Texas police identify ‘Orange Socks’ woman dead for 40 years

GEORGETOWN, Texas – Authorities have used DNA testing to identify a Texas woman found dead 40 years ago and previously known as “Orange Socks” for the only clothing on her body.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office identified 23-year-old Debra Jackson of Abilene, Texas, as the woman found dumped near Georgetown, about 35 miles (55 kilometres) north of Austin on Halloween 1979.

Sheriff Robert Chody (CHOH’-dee) says Jackson left home in 1977 and wasn’t reported missing.

Authorities haven’t identified a suspect in Jackson’s death.

Henry Lee Lucas, who once claimed to have killed up to 600 people, had confessed to killing Jackson and was convicted for the crime and sentenced to die. Lucas later recanted his confessions and then-Gov. George W. Bush commuted his sentence to life in prison. He died in 2001.