Mass. authorities determine who was responsible in death of Lady of the Dunes Ruth Marie Terry

Provincetown, MA – Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois announced today that the investigation into the death of Ruth Marie Terry, also known as the Lady of the Dunes, has officially been closed.

On July 26, 1974, the body of Ruth Marie Terry was located in the dunes area 1 mile west of Race Point Road in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Terry died from blunt force trauma to the skull. The case was initially investigated by the Provincetown Police Department and in 1982 the then Chief of Provincetown Police requested the case be turned over to the Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit for the Cape and Islands District. The skull was placed in police custody and was never sent to the cemetery for burial with the rest of the remains. Over the years and with the development of technology, portions of the skull had been tested for potential DNA testing. In 2021, a portion of the jaw was tested by Othram, and a DNA profile was finally able to be obtained leading to the identification of the Lady of the Dunes as Ruth Marie Terry. The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office who is responsible for official identification issued the death certificate of Ruth Marie Terry on April 5, 2023.

With Terry identified, the Massachusetts State Police were able to complete their investigation into the death of Terry. The Massachusetts State Police learned that Terry married Guy Muldavin in either 1973 or 1974. They traveled after their wedding, stopping in Tennessee to see Terry’s family. Through investigative efforts, the Massachusetts State Police learned that Terry and Muldavin traveled during the summer of 1974. When Muldavin returned from that trip, he was driving what was believed to be Terry’s vehicle and had indicated to witnesses that Terry had passed away. Terry was never seen by her family again. Terry’s brother tried to find his sister with Muldavin only stating that they had a fight during their honeymoon, and he had not heard from his wife again.

Muldavin was also the prime suspect in the disappearance of one of his wives and a stepdaughter in the Seattle, Washington area the 1960s.

Based on the investigation into the death of Terry, it has been determined that Muldavin was responsible for Terry’s death in 1974. Muldavin passed away in 2002.

The District Attorney thanked the Massachusetts State Police for their tremendous efforts in the identification and closure of this case. The District Attorney also thanked the many members of law enforcement and forensic scientists who dedicated their efforts into the identification of Terry and the identification of her killer.

The District Attorney expressed his deepest condolences to the Terry family.