Louisa Dunne: The murder solved six decades later

In 1967, a woman named Louisa Dunne, aged 75, was found murdered in her home in Bristol, England. Despite a significant manhunt for the culprit, the investigations ultimately came up short, and the case went cold.

In 2023, after 56 years, the case was reopened, leading to the arrest and conviction of a 92-year-old man. So, how did this cold case manage to be solved after such a long time? Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we examine the murder of Louisa Dunne, the oldest cold case to eventually be solved in British criminal history.

Who was Louisa Dunne?

Louisa Dunne was born in 1892 and was 75 years old in 1967. She had been married and widowed twice, and had two daughters named Iris and Edna. Her first husband, Teddy Parker, with whom she had her daughters, died in 1945.

The murder of Una Crown: How DNA solved the case 12 years on

The death of Una Crown is a frustrating case filled with police failures, but it was finally solved in 2025.

Louisa remarried a man named John Dunne in 1952, but he too passed away in 1961. After her second husband's death, Louisa became somewhat reclusive, but she maintained good relationships with her neighbours in Easton, Bristol.

The murder of Louisa Dunne

Because of Louisa’s private nature, neighbours found it odd when they spotted her sash window open on 28th June 1967. Peering in through the curtains, the neighbour saw Louisa lying on the floor motionless. She had been raped and strangled, leading to her death. She had also been robbed.

The investigation

Crucial forensic evidence was left behind at the scene. A palm print was left on Louisa’s rear window, and there were traces of semen on her clothes. A huge investigation began to find the matching palm print.

Around 19,000 men and boys in the area had to provide their left-hand palm print in an attempt to find the right match. Around 2,000 statements were also taken, and 8,000 inquiries were made by going house to house.

Babes in the Wood: The cold cases solved years later

In 2018, 32 years after their bodies were found, Russell Bishop, the original suspect was convicted of the double murder

However, the operation was confined to a particular geographic area, and the killer's prints could not be identified. The case eventually went cold, and it wouldn’t reopen for another 56 years.

Reopening the case

In 2023, detectives from the Avon and Somerset Police sent away stored evidence from the case for forensic investigation. Cuttings were taken from Louisa’s skirt, and the fibres of both pieces were analysed. A DNA match was found, and a suspect was identified. The man in question was 92-year-old Ryland Headley, who had been imprisoned in 1977 for the rape of two older women in Ipswich.

A pioneering use of forensics solved The Jigsaw Murders

Read the fascinating story of the 1930s Jigsaw Murders, which saw the pioneering use of forensics to bring the killer to justice.

Headley, who was 34 at the time of Louisa’s murder, had not only committed those aforementioned rapes against elderly women, but he had also committed burglaries in the past. As well as the DNA match, Headley’s palm print was also confirmed to match the print left on Louisa’s window.

The trial

Headley’s trial began in June 2025, 58 years after the crime. Headley denied the charges of murder and rape, and did not give any evidence during his trial at Bristol Crown Court.

With the overwhelming DNA and palm print evidence, as well as witness testimony, Headley was found guilty of the rape and murder of Louise Dunne. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

He was given a minimum term of 20 years, and due to being aged 92 at the time of his sentencing, he will likely die behind bars. Headley is now thought to be the oldest person in Britain to have been convicted of murder.

At Headley’s sentencing, Justice Derek Sweeting spoke candidly,

'Mrs Dunne was vulnerable, she was a small elderly woman living alone. You treated her as a means to an end…She must have experienced considerable pain and fear before her death…The violation of her home, her body and ultimately her life was a pitiless and cruel act by a depraved man.'

Solved 40 years later: The murder of Janet Commins

Janet Commins was sexually assaulted and killed in 1976, but it wasn't until 40 years later that the truth finally came to light.

The murder of Louisa Dunne was a disgusting crime that would go on to affect generations of Louisa’s family, friends and the community of neighbours in Easton. It might have taken almost 60 years, but with the arrest and conviction of Headley, Louisa can finally be given the justice she deserved.

Want to stay up to date on a range of crime-related topics? Then be sure to subscribe to the Crime+Investigation newsletter. By doing so, you will get exclusive access to all our latest crime content, from videos to articles and more.