Authorities used investigative genealogy to identify a woman whose mutilated body was found on the Cape Cod National Seashore nearly 50 years, solving the mystery of the “Lady of the Dunes” that had stumped authorities for decades.
The woman has been identified as Ruth Marie Terry of Tennessee , who was 40 years old when she was murdered, authorities reported Monday in a release.
The news was delivered to his family on Monday morning, according to Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the Boston division of the FBI.
Authorities now hope the woman’s identity may help unravel one of the most famous unsolved murders in Massachusetts.
The murder of Ruth Marie Terry, the “Lady of the Dunes”
Her body was found at Provincetown Dunes in July 1974. She was naked on a beach blanket with her hands cut off, so she couldn’t be identified by her fingerprints, according to authorities.
Her skull was crushed and she was almost decapitated. The cause of death was determined to be a blow to the head and authorities believe she was murdered several weeks before her body was found.
“This is, without a doubt, a major break in the investigation that will hopefully bring us all closer to identifying the killer,” Bonavolonta said.
The authorities identified her through genealogical research, the use of DNA analysis in combination with traditional genealogical research and historical records, Bonavolonta said. Authorities released few details about Terry, except to say that she was a daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother and had ties to California, Massachusetts and Michigan.
“Now that we’ve gotten to this At a crucial point, investigators and analysts will focus their attention on carrying out logical investigative steps that include learning more about her and working to identify who is responsible for her murder,” Bonavolonta said.
It was the oldest unidentified homicide victim in Massachusetts. For decades, authorities tried to identify her and her killer by exhuming her remains, performing facial reconstruction with clay models, and publishing age-regression drawings of her face.
Researchers had long said that he had long, red or brown hair and that they believed he had between 20 and 40 years.
The FBI posted a flyer with photos of Terry and asks anyone with information about the case to contact authorities.
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