Case Revisit: The Lady of the Dunes
Morbid
12/26/24
•64m
About
Comments
Featured In
This episode was that was originally published as Episode 240. We are revisiting it as a refresher before we update the case next Monday! We hope that you have a happy and safe holiday!
We’re bringing you to one of our favorite vacation spots: Provincetown Mass. Only we aren’t sunbathing and playing volleyball on the beach, we’re here to solve a cold case, y’all. The Lady of the Dunes, as she’s known, was discovered on July 26, 1974, in the tall grass at the Race Point Dunes. Throughout the past 47 years investigators have worked tirelessly following up on leads and exhuming her body every time some kind of new technology comes up. To this day they still don’t know who killed the woman, or more importantly, who the woman even is!
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Previous Episode
Fan Favorite: The Unbelievable Survival Tale of Juliane Koepcke
December 23, 2024
•96m
This episode is a fan favorite that was originally published as Episode 476. We hope that you have a happy and safe holiday!
Juliane Koepcke's story will have you questioning any recent complaint you've made. This woman was the sole survivor of a plane crash in 1971. After the plane went down, she continued to survive in the AMAZON RAINFOREST among hundreds and hundreds of predators. It took 11 days for her to be rescued and when you hear what Julianne faced within those 11 days, you will be a changed human.
When I Fell From the Sky by Juliane Koepcke
List of books to help with fear of flying OR just education on flying and flying mechanics!
Cockpit Confidential by Patrick Smith
Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!
References
BBC. 2012. Juliane Koepcke: How I survived a plane crash. March 24. Accessed November 30, 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17476615.
1998. Wings of Hope. Directed by Werner Herzog. Performed by Juliane Koepcke.
Koepcke, Juliane, and Beate Rygiert. 2011. When I Fell From the Sky: the True Story of One Woman's Miraculous Survival.Translated by Ross Benjamin. Green Bay, WI: TitleTown Publishing, LLC.
New York Times. 1951. "Colombia Plane Crashes: 27 killed when Lansa Craft Falls." New York Times, March 22: 13.
—. 1970. "Peru panel studies crash fatal to 99." New York Times, April 13: 2.
—. 1971. "Plane Carrying 93 Missing Over the Mountains of Peru." New York Times, December 25: 20.
United Press. 1948. "2 Britons Among 30 Dead In Colombian Air Crash." New York Times, December 16: 16.
Wigg, Richard. 1972. "Girl's ordeal starts a jungle search." The Times, January 6: 5.
Williams, Sally. 2012. "The woman who fell to earth." Daily Telegraph, March 17.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Next Episode
The Suspected Crimes of Guy Muldavin
December 30, 2024
•65m
When a girl walking on a Provincetown, Massachusetts beach discovered the decomposing body of a young woman in the summer of 1974, it began an investigation into what would become one of the most notorious cold cases in the state’s history. The victim—who would remain unidentified for nearly five decades—and her killer were the source of much speculation, with theories ranging from an extra in Jaws to the victim of the local mob.
After decades of mystery, DNA from the remains of “the Lady of the Dunes” was subject to extensive genetic matching and was finally identified as thirty-seven-year-old California resident Ruth Terry. A year later, authorities in Massachusetts announced their main suspect in the murder was Guy Muldavin, Terry’s husband at the time of her death. Muldavin died in 2002 and thus couldn’t be prosecuted for the crime, so the case was finally closed.
Identifying Ruth’s killer brought an end to one of the most enduring murder mysteries in Massachusetts, yet identifying the Lady of the Dunes and her killer turned out to the be the beginning of a new mystery. Indeed, investigators soon learned this might not have been Muldavin’s first murder, but one of several mysterious disappearances that traced back to him.
Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!
References
Abrams, Norma, and Sidney Kline. 1960. "Nab village Casanova onb grisly find." Daily News (New York, NY), December 2: 33.
Associated Press. 1960. "Woman's remains found in search of old Seattle home." Bellingham Herald , August 31: 1.
—. 1950. "Police probe for clues in beach killing." Berkeley Gazette, June 19: 1.
—. 1961. "Rockwell says resentment le to life of deception." Longview Daily News, October 25: 11.
—. 1960. "Rockwell on hunger strike; seeks death." Peninsula Daily News, December 3: 1.
—. 1961. "Rockwell's wife not sure she will remain married." The Columbian, October 20: 2.
Cavallier, Andrea, and Sheila Flynn. 2023. "'Lady of the Dunes' killer identified after nearly 50 years." The Independent, August 30.
Dowd, Katie. 2022. "California man questioned in double murder linked to 'Lady of the Dunes' victim Ruth Marie Terry." SF Gate, November 3.
McClatchy Newspaper Service. 1950. "Sea search is started for missing girl." Sacramento Bee, June 20: 1.
McClatchy Newspapers Service. 1950. "Kidnaping is suspected in beach killing." Sacramento Bee, June 23: 1.
—. 1950. "State detective is called into beach death case." Sacramento Bee, June 22: 1.
Murphy, Shelley. 2023. "DA says husband killed 'Lady'." Boston Globe, August 29: 1.
NBC News 10. 2022. "Man eyed in Lady of ther Dunes murder had a dark side." NBC News 10, November 11.
Reynolds, Ruth. 1961. "Too many women, too many lies." Daily News (New York, NY), December 24: 38.
Rule, Ann. 2007. Smoke, Mirrors and Murder: And Other True Cases. New York, NY: Pocket Books.
Sacramento Bee. 1950. "Humboldt beach slaying may join long list of county's unsolved mysteries ." Sacramento Bee, June 30: 22.
—. 1963. "Lie test plan is dropped in hunt for bones." Sacramento Bee, April 3: 47.
San Francisco Examiner. 1963. "Con tells of killing lovers." San Francisco Examiner, March 22: 22.
—. 1963. "Girl-killer's search for grave fails again." San Francisco Examiner, March 25: 3.
—. 1963. "'Murderer' can't find victim." San Francisco Examiner, April 2: 3.
The Doe Network. 2017. 119UFMA. May 17. Accessed November 25, 2024. https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/119ufma.html.
United Press. 1950. "Waitress sought for questioning in state beach death mystery." Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, June 19: 4.
Wood, John B. 1974. "The baffling case of the body on Cape dunes." Boston Globe, December 22: 1.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted