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Murder of Dana Dodd

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Dana Dodd
Dodd in 2003
BornSeptember 6, 1985[1]
Disappearedc. 2003
StatusIdentified after 12 years
DiedOctober 28, 2006 (aged 21)
Body discoveredOctober 29, 2006
Kilgore, Texas, US
Resting placeWhite Cemetery, Longview, Texas, US
Known forFormerly 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.[2] In August 2018, Joseph Wayne Burnette was indicted for her murder, following a confession, stating her name may have been "Ashley."[3] The victim's case was later submitted to the DNA Doe Project, who made an identification in January 2019, 12 years later.[4] While she remained unidentified, she was known by the nickname "Lavender Doe".[5]

Discovery

The body of a white or possibly Middle Eastern female between 17 and 25 years old was found on October 29, 2006[6] in Kilgore, Texas, lying face-down on a pile of burning brush.[7][8] The body was severely burnt, 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.[9] A total of forty dollars was found in her pockets.[10] It is believed she died between 8:15 PM and 10:00 PM on the previous day.[11]

Two of her deciduous teeth were still present and were expected to be of help in determining her identity. She had perfect teeth without cavities or fillings.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14][15][16]

Initially, she was believed to have been as young as 13, and race and sex were considered unknown until further study.[2][17][18] 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.[19] Semen was found upon forensic examination, indicating that she may have been a victim of rape prior to death.[20][2][7]

Investigation

2014 NCMEC reconstruction

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."[14] 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.[10][15][21]

Despite comparison with the dental records and DNA of a large number of missing persons, the search for her identity long remained fruitless.[16][19] 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.[22]

In 2007, a suspect in the case emerged, Joseph Wayne Burnette, then 36, who is 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;[2] however, on August 27, 2018, he confessed to the killing of Lavender Doe, along with the 2018 murder of Felisha Pearson.[23][3] Burnette claimed he convinced the victim to enter his vehicle when she was selling items from a magazine.[11]

After Dodd's body remained unidentified, it 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.[9] A three-dimensional clay reconstruction and a sketch had previously been created.[10]

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.[9] 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.[12] 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.[4][26][27] Despite this, her identity was released on February 11, 2019.[5] 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.[9][12][28]

Dodd left her family in Florida in 2000, but was reportedly last seen in 2003.[9][1] She had joined a door-to-door magazine-sales team known for human trafficking with the ruse of travel opportunities.[12][29] It is speculated by authorities Dodd may have been selected by Burnette as a victim as she solicited customers in the parking lot of a Walmart in the area.[9]

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.[9]

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

See also

References

Additional reconstruction of the victim
  1. ^ a b Coble, AnnaLise (7 September 2019). "Family of 'Lavender Doe' visits East Texas for memorial service". KETK. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Thomas, Sarah (4 October 2013). "Gregg County investigators seek to use new tech to crack cold case". News Journal. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Slayton, Ashley M. (27 August 2018). "Suspect in Felisha Pearson murder indicted in 2006 Lavender Doe murder case". WLOX. ABC. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b Gacria, Gabriella (29 January 2019). "DNA DOE PROJECT: 'Lavender Doe' identified". KYTX. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b "East Texas officials release identity of Lavender Doe". KLTV. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Gregg County, Texas Jane Doe". 3 January 2013. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b Patton, Devon (25 November 2013). "Investigators Dig Up Jane Doe and Test Technology". KTBS News. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Police Reconstruction images released in hopes of identifying East Texas 'Jane Doe'". Journal News. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Vnuk, Helen (23 November 2019). "'Lavender Doe' was a forgotten murder victim. Then internet sleuths found her real identity". Mamamia. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "Case File: 483UFTX". doenetwork.org. The Doe Network. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b Coble, AnnaLise (29 November 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: New DNA Technology could help close local cold case". MYEASTTEX. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d Zhang, Sarah (2019-11-18). "What It Means to Name a Forgotten Murder Victim". The Atlantic. ISSN 1072-7825. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  13. ^ "Jane Doe 2006". missingkids.org. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  14. ^ a b Roy, Reagan (11 February 2014). "Authorities release 2006 'Jane Doe' reconstruction photos in hopes of identifying ETX woman". NBC. KETK News. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  15. ^ a b Williams, Coretta (11 February 2014). ""Jane Doe" composition released from 2006 East Texas cold case". KTYX News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Gregg County Sheriff's Office needs help identifying 2006 burning body". KTBS News. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  17. ^ "Case Report - NamUs UP # 1405". namus.gov. National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  18. ^ "Who is Lavender Doe?". ct.coldcases.com. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  19. ^ a b "Home News Police Images released to help identify woman found dead in Gregg County". News Journal. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  20. ^ Zhang, Sarah (18 November 2019). "What It Means to Name a Forgotten Murder Victim". The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Investigators seek to crack cold case". News Journal. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  22. ^ Thomas, Sarah (3 October 2013). "Gregg County investigators seek to use new tech to crack cold case". Longview News-Journal. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  23. ^ "Police: Man confesses to 2018, 2006 killings of women in Gregg County". Longview News-Journal. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  24. ^ "Lavender Doe". DNA Doe Project. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  25. ^ Coble, AnnaLise (2018-11-30). "EXCLUSIVE: New DNA Technology could help close local cold case". MYEASTTEX. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  26. ^ Hallmark, Bob (2019-01-30). "DNA reveals identity of victim 'Lavender Doe'". KLTV. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  27. ^ Coble, AnnaLise (2019-02-12). "UPDATE: Victim identified in Lavender Doe case". MYEASTTEX. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  28. ^ Coble, AnnaLise (11 February 2019). "UPDATE: Victim identified in Lavender Doe case". MYEASTTEX. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  29. ^ Cunha, Darlena (2015-04-20). "Trapped Into Selling Magazines Door-to-Door". The Atlantic. ISSN 1072-7825. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  30. ^ https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/longview-man-pleads-guilty-to-murders-of-roommate-lavender-doe/501-297af9c3-847d-46a4-9bd1-046c15abe700

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