne at the time of the attack. This DNA sample provided a “billion to one” match to Headley, leading to his arrest in November 2024. Despite having been previously sentenced to life in prison for other crimes, Headley had been released after serving a reduced term following an appeal.

Suffolk Police stated that Headley’s conviction in the Bristol murder case, coupled with his prior convictions for rape offenses in Ipswich, has sparked interest in his potential involvement in other unsolved cases. They confirmed that he would be considered a suspect in several unsolved cases across Suffolk, and urged anyone with information to come forward. Louisa Dunne’s case is believed to be the UK’s longest-running cold case to have been resolved, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims and their families

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