After nearly five decades authorities have officially closed the case of the brutal murder of the "Lady of the Dunes."  Her long-suspected husband, Guy Muldavin, murdered Ruth Marie Terry.

The case dates back to 1974 when Terry's partially decapitated body was discovered on the sand dunes of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Her remains were not identified until 2022.

Her body was found bearing signs of horrific mutilation. She had been brutally murdered, suffering blunt force trauma to the skull, with her hands removed.

"The skull was placed in police custody and was never sent to the cemetery for burial with the rest of the remains," the district attorney's office stated. "Over the years and with the development of technology, portions of the skull had been tested for potential DNA testing."

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Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy company, successfully extracted a DNA profile from a portion of the victim's jaw. This crucial piece of evidence led to the identification of Ruth Marie Terry, nearly half a century after her death.

Lady of the Dunes Finally Identified 

The announcement of Terry's identity in October 2022 by the FBI marked a turning point in the investigation. With her identity established, the Massachusetts State Police intensified their efforts to solve the case.

Terry, aged 37 at the time of her murder, had ties to multiple states, including Tennessee, California, Massachusetts, and Michigan. 1974 was the last time the victim was seen alive.

The Cape and Islands District Attorney, Robert J. Galibois, officially declared the case closed, confirming that Guy Muldavin, Terry's husband, was responsible for her death.

Muldavin and Terry had married in either 1973 or 1974 and embarked on a trip together. They visited Terry's family in Tennessee. And they never saw her again.

Muldavin returned from the trip alone. He was driving Terry's vehicle. And he informed neighbors that Ruth Marie Terry had passed away.

Months later Terry's brother had attempted to locate her. Muldavin claimed they had a fight on their honeymoon, and he never heard from her again.

In the 1960s, Muldavin was the prime suspect in the disappearance of his first wife and a stepdaughter from the Seattle, Washington area.

The murderer passed away in 2002. And he never had to face the criminal justice system. But the mystery is finally solved.

The closure of the "Lady of the Dunes" cold case brings a sense of justice and closure to a case that has baffled investigators and haunted the victim's family for nearly five decades.