Jeana Lynn Burrus

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2:34Today, I'm discussing the case of Gina Lynn Burris. On February 6, 2007, in a wooded area of Ashton Court in Sarasota, Florida, a 14-year-old found a bone sticking out of the ground. He showed his mother, who happened to be a nurse, and she immediately recognized it as human. Horrified, she called the police. Investigators quickly discovered that a woman had been buried in a shallow grave, but they weren't able to identify her. For 15 years, she was known as the Sarasota County Jane Doe. That is until November 2022. That's when investigators partnered with DNA Labs International to identify 39-year-old Gina Lynn Burris using DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

3:23Now at this point, it seems simple. They can match Gina's name to a missing persons report and begin their investigation into what happened to her, but they soon discovered that despite Gina clearly being missing for over 15 years, she was never reported missing by anyone. And in 2023, investigators turned to the media and the public for help in solving Gina's case. This is the case of Gina Lynn Burris. Gina was found on February 6, 2007, as I said before, by a 14-year-old who alerted his mother a nurse. She recognized the bone as human and alerted law enforcement. When law enforcement arrived, they found Gina buried in a shallow hole, only about three feet deep.

4:11She was lying on one side with one knee stuck up in the air. The full excavation process took ten hours. Where she was found was described by law enforcement as an overgrown thicket covered by the shade of an oak tree. The woods are 50 yards south of Ashton Road in Sarasota, and this wooded area was directly behind the auto body shop where Gina's husband, James Burris, worked at the time. Sarah Avenue and Ashton Road intersect right before you get to James Burris' former workplace, and it's about an 8-minute drive from the family's former home. Law enforcement believes her killer was familiar with this area of the woods, and must have known it would conceal her body for many months.

4:58Skip Woods, who served as lieutenant of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department at the time Gina's body was found, said, quote, This is an area that someone has obviously taken great care to obfuscate the fact that there is a body there. Now, they didn't have a lot of information, but investigators began working with what they had to try to identify Gina. Dr. Russell Vega, the medical examiner who worked on Gina's case, estimated that she had been buried for 7 to 12 months before she was found. Her remains were mostly skeletal, and had suffered a lot of decomposition. They weren't able to get fingerprints or determine her eye color.

5:39Her hair was described as a reddish-brown with blonde streaks in it. it was pulled back into a ponytail. Dr. Vega estimated she was 5 '5 to 5 '9, 145 to 165 pounds, and between the ages of 30 and 40 years old. Dr. Vega also stated that she may have had a broken nose and wrist at some point in her life. Her skull also suffered fractures that appeared to have been made before she was buried, and her dental records show that she had extensive dental work done. Now, they did get a successful DNA profile right away, but they didn't have anyone to compare it to. Gina's goal was sent to a lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville for analysis.

6:26It was concluded that her cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, and her death was ruled a homicide. Eventually, an image was generated of what Gina may have looked like. This was printed on flyers and shown to employees of local businesses. but no one recognized her. Now, when Gina was found, she was fully dressed, wearing a multicolored cotton pullover shirt with a tag reading, Made in Italy. She wore a miniskirt from the brand Spicewear that was described as lightly colored with a rear zipper and a drawstring belt. Some sources say the belt was leather and others say suede. She wore socks but no shoes, which indicated to investigators that she was likely carried to her grave.

7:11She also had on blue underwear. All of this clothing was processed by the FBI and tested for trace hair and fibers. Gina also had breast implants, which law enforcement hoped might help identify her, but it seems that they were a popular model from before implants had serial numbers. The way they were implanted was not typical. This seemed like a good lead. They were implanted below the pectoral muscle, but above the mammary gland, a method that most surgeons didn't use. However, these details did not lead to a positive identification either. Gina's case haunted investigators, specifically crime scene technician Maxine Miller, who was the first person to arrive on scene when Gina was found.

8:00In a 2014 article for the Herald Tribune, Miller said she kept a copy of the sketch on a bulletin board in her office. She said she often looked at it and thought, who are you? But they were out of leads, and Gina's case sat for about another four years. This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Greenlight. I think one of the best gifts you can give your kids is the gift of financial literacy. I know, it might sound a little corny, but think about how much it helps in life. Not only as a kid just to kind of develop and polish those skills, but as you also enter adulthood. When you have that skill set of financial literacy, it makes life so much easier.

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10:49In 2014, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office released a new facial composite illustration. This was made by a new cranial facial recognition software created by the West Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Her remains were further studied at the University of South Florida. By this time, 2014, Gina was the only unidentified body in Sarasota County, So this is a case that weighed heavily on those involved. And unfortunately, with the unidentified, this is just kind of how it goes. On occasion, law enforcement would re-release her composite image and case details to the media in hopes of getting new leads.

11:28Her DNA was compared with over 40 missing American women, and none of them were matches. And they continued to run her DNA periodically. Then, in November 2022, they got a match, and the first ever break in the case. Thanks to new technology through DNA Labs International, they were able to match her DNA to Gina's aunt and uncle, who had submitted their profiles to trace their family tree. Law enforcement reached out to the couple, who quickly identified their estranged niece, Gina Burris. They said that they'd fallen out of touch with Gina. They did try to follow up when they hadn't heard from her, but never got a response.

12:09While Gina had now finally been identified, investigators were obviously missing some key pieces to solve this puzzle of what happened to her. And on August 2nd, 2023, they turned to the media and public for help. When the sheriff's office announced Gina's identity, the public responded with the question I'm sure you're all wondering. How did no one report her missing for over 15 years? Now, in a press conference, law enforcement said that Gina struggled with depression and didn't reach out to her family very often. So they assumed that she'd become estranged, but didn't know that she was missing or deceased.

12:50They also said that Gina and her husband James were struggling at the time and had a, quote, volatile relationship. Gina's uncle, Claire George Weedmare, told WJZ News in Maryland, quote, In 2006, we didn't hear, so I waited a little bit to see if her stepfather heard. He didn't. Or if her brother heard. He didn't. So I proceeded to call the husband, and it went on and on. The following year or the year before, I attempted to call Jamie again, and there was no answer. The phone was turned off, and then I had no way of tracking him. Immediately, detectives had their eyes on one man, James Burris, who also went by Jamie.

13:38And they quickly discovered he had never reported Gina missing. Now, we don't know a lot about Gina and James' life before Gina was found. But here's what we do know. and this comes directly from investigators who are trying their hardest to share this information. It appears that Gina began a relationship with James in the late 90s or early 2000s. Together, they had one son, James Burris Jr. Both Gina and James' families are from Maryland. While Gina and James were together, they lived in Citrus County, Florida, and Frederick, Maryland before moving to Pauline Avenue in Sarasota, Florida around 2005.

14:20The home is a part of Gulfgate Estates, a census-delegated region of Florida. It's believed that the Burris family lived at the Pauline Avenue home from 2005 to 2006. Gina was likely 39 at the time of her death. She was unemployed. James Burris Sr. worked in an auto body shop on Sarah Avenue in Sarasota. That business is now Callaway European Automotive, but it was under a different name when James worked there. James is said to have left Sarasota with his son around the time Gina's body was found. He initially moved to California, then moved back to Maryland near his family in Fredrickson. Now, back to present day.

15:05Investigators did eventually find him in Maryland, where he still lives with his son, who is now around 20 years old. And this next part is heartbreaking. Gina's son said that he was told his mother abandoned him and his father at a young age. Which I can't even imagine how hard all of this has to be for him. And of course, as this case develops, new information is being discovered, like how James apparently tried to file for divorce from Gina in 2015. The documents were sent to an address in Citrus County, where the couple lived from 2002 to 2004, but they were undeliverable. James Burris Sr.

15:48is currently the sole person of interest in this case. Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman traveled to Maryland to interview James, and told News Nation, Frankly, the answers that we got were just not consistent from what you would see from a spouse who has a loved one go missing. Some were still working a lot of leads in this case, but he is the main focus of this investigation, and he is certainly aware of that. He sat down with our detectives, and I think it's safe to say that he knows we're not satisfied with the answers we got from him. James Burris Jr. was also interviewed, but Hoffman said that since he was so young when he last saw his mom, the information they got from him was just not very useful.

16:35The current lieutenant and Gina's uncle both stated that her family in Maryland was shocked to realize that James had been living so close to them nearly the whole time they hadn't heard from Gina. Now, police have searched the Burris' old home on Pauline Avenue, as well as the auto body shop where James worked. They tested for blood and other evidence, but so far, they haven't found anything. and the results from the testing of Gina's clothes either haven't come back or haven't been made public. This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Chewy. When I think about the holidays, I think about tiny moments with my dogs, the ones that really make the season bright.

17:17And that's why I'm joining Chewy Claws, who's out here making pet wishes come true. It's a really cool program. From November 4th to December 24th, share your pet's wish at Chewy.com slash Chewy Claws. It could actually become real, but I think the best part is that it helps others too. Each wish triggers a donation of five meals to shelters and rescues across the country. And if you submit through the Chewy app, they'll double the donation. Again, pet parents can send their wishes to Chewy.com slash Chewy Claws and it might come true. And each wish means five meals get donated to pets in need.

17:52I've been using Chewy for years. You guys know that I've been on their auto-ship feature for a very long time. But I also just picked up Heber and Popcorn's holiday gifts. And honestly, this program makes me even more sure of my choice to use Chewy. Not only do they have everything that my dogs need, but it feels great to know that they're helping other pets as well. Every pet deserves a wish come true. Send your pet's wish to Chewy.com slash Chewy Claws and it might become a reality. Plus, your wish means Chewy will donate five meals to pets in need.

18:28Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-CONTACTS! As I mentioned, the police have turned to the media and the public for help in generating more leads for Gina's case. It really feels like they're just a few puzzle pieces away from solving this.

19:10Gina's son and the rest of her family deserve answers. Gina's uncle told the media, quote, She was a good mom. She did anything and everything to please her husband. And this whole thing is more than shocking. We couldn't believe it when we were at the table with the police. We just couldn't believe it. It's got to be solved. It's got to be some type of justice. Which brings me right to our call to action. While Gina was found over 15 years ago, They'd just discovered her identity. And like I've said so many times, investigators are now turning to the media and the public for help. So let's do what we do best.

19:56Please share Gina's name, photo, and story in hopes that someone will come forward with information.

20:06As a reminder, we don't know exactly when Gina Burris went missing, but her remains were found in February 2007 in a wooded area in Sarasota, Florida. If you or anyone you know knew Gina Burris or James Burris, or lived in or around this area between 2005 and 2007 and have relevant information, please reach out to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department at 941-861-4900. But, as always, thank you, I love you, and I'll talk to you next time.

20:50Voices for Justice is hosted and produced by me, Sarah Turney, and is a Voices for Justice media original. This episode contains writing and research assistance by Brooke Haynes. If you love what we do here, please don't forget to follow, rate, and review the show your podcast player. It's an easy and free way to help us and help more people find these cases in need of justice.

21:37Thank you.

22:13Welcome to the Secret After Show. The air conditioning is back on, the dogs are in, Marley is licking his paw, if you can hear it, and with this episode, I really just first and foremost want to send some love to Gina's son, James. I mean, being told that your mom left you and to now be presented with all of this new information is something I would never wish upon my worst enemy. And I can't say that I've been through that exact situation, but I do believe I've been through something similar, and I can tell you it is not easy. It is not easy to make an entire shift about what you thought your life was to make room for this new information.

23:10And I don't know. I don't know what James believes. I don't think that he's really said much to the media. I was looking today as of recording this episode, and there were no new updates. So again, I just want to send love to James. And I hope if he begins to speak out, if he chooses to say anything or do anything, that you guys will make sure that he is met with love and not horrible, horrible things that the internet can do to people like him. Now, the reason I chose this case was for a few different reasons. One, it's very timely. Obviously, like I said a thousand times in this shorter episode, investigators need our help.

23:56They are turning to the public and the media for help in sharing this case. And it really does seem like when it first came out in the beginning of August, it was kind of everywhere. It was this big, huge thing, and then it just slowly died down like these stories do. And you guys know how I have a very soft spot in my heart for stories like that. Just because it's not, um, just because there's not more information to be used for an update does not mean it's not important. Like I said, I know that this episode was on the shorter side, but I think it's really important. And one, they're asking for help.

24:35So hi, here I am. Hopefully this episode helps at least a little. Please share. And two, it's one of those cases that I think has this element of hope. And you guys know how much I like highlighting the hope. We have a whole segment here, which I will get to. I did not forget about it. But it's just really cool to see, you know, her being identified after so many years is really, really neat. Of course, we hope the whole thing didn't happen. I think that goes without saying at this point, but there is hope for the unidentified to be identified. And it really just goes along with so much that I'm doing outside of this show.

25:15As you guys know, I am on the board of a non-profit called Season of Justice. I helped build out their entire family grants program, but in addition to helping families what we also do is help fund law enforcement for things just like this. Specifically, we do work with DNA Labs International. So it's just really cool to see. Of course, you know, Season of Justice didn't have a direct tie to this case, but it's in the realm of what I do every single day. And it's just really interesting and neat to keep up with, like I said. Also, it goes along with an episode that will be coming up soon. I am getting together with my friend Laura Norton from the Fall Line podcast and One Strange Thing to talk about her new book, Lay Them to Rest, in an upcoming episode.

26:03Now, if you guys haven't heard, the book is available for pre-order, so it's not quite out yet. But she basically details helping solve a case, helping, you know, identify someone who is unidentified. So I feel like I've very much been living in this world for a while. And, you know, as Laura knows, it's really hard to cover these cases of an unidentified person, because obviously there's just not as much material. And she does a fantastic job of doing that. She is one of the best in the business if you want to go check her out. Now, let's get to what you guys are probably, I don't know, that feels really conceited to say, but I imagine maybe a few of you out there are wondering why this after show hasn't been happening.