Richard Hanchett’s quest to find his birth mother took a surprising turn when he received an unexpected call from the FBI. The inquiry began when they posed a haunting question: “Have you ever heard about the Lady of the Dunes?” Until that moment, Hanchett had never heard the name, but this revelation opened the door to an incredible journey of discovery.
In 1974, tragedy struck the quiet shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, when the body of a 37-year-old woman was found, having suffered fatal blunt force trauma. This unidentified woman became known as the “Lady of the Dunes.” After nearly five decades of uncertainty, new advancements in investigative techniques finally led to a breakthrough in 2022, revealing that the victim was Ruth Marie Terry from Tennessee—Hanchett’s biological mother.
The unsolved case had become the focus of a new true-crime docuseries titled The Lady of the Dunes: Hunting the Cape Cod Killer, airing on Oxygen. Alongside the series, Hanchett is releasing a memoir that delves deeper into his family’s history and the tragic circumstances surrounding his mother’s life and death.
Before he received the call from authorities, Hanchett experienced unsettling nightmares about a man attacking a woman. Upon learning that the woman’s identity was linked to his past, he began to connect the dots of his dreams with the reality of his mother’s fate.
Years prior, Hanchett had taken a DNA test, which eventually linked him to Terry’s family. It was shocking to learn that she had vanished under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a tangled web of questions and suspicions, particularly concerning her husband, Guy Muldavin.
Muldavin, described as an antiques dealer with a troubled history, was under scrutiny for his role in not only Terry’s death but also in the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of former wives and a stepdaughter in the 1960s. In fact, investigators had previously linked him to human remains found in a septic tank. Despite his record of violence and mystery, he managed to evade justice, having passed away in 2002 without facing charges for Terry’s murder.
The discovery of Terry’s body shocked the community. Authorities found her remains in grisly conditions that indicated she had met a violent end. For Hanchett, the revelations about his mother were painful. He was determined to tell her story, emphasizing that she was more than just a victim. “She was a mother, a sister, and an aunt,” he stated defiantly, correcting misconceptions that falsely labeled her.
Hanchett’s determination to honor his mother’s memory extends beyond uncovering the truth of her demise. He expressed his deep sorrow for the way her life and choices were inaccurately portrayed, insisting that Ruth made the ultimate sacrifice for her son’s well-being when she entrusted him to another family.
Despite the painful history, Hanchett found solace in his journey. He recently visited his mother’s grave for the first time, a moment filled with reflection and bittersweet closure. As he navigates this complex web of love, loss, and betrayal, Hanchett hopes the public will come to understand the strength and sacrifice of Ruth Marie Terry, reminding us all that every life has a story worth telling, and every story deserves justice.
As the docuseries wraps up, many await further developments in this haunting case, one that has captivated and horrified the public for nearly half a century. Hanchett hopes that through his storytelling, the truth about his mother will finally be given the respect and dignity it deserves.
