Archive · 24 Dec 2025
UK Solves 58-Year-Old Murder Cold Case
A very old mystery in the UK has been solved.
A long time ago, in 1967, a kind grandmother named Louisa Dunne was hurt and killed in her home.
The police tried very hard to find out who did it, but they couldn't for a very long time.
Many years later, in 2023, a police officer named Jo Smith looked at the old clues again using new science called DNA.
This science helped them find a man named Ryland Headley, who was already known for doing bad things.
He was very old, 92 years, and he was found guilty of hurting and killing Louisa.
This is one of the oldest mysteries ever solved in the UK, and it shows that even after many years, science can help find answers.
A 75-year-old woman, Louisa Dunne, was murdered and sexually assaulted in her home in Bristol in June 1967.
The case remained unsolved for 58 years until advanced DNA profiling technology identified the suspect.
Ryland Headley, a 92-year-old convicted sex offender, was arrested and convicted of the crime in June 2025.
The breakthrough came from re-examining evidence using modern forensic techniques that were not available at the time of the original investigation.
This case is believed to be the longest-running cold murder investigation in the UK, highlighting the potential of forensic science in solving historical crimes.
- Who
- Louisa Dunne, a 75-year-old grandmother, was the victim; Ryland Headley, a 92-year-old man, was convicted.
- What
- Louisa Dunne was strangled and sexually assaulted in her home.
- When
- The crime occurred in June 1967, and the conviction was in June 2025.
- Where
- The crime took place in Bristol, UK.
- Why
- The case was solved using advanced DNA profiling technology.
- Victim
- Louisa Dunne, 75-year-old grandmother
- Crime Date
- June 1967
- Location
- Bristol, UK
- Convicted
- Ryland Headley, 92-year-old man
- Conviction Date
- June 2025
- Forensic Breakthrough
- DNA profiling on clothing
- Police Force
- Avon and Somerset Police