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DNA Doe Project seeking to identify woman in 21-year-old East Texas cold case

The DNA Doe Project says forensic investigators determined woman was between 30-50 years old, who stood 4'-5'2 and weighed 115 pounds.

KILGORE, Texas — The DNA Doe Project has taken on the case of identifying the body of a woman who was found in the Kilgore area on Dec. 23, 2000.

According to the group, a Native American woman was found between railroad tracks and a creek along Spinks Chapman Rd., about five miles northeast of Kilgore.

The woman was wearing a white Adidas® shirt with black stripes on the sleeve, blue jeans, white undergarments and brown leather shoes from Mexico. 

The DNA Doe Project says forensic investigators determined woman was between 30-50 years old, who stood 4'-5'2 and weighed 115 pounds.

"While initially thought to be African American, DNA results from Parabon Nano Labs, Inc. indicate she was almost entirely Native American," the DNA Doe Project said. "The analysis also showed the woman had black hair, brown or dark eyes, and light brown skin."

Credit: DNA Doe Project

Officials believe the woman died sometime between 1999-2000.

In Jan. 2019, the DNA Doe Project helped identify the body of another woman who was found in Kilgore, formerly known as "Lavender Doe."

Lavender Doe's charred body was found on Oct. 29, 2006, just north of Kilgore, in a heavily wooded area off of Frtiz Swanson Rd. 

In August 2018, Joseph Wayne Burnette, of Longview, confessed to "Lavender Doe's" murder after he was arrested in connection with the death of Felisha Pearson, to which he also admitted he was responsible.

After 15 years, "Lavender Doe" she was identified as Dana Lynn Dodd. 

 Burnette was later sentenced to prison for Dodd and Pearson's murders.

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