Texas officials ID Jacksonville woman found dead in 2006

Sex offender from East Texas held on $2.5 million bond in her slaying

LONGVIEW, Texas – East Texas authorities have identified a 21-year-old Jacksonville woman as the person previously known as Lavender Doe after her body was found in 2006.

The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday that authorities for years were unable to identify the body of Dana Lynn Dodd.

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The identification of Dodd, who was last known to have lived in Jacksonville, was first announced by the California-based DNA Doe Project.

Joseph Wayne Burnette, 41, of Longview, is being held on $2.5 million bond in her death. The Longview News-Journal reports that evidence found at the scene led authorities to identify Burnette as a person of interest at the time of her death.

Authorities said Burnette (pictured at right), a registered sex offender, confessed to both killings. He’s also charged in the July death of another woman.


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