Murder of Dana Dodd explained

Dana Dodd
Birth Name:Dana Lynn Dodd
Birth Date:September 6, 1985[1]
Death Date:October 28, 2006 (aged 21)
Disappeared Status:Identified after 12 years
Body Discovered:October 29, 2006
Kilgore, Texas, US
Resting Place:White Cemetery, Longview, Texas, US
Known For:Formerly unidentified victim of homicide

Dana Lynn Dodd was a formerly unidentified American murder victim whose body was found in 2006 in Kilgore, Texas. In 2013, investigators had hoped that a new reconstruction of the victim might uncover more leads. In August 2018, Joseph Wayne Burnette was indicted for her murder, following a confession, stating her name may have been "Ashley."[2] The victim's case was later submitted to the DNA Doe Project, who made an identification in January 2019, 12 years later.[3] While she remained unidentified, she was known by the nickname "Lavender Doe".[4]

Discovery

The body of a white or possibly Middle Eastern female between 17 and 25 years old was found on October 29, 2006[5] in Kilgore, Texas, lying face-down on a pile of burning brush.[6] The body was severely burned, but clothing, including a purple sweater and a pair of jeans was recovered. It is believed the body was set on fire merely minutes before it was discovered.[7] A total of forty dollars was found in her pockets. It is believed she died between 8:15 PM and 10:00 PM on the previous day.

Two of her deciduous teeth were still present and were expected to help determine her identity. She had perfect teeth without cavities or fillings.[8] She weighed approximately 100 to 120 pounds, was between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 5 inches tall and was most likely from a middle-class household.[9] The victim's hair color was likely reddish or blond with blond or red highlights, but may have been entirely strawberry-blonde or light brown.[10]

Initially, she was believed to have been as young as 13, and race and sex were considered unknown until further study.[11] [12] [13] Due to the recovery of an empty gasoline can from the scene and the nature of her death, the case was investigated as a homicide.[14] Semen was found upon forensic examination, indicating that she may have been a victim of rape prior to death.[15] [11] [16]

Investigation

According to residents of the area, there were many "suspicious people" in the vicinity of the oil field where the body was discovered and some referred to the location as a "killing ground."[10] Because of the condition of the body, the face was reconstructed three times—with clay, in a sketch by a forensic artist, and in January 2014, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released a digital composite image produced from a CT scan after the remains were exhumed on October 2, 2013.[17] [18] [19]

Despite comparison with the dental records and DNA of a large number of missing persons, the search for her identity long remained fruitless.[20] [14] After the release of the most recent reconstruction, the mother of missing 23-year-old Brandi Wells, who disappeared after going out to a nightclub in Longview, Texas, in August 2006, contacted authorities, feeling the composite strongly resembled her daughter. DNA testing eliminated the possibility that the unidentified body could be Brandi Wells.[21]

In 2007, a suspect in the case emerged, Joseph Wayne Burnette, then 36, who was a convicted sex offender and was in prison for another crime at the time police announced their suspicions that he was the murderer. Burnette previously denied involvement in the murder;[11] however, on August 27, 2018, he confessed to the killing of Lavender Doe, along with the 2018 murder of Felisha Pearson.[22] Burnette claimed he convinced the victim to enter his vehicle when she was selling items from a magazine.[23]

After Dodd's body remained unidentified, she was buried in Longview, Texas. In 2013, an exhumation took place in order to create the digital three-dimensional forensic facial reconstruction by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to provide an estimation of her appearance during life, as the state of her body upon discovery prevented visual identification. A three-dimensional clay reconstruction and a sketch had previously been created.

Aftermath

In 2018, the DNA Doe Project took on the case to try to uncover Lavender Doe's identity.[24] [25] The organization raised $1,400 to analyze her DNA profile for genealogy research and estimate her ethnicity. They found Lavender Doe had Czech ancestry and identified a first cousin once removed who lived in East Texas 30 miles from where the body was found. In January 2019, the DNA Doe Project, in collaboration with the Aerodyne and Full Genomes Corporation team, announced they had identified Lavender Doe and that her identity would be released after Burnette's trial.[26] [27] Despite this, her identity was released on February 11, 2019. Her mother had left her when she was a baby and died in 2006; her father was homeless. She lived for a time with her stepmother and was last known to reside in Jacksonville, Florida, where she had lived with her half-siblings.[28]

Dodd left her family in Florida in 2000, but was reportedly last seen in 2003. She had joined a door-to-door magazine sales team known for exploiting runaways under the ruse of travel opportunities.[29] Authorities speculated that Dodd may have been selected by Burnette as a victim as she solicited customers in the parking lot of a Walmart in the area.

It was decided to leave Dodd's body where it was originally buried, as members of the police community spent years visiting and caring for the gravesite.

In December 2020, Burnette pleaded guilty to Dodd and Pearson's murders and was sentenced to 50 years for each murder.[30]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Coble . AnnaLise . Family of 'Lavender Doe' visits East Texas for memorial service . 10 September 2019 . KETK . 7 September 2019.
  2. News: Slayton . Ashley M. . Suspect in Felisha Pearson murder indicted in 2006 Lavender Doe murder case . 28 August 2018 . WLOX . ABC . 27 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180828134424/http://www.wlox.com/story/38969975/suspect-in-felisha-pearson-murder-indicted-in-2006-lavender-doe-murder-case . 28 August 2018 . dead .
  3. News: Gacria . Gabriella . DNA DOE PROJECT: 'Lavender Doe' identified . 29 January 2019 . KYTX . 29 January 2019.
  4. News: East Texas officials release identity of Lavender Doe . 11 February 2019 . KLTV . 11 February 2019.
  5. Web site: Gregg County, Texas Jane Doe. 31 July 2014. 3 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20180830110322/https://www.missinginamerica.us/apps/blog/categories/show/1575293-gregg-county-texas-jane-doe. 30 August 2018. dead.
  6. News: Police Reconstruction images released in hopes of identifying East Texas 'Jane Doe'. https://archive.today/20140806101838/http://www.news-journal.com/news/police/reconstruction-images-released-in-hopes-of-identifying-east-texas-jane/article_25084148-9330-11e3-92ac-001a4bcf887a.html. dead. August 6, 2014. 31 July 2014. Journal News. 11 February 2014.
  7. News: Vnuk . Helen . 'Lavender Doe' was a forgotten murder victim. Then internet sleuths found her real identity. . 4 January 2020 . Mamamia . 23 November 2019 . en-AU.
  8. News: What It Means to Name a Forgotten Murder Victim. Zhang. Sarah. 2019-11-18. The Atlantic. 2019-11-20. 1072-7825.
  9. Web site: Jane Doe 2006. missingkids.org. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 31 July 2014. 12 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190712120921/http://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMU/1137967/1#poster. dead.
  10. News: Roy. Reagan. Authorities release 2006 'Jane Doe' reconstruction photos in hopes of identifying ETX woman. 31 July 2014. KETK News. NBC. 11 February 2014.
  11. News: Thomas. Sarah. Gregg County investigators seek to use new tech to crack cold case. 31 July 2014. News Journal. 4 October 2013. 23 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140423020353/http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/gregg-county-investigators-seek-to-use-new-tech-to-crack/article_39bce164-cd07-5341-a3bb-73db4f111101.html. dead.
  12. Web site: Case Report - NamUs UP # 1405. namus.gov. National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database. 31 July 2014. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201217/https://identifyus.org/cases/full_report/1405. dead.
  13. Web site: Who is Lavender Doe?. ct.coldcases.com. 31 July 2014.
  14. News: Home News Police Images released to help identify woman found dead in Gregg County. https://archive.today/20140806101838/http://www.news-journal.com/news/police/images-released-to-help-identify-woman-found-dead-in-gregg/article_93e0a20a-fbb7-502f-b3c6-74989177afde.html. dead. August 6, 2014. 31 July 2014. News Journal. 12 February 2014.
  15. News: Zhang . Sarah . What It Means to Name a Forgotten Murder Victim . 18 November 2019 . . The Atlantic Monthly Group . 18 November 2019.
  16. News: Patton. Devon. Investigators Dig Up Jane Doe and Test Technology. 31 July 2014. KTBS News. 25 November 2013.
  17. Web site: Case File: 483UFTX. doenetwork.org. The Doe Network. 31 July 2014.
  18. News: Williams. Coretta. "Jane Doe" composition released from 2006 East Texas cold case. 31 July 2014. KTYX News. 11 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002100/http://www.cbs19.tv/story/24691831/jane-doe-composition-released-from-2006-cold-case. 4 March 2016. dead.
  19. News: Investigators seek to crack cold case. https://archive.today/20140806101836/http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/investigators-seek-to-crack-cold-case/image_de29078e-22c5-5aa0-9dc1-5f3d1d8f5ccb.html. dead. August 6, 2014. 31 July 2014. News Journal. 4 October 2013.
  20. News: Gregg County Sheriff's Office needs help identifying 2006 burning body. 31 July 2014. KTBS News. 11 February 2014.
  21. News: Thomas . Sarah . Gregg County investigators seek to use new tech to crack cold case . 30 August 2018 . Longview News-Journal . 3 October 2013.
  22. News: Police: Man confesses to 2018, 2006 killings of women in Gregg County . Longview News-Journal . 28 August 2018 . 27 August 2018.
  23. News: Coble . AnnaLise . EXCLUSIVE: New DNA Technology could help close local cold case . 30 November 2018 . MYEASTTEX . 29 November 2018 . 6 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181206165326/https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/local-news/exclusive-new-dna-technology-could-help-close-local-cold-case/1628247317 . dead .
  24. Web site: Lavender Doe . DNA Doe Project . 10 October 2018.
  25. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: New DNA Technology could help close local cold case. Coble. AnnaLise. 2018-11-30. MYEASTTEX. en-US. 2018-12-21. 2018-12-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20181206165326/https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/local-news/exclusive-new-dna-technology-could-help-close-local-cold-case/1628247317. dead.
  26. Web site: DNA reveals identity of victim 'Lavender Doe'. Hallmark. Bob. 2019-01-30. KLTV. en-US. 2019-02-02.
  27. Web site: UPDATE: Victim identified in Lavender Doe case. Coble. AnnaLise. 2019-02-12. MYEASTTEX. en-US. 2019-05-28. 2019-04-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20190428090851/https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/local-news/update-victim-identified-in-lavender-doe-case/1628247317. dead.
  28. News: Coble . AnnaLise . UPDATE: Victim identified in Lavender Doe case . 11 February 2019 . MYEASTTEX . 11 February 2019 . 28 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190428090851/https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/local-news/update-victim-identified-in-lavender-doe-case/1628247317 . dead .
  29. News: Trapped Into Selling Magazines Door-to-Door. Cunha. Darlena. 2015-04-20. The Atlantic. 2019-11-20. 1072-7825.
  30. Web site: Longview man pleads guilty to murders of roommate, 'Lavender Doe'. 15 December 2020 .

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