Man Indicted for Two Gregg County Murders

LONGVIEW – A suspect in a Longview murder is now a suspect in a second murder case. At a joint police department and sheriff’s department news conference in Longview Monday, it was announced that Joseph Wayne Burnette, 41, of Longview, a convicted sex offender, has been indicted in both cases. He is accused of the murder of Felisha Pearson, whose body was found in July off West Birdsong Street. He is now also indicted in the 2006 murder of a woman in Gregg County. That woman, dubbed Lavender Doe by law enforcement officials, remains unidentified. Early last week he is said to have confessed to both murders. He was indicted by the Gregg County grand jury last week.