Texas lab uses DNA to identify Collin County ‘Jane Doe’ after 27 years
A homicide victim whose remains were found in Collin County in 1998 has been identified using DNA technology 27 years after her death, according to a news release from Texas DNA lab Othram.
The woman, Penny Gunn, was found in Lake Ray Hubbard near Lavon in April of that year, according to the news release. Her cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Gunn was found wearing black Adidas jogging pants, gray socks and black Adidas athletic shoes, according to the news release. Her height and weight were estimated to be 5 feet, 7 inches and 170 pounds.
Gunn’s age could not be determined at the time, and with few leads to go on, authorities named her Collin County “Jane Doe,” according to the news release.
In 2024, the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office sent forensic evidence to Othram’s laboratory near Houston, where scientists used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build the woman’s genetic profile, officials said.
Once the genetic profile had been built, Othram’s forensic genealogy team used it to find potential relatives of the woman, according to the statement. A DNA sample collected from a possible relative matched, and the woman was identified as Gunn.
Gunn was also known as Penny J. Morris and was born in August 1962, making her roughly 35 years old at the time of her death, according to the news release.
Investigators are still seeking information about Gunn’s last days and death, according to Othram. Anyone with information about her should contact the Dallas Police Department’s cold case supervisor Jeffrey Hunter at jeffrey.hunter@dallaspolice.gov or call 214-671-3661.
“Law enforcement is working hard to determine what happened to this young woman and identifying her is just the first step,” said Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram. “Anyone with information about what may have happened to her is urged to come forward.”
Gunn is the 21st person in the state of Texas to be identified using Othram technology, according to the statement. In June, the laboratory announced it had identified an Air Force veteran 37 years after he was found dead in Tarrant County, the Star-Telegram previously reported.
The lab also recently helped to identify a man who was found in a Tarrant County creek in 2023.
This story was originally published September 6, 2025 at 7:52 PM.
