A 92-year-old man was recently arrested at his home for a murder that happened nearly 60 years ago.
Police body camera footage shows Ryland Headley being taken into custody in connection with the murder of Louis Zadun, which is noted as the oldest cold case investigation in the UK.
This all goes back to a trial in Bristol, starting June 27, 1967, focused on the death of a 75-year-old man.
After the footage was released, Avon and Somerset police shared a glimpse showing the defendant for the first time.
The video captures Headley, visibly taken aback, questioning the officer about his arrest.
It starts with a police officer at his home in Ipswich, Suffolk, asking Headley to open the door.
When he replies with, “Who are you?” and learns it’s the police, he responds skeptically, “No, no. You can’t come now. What do you want to come for?”
A female officer then adds some context.
Headley, still perplexed, asks, “What is this?”
The officer tells him they need to discuss something privately, implying it’s serious.
A second officer can also be heard in the background.
The officer explains, “The reason I’m arresting you is related to the rape and murder of Mrs. Dan on Bristian Road in eastern Bristol back in June 1967.”
Throughout the exchange, Headley repeatedly responds with “Yeah.”
The officer reads him his rights, prompting Headley to add a comment.
The officer clarifies, saying they have collected evidence that indicates Headley’s involvement, emphasizing the need to detain him for questioning.
The trial brought to light how Louisa’s body was discovered by a neighbor the day after the incident, yet for years no one was charged in her death, according to testimonies at Bristol Crown Court.
Judges have reportedly received compelling scientific evidence, suggesting the semen found on a skirt belonged to the suspected assailant.
The skirt, along with other evidence from the crime scene, has been recently re-examined in hopes of new breakthroughs.
Forensic specialists indicated that the DNA evidence from the semen matched Headley, being significantly more likely than anyone else.
Prior findings from Dr. Albert Hunt, who conducted the autopsy, confirmed that the cause of death was suffocation due to strangulation.
Headley, who resides in Ipswich, has denied the charges of murder and rape stemming from June 1967.
The trial is ongoing.
