Man, 92, arrested for murder in what could be Britain's oldest cold case
Police have made what ITV News believes is the oldest cold case murder arrest in British history.
A 92-year-old man was held by detectives investigating the 1967 killing of a widow in Bristol.
The prime suspect is being questioned on suspicion of the murder and rape of Louisa Dunne who was found dead at her home in Britannia Road, Easton.
Despite a large police inquiry which lasted years, her killer evaded justice.
But detectives say a breakthrough in recent weeks has led them to make this arrest.
Today’s arrest was made in the Ipswich area of Suffolk by members of Avon and Somerset Police’s Major and Statutory Crime Review Team (MSCRT).
Mrs Dunne’s family has been informed of the arrest.
The murder of Louisa Dunne appalled Bristol. The twice-widowed pensioner was a well-known figure in the Easton neighbourhood and was often seen walking to the shops in her black velvet coat and shawl.
A neighbour found her dead in the front room of her house on 28 June 1967. She had spent the previous evening at a friend’s home nearby.
Alice Clarke told the Bristol Post: “We had a bit of custard and stewed gooseberry. When she left she said, as she always did, ‘Good night. God bless. I don’t know when I’ll be seeing thee’.”
The following day, friends noticed they hadn’t seen Mrs Dunne, so a neighbour went to look at her house and found Mrs Dunne dead.
A post mortem concluded she had been strangled and sexually assaulted.
Mrs Dunne was described as being "very determined, despite her frail appearance".
Who was Louisa Dunne?
In the 1930s, Louisa Dunne had attended some of Bristol’s most important and formal events.
Her first husband Teddy was a city alderman and Louisa always said she had been due to be the city’s Mayoress. He died in 1945 as his political career was growing.
She remarried a night watchman, John Dunne. After his death in the early 1960s, she went into a decline.
The inquiry
Ninety-one officers were part of the inquiry. In total 8,000 people were interviewed and officers took 1,320 statements.
A palm print was found on a wall near Mrs Dunne’s window.
Within days, detectives decided to take the palm prints of every man in Easton aged between 16 and 60. It was a monumental task involving a team of 20 officers checking what they thought would be 5,000 men.
‘The people of Easton have been very helpful so far,’ said Det Supt Hicks in July 1967. ‘We would like to assure them that all prints will be destroyed after they’ve been checked out. The people can see their prints destroyed if they wish.’
A room at New Bridewell Police Station was given to a team of eight analysts who spent 15 hours a day examining each of the prints which came in.
Over the next eighteen months police checked the print against 19,286 suspects but they didn't ever find a match.
Today's development
Following today's arrest DI Dave Marchant said: "This is an extremely significant moment in an appalling and distressing case which has remained unsolved for almost six decades.
"We’ve identified and spoken to Louisa Dunne’s next of kin to update them on this development and specialist family liaison officers will now be supporting them - to keep them updated on the progress of our investigation but also to ensure they get access to any specialist support they may need.
"An arrest was made earlier today by officers from Avon and Somerset Police and there will be operational police activity in the Ipswich area as a result.
"We’d like to thank our colleagues in Suffolk Police for their ongoing help and support.
"We recognise this will also come as a shock to the community in Easton. While this tragic incident happened a long time ago, there will be people who remember what happened and may have had a connection with Louisa through family or friends.
"The Neighbourhood Policing Team are carrying out patrols of the area, so please speak to an officer if you have any worries or concerns.
"As this investigation is at a critical phase and to protect the integrity of any future criminal proceedings, we won’t be able to confirm the full details, but we are absolutely committed to continue carrying out a thorough investigation to try and bring Louisa’s relatives the answers they’ve waited a lifetime for."