Man, 92, Convicted of UK's Longest Cold Case Murder

Ryland Headley, aged 92, has been convicted of the rape and murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in 1967, marking what is believed to be the UK’s longest-running cold case to be solved. Dunne was found dead in her Bristol home, with a pathologist ruling the cause of death as asphyxia due to strangulation and pressure on her mouth. Despite a massive investigation at the time, including comparing thousands of palm prints, the case remained unsolved for over 50 years until a cold case review used modern DNA testing to link Headley, who had previously been convicted of raping elderly women, to the crime scene. The conviction followed the review of preserved evidence, such as Dunne's skirt and hair samples, which contained semen matching Headley’s DNA collected in 2012 during an unrelated arrest. Avon and Somerset police emphasized their commitment to pursuing justice regardless of how old a case is, with officials also exploring whether Headley may be responsible for other unsolved attacks. The trial judge accepted a majority verdict, and Headley did not testify during the proceedings.