Murder of Debra Jackson
Debra Jackson | |
|---|---|
Undated photograph of Debra Jackson | |
| Born | Debra Louise Jackson September 20, 1956 Harris County, Texas, U.S. |
| Disappeared | c. 1977 Abilene, Texas, U.S. |
| Status | Identified August 6, 2019 |
| Died | October 30 or 31, 1979 (aged 23) |
| Cause of death | Murder by strangulation |
| Body discovered | Georgetown, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Odd Fellows Cemetery, Georgetown, Texas |
| Other names | "Orange Socks" |
| Known for | Formerly unidentified decedent |
| Height | Between 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) and 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) (approximate) |
| Murder of Debra Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Location | Georgetown, Texas, U.S. |
| Date | October 30 or 31, 1979 |
Attack type | Murder by strangulation, rape |
| Victim | Debra Louise Jackson, aged 23 |
| Perpetrator | Disputed |
| Convicted | Henry Lee Lucas |
| Verdict | Guilty |
| Convictions | Capital murder |
| Sentence | Death; commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole |
Debra Louise Jackson (September 20, 1956 – October 30 or 31, 1979), informally known as "Orange Socks" when unidentified, was an American murder victim who went unidentified for nearly 40 years before being identified through a DNA match with her surviving sister in 2019. Her murder is believed to have taken place on October 30 or 31, 1979 in Georgetown, Texas. Her body was found naked except for the pair of orange socks from which the nickname was derived. She had been strangled and was believed to have died only hours before the discovery.
Henry Lee Lucas confessed to her murder and was convicted. Although doubts have been raised about his complicity in this crime, Lucas's conviction was not overturned. His death sentence was commuted by Texas governor George W. Bush in 1998, and Lucas died in prison in 2001. Strong evidence exists indicating that Lucas was in Florida when Jackson was murdered.