Naman Shrestha
‘Dateline: The Woman with No Name’ delves deep into the chilling 2006 murder case of Dana Lynn Dodd, who was referred to as Lavender Doe as her identity remained a mystery for more than a decade. When the investigation of the murder of a 28-year-old woman named Felicia Pearson resulted in the arrest of Joseph Wayne Burnette, he ended up confessing to the murder of Dana as well. When the victim’s family, including her half-siblings Amanda Gadd and John Dodd, were informed about the same, they were shocked and relieved to know that the perpetrator was behind bars at long last.
Dana Lynn Dodd’s Family Mainly Consists of a Couple of Her Half-Siblings
Born to John Ray Dodd and Robin Wilma Novotny Ross, Dana Lynn Dodd also had an older half-sister named Amanda Gadd and a half-brother named John Dodd, who were connected to the same father. While growing up, Dana had hardly met Amanda, but when the former was abandoned by her parents, Amanda took her teen sister in and allowed her to stay in her house in Jacksonville, Florida. For a while, the elder sister managed to keep her teenage rebellion under check, but Dana started ignoring the curfew and moved in with her half-brother, John, before leaving the city with her boyfriend. Although Amanda and John were not that close to Dana when she went missing, they cared enough to stay concerned about her well-being and whereabouts.
After about 12 years of her disappearance, in November 2018, the two half-siblings of the victim learned about her tragic death. It impacted Amanda even more because, around the same time, she had lost her mother as well. In September 2019, Amanda and John visited her grave at White Cemetery in Longview, Texas, and held a formal memorial for their half-sister, for which they brought flowers, a balloon, and a new headstone with her name engraved. Amanda told KLTV, “We wanted to bring everybody out and thank them as one, for being part of Dana. Showing the love while we weren’t able to find her, they kept her safe and loved. So we wanted to thank everybody. All the years of looking for her, we did not know she was in this part of the country, we thought she was up north.”
Meanwhile, John said, “When we got that first phone call that it could possibly be her it was like breathtaking, she’s not Jane Doe anymore, she’s Dana Lynn Dodd.” Appreciating the efforts of the authorities, Amanda told Longview News-Journal, “That’s why we chose to leave her here because we feel that she’s part of y’all, and we’re so eternally grateful that you have been here and done this and fought hard to get her name back, and I know that she knows that we’re here and that she was never forgotten.” After the memorial, the siblings planned to return to Texas and watch their sister’s killer, Joseph Wayne Burnette, brought to justice.
Amanda Dodd Gadd is a Mother of Three Working as a Customer Service Specialist
Although Amanda Dodd Gadd was Dana Lynn Dodd’s half-sister, she led a very different life than her. After graduating from Terry Parker High in 1994, she attended FSCJ North Campus and pursued an Associate of Science (A.S) degree in Criminal Justice. At the same university, she studied the Emergency Medical Technician course. Thanks to her rich educational background, she managed to get a secure job at Nader’s Pest Raiders in October 2023. Still working at the company, she serves as the Customer Care Representative (CCR).
Amanda has also been lucky when it comes to matters of the heart. Several years ago, she married the love of her life, Joel Gadd, with whom she shares three adorable sons. Being avid travelers, the couple has visited numerous destinations during the course of their marriage, including France in early 2018. The Jacksonville, Florida, residents, Amanda and Joel, are not only loving and caring towards one another, but they are also doting parents to their children, supporting them every step of the way.
A Devoted Family Man, John Dodd Cherishes the Company of His Longtime Partner
Much like his sister, John Dodd has also been successful professionally and personally. In 1986, he reportedly began working at Walgreens. A few years down the line, on March 27, 1993, he tied the knot with the University of North Florida graduate Debbie Christy. In the following years, they became parents to a son named Kameron, who completed his schooling at Terry Parker High School. John and his wife have been fully supportive of their son’s choices and decisions, whether on the professional or personal front. Therefore, when he shared his desire to marry the love of his life, Bria Dodd, they were delighted to give them their blessings. On March 11, 2017, the couple graced the ceremony of their son’s union with Bria with their warm presence and happy vibes.
Kameron currently works at Uber Eats, and his parents seem to be incredibly proud of the man he has become today. The year 2022 brought a wave of sadness in the life of Debbie as she lost her mother. She took to her Facebook profile to share the sad news, stating that she misses her mother a lot. Though the loss of a loved one can never be overcome, Debbie has likely learned to move on by keeping her mother’s memories alive in her heart. As of writing, John and Debbie enjoy a relaxed life they’ve carefully built with love and hard work. One of their favorite hobbies is going out on dates and trying out different eateries across Jacksonville, Florida, where they continue to reside as of writing.
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