In a groundbreaking achievement for cold case investigations, Avon and Somerset Police have solved the 1967 rape and murder of Louisa Dunne, a 75-year-old grandmother from Bristol. The case, which had remained unsolved for 58 years, is believed to be the longest-running cold case to be resolved in the UK, and possibly the world. The conviction was secured after Jo Smith, a major crime review officer, uncovered forgotten evidence in a dusty archive.
Smith discovered three unsealed exhibit boxes in the police archive, which had never undergone modern forensic examination. Despite initial scepticism from colleagues, she persisted, and the items were eventually submitted for forensic analysis. The breakthrough came when a palm print on a rear window, originally taken in 1967, was matched to Ryland Headley, then 92 years old.
Headley was found guilty of rape and murder in June 2024 and sentenced to life imprisonment. The case highlights the power of modern forensic techniques to solve historic crimes. Smith and her team were awarded Investigations Team of the Year at the National Conference for Senior Investigating Officers for their work on the case.
