Date Found:
May 7, 1986

Location Found:
Lakeland, FL                  
Investigating Agency:
Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Telephone:
(863) 834-8951

Synopsis:

Polk County Sheriff's Office homicide detectives recently identified this homicide victim from a 1986 case after receiving information from Iowa Law Enforcement Officials about a possible link to an Iowa missing persons case. Given the new information, PCSO detectives positively identified (via fingerprint match) the female victim of a 1986 homicide case as Ronette Lynn Burton (maiden name Peterson), formerly of Madrid, Iowa. On May 07, 1986, the unidentified victim's body was discovered floating in a phosphate pit near SR 33 just north of Combee Road in Lakeland. Given her recent identification, PCSO detectives are actively investigating the case and are seeking any information about the victim and her whereabouts prior to her murder. Detectives have received information that the victim had traveled through Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida (possibly the Clearwater area) during the time period leading up to her death.