Murder of Louisa Dunne

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Louisa Dunne
Britannia Road, Easton - geograph.org.uk - 5424568.jpg
Britannia Road, Easton (in 2017)
Born1891or1892
England
Died (aged 75)
Bristol, England
Cause of deathMurder

In late June 1967, 75-year-old Louisa Dunne (b. 1891 or 1892) was murdered in her home in Bristol, England. [1] Having gone unsolved for 57 years, it is the oldest cold case in the history of Avon and Somerset Police. [2]

Contents

Background

Dunne was an elderly woman who had been widowed twice. [3] She died at the age of 75 meaning she was born in the 1890s. [3] She was married to Teddy Parker, a city councillor, and was expected to become the city’s Mayoress until his death. [4] She remarried night watchman John Dunne but was widowed for a second time following his death. [4] Following the death of her second husband, Dunne reportedly became a recluse. [5]

Murder

Dunne was found dead at her home in Britannia Road, Easton by a neighbour on 28 June 1967. [6] Dunne was discovered on the floor of her living room. [7] She had been strangled and raped. [8] Her cause of death was recorded as strangulation and asphyxiation. [9] It is thought that she was murdered at some point between the 26 and 29 June 1967. [10]

Further developments

In 2023, the case was reviewed which included a examination of the forensic evidence. [11] In November 2024, a 92-year-old man from Ipswich was arrested on suspicion of murder. [12] He was linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence. [13] He had been in his 30s at the time of the crime. [14] In November 2024, Avon and Somerset Police announced that charges had been brought, [15] and the suspect appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court virtually. [16] The trial will later move to Bristol Crown Court. [17]

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References

  1. "Man, 92, appears in court charged with 1967 rape and murder of Louisa Dunne in Bristol". ITV News. 20 November 2024.
  2. "Historic Arrest Made In 1967 Bristol Murder Case". The Pinnacle Gazette. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  3. 1 2 "The Bristol widow strangled and raped by an intruder". Bristol Post.
  4. 1 2 "Who was Louisa Dunne? Details emerge of woman murdered in 1967". East Anglian Daily Times. 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  5. Badewo, Gift (2024-11-19). "Police Arrest Suspect In Ipswich After Forensic Evidence Links 92-Year-Old Man To The 1967 Murder And Rape Of Louisa Dunne In Easton" . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  6. "Ipswich man arrested over 1967 murder of Louisa Dunne in Bristol". BBC News. 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  7. "Man, 92, charged with Bristol woman's 1967 rape and murder". BBC News. 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  8. "Man, 92, arrested over murder and rape of woman in Bristol in 1967". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  9. "In 1967, Louisa Dunne was found murdered in her U.K. home by a neighbor. A suspect has just been arrested. - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  10. PA, Josh Payne; PA, Claire Hayhurst; Brown, Shannon (2024-11-20). "Man, 92, charged with murder and rape remanded in custody". Bristol Live. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  11. Bolton, Will (2024-11-19). "Man, 92, arrested over 1967 murder and rape of pensioner". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  12. "Ipswich man arrested over 1967 murder of Louisa Dunne in Bristol". BBC News. 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  13. "92-Year-Old Man Arrested in Connection with 1967 Murder and Rape of Pensioner - Lake County Florida News". 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  14. "92-year-old man arrested over murder and rape of woman in Bristol in 1967". The Independent. 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  15. "Man charged with the rape and murder of Louisa Dunne". Avon and Somerset Police. 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  16. "Man, 92, charged with the rape and murder of 75-year-old woman in 1967". LBC. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  17. "Man, 92, charged with rape and murder of woman in 1967". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-11-20.

See also