A woman's remains have been identified after her husband and family never reported her missing.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has finally identified the female skeletal remains that were found way back on 6 February, 2007 in Sarasota County, Florida.
The remains were first 'discovered buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area' and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman's death remained cold until November of last year.
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However, the sheriff’s office was able to make a major breakthrough in the case working alongside DNA Labs International Inc. which successfully used current advancements in DNA testing and genetic genealogy to make a positive identification.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has since issued a statement on the matter on Wednesday (2 August), explaining that the victim has now been identified as Jeana Lynn Burrus and was 'determined to be 39 years old at the time of her death'.
"She resided in the 6200 block of Pauline Avenue in Sarasota with her husband and son, James Burrus, Jr," the press release details.
"Jeana was unemployed. Her husband was employed at a local body shop in the 5600 block of Sarah Avenue in Sarasota. Her son attended Gulf Gate Elementary School between 2005-06."
Authorities also added that the couple resided in Citrus County, Florida and Frederick, Maryland, prior to relocating to Sarasota County.
However, the investigation into Jeana's untimely death was 'further complicated' given that she was never actually reported as missing by her family.
Due to this, her 'whereabouts had not been questioned' with her son allegedly believing that his mother had abandoned the family.
Jeana's husband and son, James and James Jr, do not live at the Sarasota residence any longer.
According to Fox 13, a woman who now rents in the home that the Burrus family used to live in claimed investigators searched it a few months ago, but found nothing.
Speaking about James, Det. Mark Lefebvre of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office told ABC 7: "We know he abruptly left Sarasota and moved to California.
"He was there for a short time and we believe there was a crime stoppers report submitted to the media around that time relating to this case. Then he abruptly left California and went back to Maryland."
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information from anyone familiar with the victim, Jeana Burrus, or her husband, James Burrus regarding her death to contact Detective Brian Ng at 941.861.4900.
Rhiannon Ingle