Identified! MA - Provincetown, Race Point, 'Lady in the Dunes' WhtFem 27-49, UP11840, Jul'74 - Ruth Marie Terry

[azure]

Wait, he possibly murdered another wife in 1980? I don’t remember hearing about that.

It's detailed in the cbs.com article in the post you replied to.

 

[SolVic]

It's detailed in the cbs.com article in the post you replied to.

I only see 1960.

 

[j_in_c]

I only see 1960.

The CBS article just mentions the 1960 murder, the find a grave link states something about another wife in 1980, but that looks like a co.ment anyone could add.

 

[FrankieFalzon]

The serial killer Costa, who was active in the area, was mentioned in this thread, so I might mention this pointless item: a while ago, there was a third-rate book about Costa, which claimed that "Lady of the Dunes" (unidentified at the time) was murdered by a local sect of unidentified misfits, who idolized Costa and killed her as "blood sacrifice" to his spirit in hell. Yes, yes, I know.

(However, as silly as that claim was, it still wasn't anywhere as outrageously idiotic as that other claim about the "Lady of the Dunes": "I identified her as an extra in 'Jaws', because I saw a woman in blue jeans in one frame of that film!", made by that other one guy some time before her identification. Perhaps he did that to promote his own mediocre books; that would actually be marginally better than if he had genuinely believed his claim).

In all likelihood, this will probably turn out to have been a spousal homicide.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The NBC10 Boston Investigators have been looking into the disturbing writings of Guy Muldavin, the main suspect in the Lady of the Dunes murder case.

The woman was found dead 49 years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

It was a disturbing scene in the Race Point Dunes on July 26, 1974. A woman's body was discovered, and her identity was unknown until last year, when genetic genealogy was used to identify her as Ruth Marie Terry.

That identity sent investigators on the trail of Muldavin, Terry's husband.

The late Guy Muldavin published a twisted book after the murder of Ruth Marie Terry, known for decades only as the Lady of the Dunes after her body was found in Provincetown in 1974.

Retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley deciphered the bizarre words and drawings penned by Muldavin, the man now being eyed as the killer in the Lady of the Dunes case and two other murders in Seattle.

Cowley worked on the Joseph James DeAngelo case. DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer, is one of the country's most prolific serial killers.

"An important thing to killers is the moment when they can see that the life is going out of somebody's eyes," Cowley said.

Terry was the victim of a gruesome crime. Her head was crushed and nearly decapitated, her hands cut off and teeth were pulled.

Closure for Family of Murder Victim 'Lady of the Dunes' After Decades

The NBC10 Boston Investigators have been looking into the disturbing writings of Guy Muldavin, the main suspect in the Lady of the Dunes murder case. The woman was found dead 49 years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was a disturbing scene in the Race Point Dunes on July 26, 1974. A...

www.nbcboston.com

 

[othram]

So glad there are at least some answers emerging for the case.

 

[Alleykins]

Those excerpts from the book are disturbing.

 

[Melquiades]

Those excerpts from the book are disturbing.

Disturbing but also fairly well-written in terms of the genre and you can see that he's a pretty well-educated, clever sort of guy.

Fascinating serial killer type. His sort of background - adopted by wealthy parents, schooled abroad in Switzerland, worked as a professor and art dealer - is the sort of thing out of a bad mystery novel.

Bears a lot more investigation of whether more deaths have been in his orbit ... he might 'only' be one of those serial spouse-killer types, although the murder of his stepdaughter throws that into pretty serious question.

 

[thefragile7393]

The NBC10 Boston Investigators have been looking into the disturbing writings of Guy Muldavin, the main suspect in the Lady of the Dunes murder case.

The woman was found dead 49 years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

It was a disturbing scene in the Race Point Dunes on July 26, 1974. A woman's body was discovered, and her identity was unknown until last year, when genetic genealogy was used to identify her as Ruth Marie Terry.

That identity sent investigators on the trail of Muldavin, Terry's husband.

The late Guy Muldavin published a twisted book after the murder of Ruth Marie Terry, known for decades only as the Lady of the Dunes after her body was found in Provincetown in 1974.

Retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley deciphered the bizarre words and drawings penned by Muldavin, the man now being eyed as the killer in the Lady of the Dunes case and two other murders in Seattle.

Cowley worked on the Joseph James DeAngelo case. DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer, is one of the country's most prolific serial killers.

"An important thing to killers is the moment when they can see that the life is going out of somebody's eyes," Cowley said.

Terry was the victim of a gruesome crime. Her head was crushed and nearly decapitated, her hands cut off and teeth were pulled.

Closure for Family of Murder Victim 'Lady of the Dunes' After Decades

The NBC10 Boston Investigators have been looking into the disturbing writings of Guy Muldavin, the main suspect in the Lady of the Dunes murder case. The woman was found dead 49 years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was a disturbing scene in the Race Point Dunes on July 26, 1974. A...

www.nbcboston.com

This is just so beyond sad. Beyond. Sad. Bizarre and horrifying

 

[othram]

Othram previously assisted the Boston FBI, MA State Police and Provincetown PD in identifying the "Lady of the Dunes" after nearly 50 years of mystery surrounding her death. Today, the Provincetown DA announces the case is closed and her late husband has been found responsible for her death. He is also a suspect in the death of a previous wife.

Lady of the Dunes is Identified

Boston FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Provincetown PD, and the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office Partner with Othram to Identify the Lady of the Dunes

dnasolves.com

 

[fred&edna]

This is just so beyond sad. Beyond. Sad. Bizarre and horrifying

So true.

Do we know how he was released from prison previously. (Or am I mis-remembering?)

 

[iamshadow21]

Othram previously assisted the Boston FBI, MA State Police and Provincetown PD in identifying the "Lady of the Dunes" after nearly 50 years of mystery surrounding her death. Today, the Provincetown DA announces the case is closed and her late husband has been found responsible for her death. He is also a suspect in the death of a previous wife.

Lady of the Dunes is Identified

Boston FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Provincetown PD, and the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office Partner with Othram to Identify the Lady of the Dunes

dnasolves.com

And his stepdaughter, too, that other wife's daughter. He most likely killed them both. That's what Ann Rule thought, anyway, when she wrote about the case.

Good that this case has a resolution.

MOO

 

[Alleykins]

Othram previously assisted the Boston FBI, MA State Police and Provincetown PD in identifying the "Lady of the Dunes" after nearly 50 years of mystery surrounding her death. Today, the Provincetown DA announces the case is closed and her late husband has been found responsible for her death. He is also a suspect in the death of a previous wife.

Lady of the Dunes is Identified

Boston FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Provincetown PD, and the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office Partner with Othram to Identify the Lady of the Dunes

dnasolves.com

Thank you for the update.

 

[arielilane]

And his stepdaughter, too, that other wife's daughter. He most likely killed them both. That's what Ann Rule thought, anyway, when she wrote about the case.

Good that this case has a resolution.

MOO

I thought I've read every book written by Ann Rule and don't remember this one. Do you recall the name of the book? Thank you in advance.

 

[iamshadow21]

I thought I've read every book written by Ann Rule and don't remember this one. Do you recall the name of the book? Thank you in advance.

Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder. It's one of her 'collections' rather than a book about a single case. They mention it here: Murder of Ruth Marie Terry - Wikipedia

They have it on Scribd, don't know if you need a membership or if you can read it as one of their free titles. That's where I read it.

Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule - Ebook | Scribd

Includes Ann Rule's insider commentary on the Mary Winkler murder case REAL-LIFE MURDER. REAL-LIFE MYSTERY. In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic of crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann...

www.scribd.com

MOO

 

[arielilane]

Othram previously assisted Boston FBI, MA State Police and Provincetown PD in IDing the "Lady of the Dunes" after a half-century of mystery re: her death. Today, the Provincetown DA closed the case & her late husband has been found responsible.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1696203415389454528

 

[arielilane]

Authorities in Massachusetts on Monday concluded a woman whose mutilated body was discovered on Cape Cod nearly 50 years ago was killed by her husband.

Husband identified as killer in 'Lady of the Dunes' cold case

Ruth Terry's naked remains were found on a beach blanket with her hands severed. Her skull was crushed and she was nearly decapitated.

www.courttv.com

last updated 7:06 AM, August 29, 2023

 

[Lonicera]

Thank you for all your genealogical research. I was wondering what happened to Evelyn Marie Emerson, Rockwell Muldavin’s third wife( He remarried in 1975 with his last wife Phyllis S/R). I hope he did not kill her as well. I did not find a death certificate.

 

[Susikatze]

Disturbing but also fairly well-written in terms of the genre and you can see that he's a pretty well-educated, clever sort of guy.

Fascinating serial killer type. His sort of background - adopted by wealthy parents, schooled abroad in Switzerland, worked as a professor and art dealer - is the sort of thing out of a bad mystery novel.

Bears a lot more investigation of whether more deaths have been in his orbit ... he might 'only' be one of those serial spouse-killer types, although the murder of his stepdaughter throws that into pretty serious question.

Many scenarios. He divorced his first wife to be with his second wife. When Manzanita started to feel more independent and may have wanted to get a divorce, he killed her and her daughter because the daughter would know details and question where her mom was.
He may have been sexually abusing his stepdaughter and Manzanita found out and he killed both.
He may have gotten into that habit of killing his wives when they showed some self confidence or wanted to leave. The wheareabouts of his third wife are unknown. Possibly he killed her as well. Fourth was RMT.
I dont know what changed inside of him when he married his final wife. He was not known to be violent with her for the rest of his long life.

I am not trying to understand Muldavin because there are absolutely no excuses for DV and femicide at all but it looks he was very angry at being an adoptee and Jewish (or merely adopted by a jewish family). He changed his identity several times in his life. He also was involved in several fraud schemes I think. It looks like he never came to terms with who he really was. He likely never knew his biological parents, may even have been suffering from some neurological disorder due to FAS, malnutrition or medication consumption of his pregnant mother. We just dont know. Even his last identity as a peaceful well educated radio host and local celebrity seemed kind of forced and unnatural. And his "bio" in the rump oil book speaks of denying his whole background, despite being satire.

Jmoo

 

[arielilane]

You will never guess who it was.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697325956409733380

Killer in nearly 50-year-old 'Lady of the Dunes' case identified as victim's husband

The mutilated body of Ruth Marie Terry, 37, was discovered on a Cape Cod beach in 1974. Her husband, Guy Muldavin, who died in 2002, was responsible for her slaying, prosecutors said.

www.nbcnews.com

Aug. 29, 2023, 3:51 PM EDT