Dana Dodd

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. The victim's case was later submitted to the DNA Doe Project, who made an identification in January 2019, 12 years later. While she remained unidentified, she was known by the nickname "Lavender Doe".

Discovery The body of a white or possibly Middle Eastern female between 17 and 25 years old was found on October 29, 2006 in Kilgore, Texas, lying face-down on a pile of burning brush. 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. A total of forty dollars was found in her pockets. 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. 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. 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. Semen was found upon forensic examination, indicating that she may have been a victim of rape prior to death.

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."

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

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;

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. The organization raised $1,400 to analyze her DNA profile for genealogy research and estimate her ethnicity. Despite this, her identity was released on February 11, 2019.

Dodd left her family in Florida in 2000, but was reportedly last seen in 2003. 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.