A 92-year-old man, Ryland Headley, the Ipswich Rapist Murderer, has been detained following his court appearance, where he faces charges of raping and murdering a lady from Bristol 57 years prior.
Ryland Headley, residing on Clarence Road in Ipswich, was apprehended on Tuesday, 19 November, concerning the murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, discovered deceased at her residence by a neighbour in Easton in 1967.
He was charged overnight and appeared before Bristol Magistrates’ Court via video link from a police station on Wednesday, November 20.
His attorney accompanied Mr. Ryland Headley and was not required to enter pleas for the two accusations filed against him.
He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address, and understood the hearing was taking place as if he was physically present in court.
Concluding Ryland Headley’s appearance at Bristol Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Lynne Matthews told the defendant: “There are two charges which are alleged against you.
“The first is that between the 26 and 29 of June 1967 in Easton, Bristol, you murdered Louisa Dunne. The second allegation is that between the same dates in Bristol, you raped Louisa Dunne.”
The judge added: “The two matters are going to be sent to the crown court. A hearing at Bristol Crown Court will be tomorrow, at or about 10am.
“I have no power to consider the question of your bail, and therefore you will be remanded in custody until tomorrow.”
Ryland Headley’s charge is ‘hugely significant’
Speaking after Mr Ryland Headley was charged, DI Dave Marchant of Avon and Somerset Police said: “This development marks a hugely significant moment in this investigation. Now that criminal proceedings are underway, it’s important to stress that the defendant has the right to a fair trial.
“Any speculation or misinformation on the circumstances of this case has the potential to prejudice these ongoing proceedings.
“We’ve updated Louisa’s family about this charging decision and a specialist liaison officer will continue to support them in the coming days, weeks and months.”
UPDATE 30.06.25
A 92-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder and rape of Louisa Dunne, whose remains were discovered at her residence in Bristol 58 years prior.
Ryland Headley, residing on Clarence Road in Ipswich, refuted the charges but was convicted by a jury after a trial at Bristol Crown Court. The jury unanimously convicted him of rape and declared him guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to 2. He is scheduled for sentencing tomorrow, Tuesday, June 1.
Louisa, aged 75, also referred to as Louise, was discovered deceased in her residence on Britannia Road, Easton, by a neighbour on Wednesday, June 28, 1967. The cause of her demise was identified as strangling and asphyxiation. She had also been sexually assaulted.
A re-examination of the case commenced in 2023, with personnel from our Major Crime Review Team (MCRT) subsequently submitting items for forensic analysis, including apparel.
Louisa’s blue skirt, worn during the incident, was examined, yielding a complete DNA profile.
This profile was cross-referenced with the national database and identified as a match with Ryland Headley, whose profile was entered into the system in 2012 due to an unrelated event. The court was informed that the DNA was a billion to one more likely to originate from Headley than from any other individual.
Headley was apprehended during a police operation on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, and subsequently taken into jail in Ipswich for interrogation by our personnel. He was then charged and detained in jail to appear in court.
Subsequently, a palmprint discovered on an upper bedroom window at Louisa’s residence was identified as a match to Headley, following the acquisition of a new set of prints from him while in custody. This palmprint led to the collection of prints from over 19,000 men during the initial murder inquiry.
Headley was convicted of two charges of rape in the late 1970s for assaulting elderly ladies in Ipswich by unlawfully entering their homes overnight and threatening them with violence prior to committing the rape. Both incidents occurred in October 1977. One victim was in her late seventies, while the other was in her mid-eighties.
Headley (shown below) acknowledged these charges, with an additional 10 burglary offences from the 1970s being considered. He was originally condemned to life imprisonment, but this was subsequently reduced to a seven-year prison term following an appeal.
He was apprehended for these acts after leaving fingerprints at one of the crime locations, which resulted in his identification during a comprehensive house-to-house and fingerprinting operation conducted by Suffolk Police. Headley had his fingerprints collected during these investigations on 3 December 1977 and was apprehended in London nine days subsequently.
After a trial at Bristol Crown Court, Headley is found guilty of the murder and rape of Louisa Dunne.
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