A 92-year-old man convicted of rape and murder from 1967 will now be investigated for potential links to several unsolved cold cases, police have confirmed. Ryland Headley was jailed for life on Tuesday for the brutal killing of Louisa Dunne in Bristol 58 years ago.
Detectives from the joint Norfolk and Suffolk major investigation team will carry out "extensive inquiries" into Headley's activities since he moved to Ipswich in the early 1970s. The former railway worker received a minimum term of 20 years at Bristol Crown Court, with the judge telling him he would die in prison for his "pitiless and cruel act by a depraved man".
Decades-long evasion of justice
Headley broke into Mrs Dunne's home in the Easton area of Bristol in June 1967 before raping and killing the mother-of-two in her front room, which she was using as a bedroom. For almost six decades, he evaded justice for that crime before cold case detectives at Avon and Somerset Police sent items for forensic analysis last year, resulting in a DNA match.
However, Headley's criminal history extends beyond the Bristol case. In 1977, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after his fingerprint linked him to the rape of a 79-year-old widow in Ipswich, and he admitted a second rape on an 84-year-old widow in the town.
Reduced sentence and early release
That sentence was later reduced to seven years following an appeal, with Headley serving around two years before being released from prison. He was still living in Ipswich when Avon and Somerset officers arrested him on suspicion of Mrs Dunne's rape and murder in November last year.
A spokesman for Suffolk Police said Headley will now be a consideration in several unsolved case reviews across Suffolk following his conviction. The Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team will examine his activities since moving to Ipswich in the early 1970s, particularly focusing on unsolved homicide and stranger rape cases.
Appeal for new information
Police acknowledged that speculation about Headley's potential involvement in other cases is understandable given his conviction pattern. However, they stressed it would be inappropriate to comment on his status as a suspect in any specific cases, as these remain unsolved and subject to review.
The force appealed for anyone with information to come forward, noting that "over time allegiances and perspectives change". They urged people to contact the Joint MIT's Unsolved Case Team by emailing [email protected] or calling 01953 423819, emphasising that even seemingly small details could assist their inquiries.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
