Remains found in shallow grave in 2007 identified as Florida woman who was never reported missing

A set of female skeletal remains found in Florida in 2007 have been identified as those of Jeana Lynn Burrus, 39. Burrus, who lived in Sarasota, Florida, was never reported missing, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said in a news release announcing the identification.

Her whereabouts had also not been questioned in the 16 years since the remains were found, the sheriff's office said.

The remains were found in February 2007 in a shallow grave in a wooded area of the Ashton Court area of Sarasota. The investigation went cold, but later DNA testing and genetic genealogy advancements allowed the sheriff's office to make a positive identification in November 2022.

On Wednesday, the sheriff's office said investigators were seeking information from anyone familiar with Burrus or her husband, James Burrus. The couple lived in Citrus County, Florida, and Frederick, Maryland, before moving to Sarasota County.

Burrus had a son, James Burrus Jr., who attended a Sarasota elementary school between 2005 and 2006. Her husband worked at a body shop in Sarasota, while Burrus herself was unemployed.

In:
• Body Found
• Death
• DNA

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.