Breakthrough in 1967 Murder Case: DNA Evidence Pins Suspect

A forensic scientist was able to produce a full DNA profile from a skirt and hair samples taken from a woman who died in 1967, strong evidence linking the suspect, 92-year-old Ryland Headley. The breakthrough in the Louisa Dunne murder case came after a re-examination of the evidence, which had been stored in police storage for almost 60 years. Andrew Parry, a forensic scientist, testified that the DNA evidence was a "strong scientific evidence" to link the suspect to the crime scene.

Key Takeaways:

• A forensic scientist was able to produce a full DNA profile from a skirt and hair samples taken from Louisa Dunne, a woman who died in 1967, and the DNA was linked to 92-year-old Ryland Headley.
• The DNA evidence was obtained after a re-examination of the evidence, which had been stored in police storage for almost 60 years.
• The DNA profile was obtained from the skirt, which showed a "very weak" reaction for acid phosphatase (AP) on the front, but numerous sperm cells on the back.
• A full DNA profile was obtained from the hair samples, which showed a "billion times more likely" match to Headley's DNA than to someone else's.
• The palm print of the killer, found at Dunne's house, was matched to Headley's palm print.
• Headley's barrister questioned the handling of the evidence, suggesting that the blue skirt from the body was not sealed in a bag.
• Ryland Headley, 92, is on trial for the rape and murder of Louisa Dunne in 1967.
• The trial continues with Elizabeth Hobbs, a fingerprint expert, testifying that the palm prints match.

Statistics:

• 1967: The year Louisa Dunne was murdered.
• 2009: The year an Avon and Somerset cold case detective, Jo Marks, reviewed the evidence and found objects still in police storage.
• 2013-14: The time when further attempts were made to find a match for the killer's palm print in the national fingerprint database.
• 92: The age of Ryland Headley at the time of his arrest.
• 42: The number of years that evidence was stored before being re-examined.
• 75: The age of Louisa Dunne when she was murdered.
• 1,000,000,000: The "match ratio" between the DNA profiles of the samples found on the skirt and hair and the cheek swab from Headley, indicating it was "a billion times more likely" to be Headley's DNA than someone else's.

Sources:

• Bristol crown court
• Andrew Parry, forensic scientist, Cellmark Forensic Services
• Jo Marks, Avon and Somerset cold case detective
• Elizabeth Hobbs, fingerprint expert
• Jeremy Benson KC, Headley's barrister