Unraveling a Gruesome Double Murder Investigation

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.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.