Dana Allison Pomeroy was born on October 16, 1976, in Jackson, Mississippi. She is the oldest of three daughters of Dr. and Mrs. Bill Pomeroy of Jackson. Her father is a pathologist at The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Her mother, Louise, is a homemaker and works part-time at home doing medical transcription. Her younger sister Caroline is currently a waitress and struggling actress in Los Angeles, and her youngest sister Maggie is a senior at the University of Alabama.

Dana Pomeroy graduated from Jackson Prep Academy in 1995 and entered the University of Mississippi in the fall of that year, seeking a degree in art history. Pomeroy was a member of Chi Omega sorority and held the chapter office of social secretary. She was responsible for arranging various social functions such as teas, parties, and formals. Her duties in this position meant she had to deal with various people and businesses around Oxford, including caterers, restaurants, and bars, and everyone she dealt with considered her a sweet and responsible young lady.

Besides her schoolwork, Pomeroy was primarily occupied with her sorority responsibilities and her romance with Mark Silver, President of Kappa Alpha fraternity and tight end for the Ole Miss Rebels football team. After a steady romance, Silver gave her his fraternity pin in November of 1998, but the couple broke up soon afterwards.

Based on a recommendation from her parents that she take a job to prepare her for the real world, Pomeroy found part-time work at Cupid's Couples, "Oxford's premier dating service," in January of 1999. Her duties primarily consisted of keeping track of files and helping to arrange dates. After graduation from The University of Mississippi in June of 1999, she continued to work at Cupid's Couples and, to meet her expenses, also took a second part-time job with Good Graces, a local charm school she had done business with in her sorority position. In February of 2000, Pomeroy was promoted to full-time at Cupid's Couples when a position opened up following the dismissal of former secretary Corinna Morgan for suspicion of theft.

Pomeroy discovered the body of Trudi Rose on April 3, 2000, when she reported in for work around 2:30 p.m.. She continues to work full-time at Cupid's Couples and does limited part-time work for Good Graces.