50 years on, FBI identifies 'Lady of the Dunes' murder victim using DNA analysis

The FBI has identified the alleged "Lady of the Dunes" nearly 50 years after her dismembered body was discovered on a Massachusetts beach using DNA analysis, historical records, and genealogy research.

Ruth Marie Terry, a 37-year-old native of Tennessee who was killed in a terrible 1974 crime that was never solved, was the victim, the FBI announced Monday at a press conference outside Boston.

"Ruth was a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, and mother," FBI special agent Joe Bonavolonta told reporters, urging anyone with information about what he called an "infamous cold case" to come forward.

A new notice from the FBI asking for information regarding Terry's murder featured four images of the now-known victim.

"While we have identified Ruth as the victim of this horrific murder, it does not ease the pain for her family -- nothing can -- but hopefully it answers some questions while we continue to look for her killer," Bonavolonta said.

Since the murder in 1974, detectives have pursued leads ineffectively. They never knew who the victim was, despite having a number of suspects.

On July 26, 1974, Terry's body was discovered on a Cape Cod beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

She was likely struck in the head and killed several weeks prior. Bonavolonta revealed that her hands had been severed, perhaps to make her harder to recognise.

"And her head was nearly severed from her body," he added.

The body was not accompanied by any weapons.

The FBI reported that despite decades of work, including the analysis of thousands of reports of missing individuals, interrogation of locals, and attempts to reconstruct the victim's face using clay models, officials were unable to identify the victim.