‘Lovers’ Lane Murders’: Arrest made in 1990 west Houston killing of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson, authorities say

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — After nearly 36 years, an arrest has been made in the cold case killings of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson.

The young couple went out for a date night in west Houston on Aug. 23, 1990, but never made it home.

Police said that that same night, a security guard was conducting a routine patrol when he saw a vehicle parked in a cul-de-sac. The guard noticed the vehicle hadn’t moved for a long period of time and approached it, when he found an unresponsive woman. An unresponsive man was also found. Both victims were identified as Henry and Atkinson, and police said they were found to have suffered injuries to their necks.

On Thursday, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare’s office announced 64-year-old Floyd Wiliam Parrott has been charged with murder in connection with the 1990 murders.

The case dubbed “Lover’s Lane Murders” went unsolved for almost 36 years. It was also profiled in 13’s True Crime series in November 2025, with interviews from the victims’ family members.

SEE ALSO: Texas True Crime: Lovers’ Lane Murders

“Initially I thought, ‘OK, three to six months,'” Andy’s cousin, Tim Godwin, told Eyewitness News in 2025. “We’d find out who did this, there’d be a trial, and they’d be brought to justice.”

But months turned into years. One year became five. Then 10. Even after 15 years, there were still no arrests, no suspects – only grief and unanswered questions.

For decades, the families continued speaking out and held on to hope that one day someone would come forward.

In 2008, Houston police had a break in the case, linking DNA found at the murder site to a separate rape case, but could not find a suspect.

But then, the latest court documents show that police were reviewing the case in 2025 and got the suspect’s name from a tip. Records show that further police work led to DNA and other evidence matching up.

“One of Houston’s most haunting and infamous cold cases has weighed on the Henry and Atkinson families, as well as our community, for more than three decades,” Teare said. “Our prosecutors, working with the HPD and FBI, have pursued this investigation with relentless and dogged determination. They have worked hundreds of leads, facing dead ends and plenty of frustration. But, they never gave up on Cheryl and Andy.”

Teare said Houston police and the FBI arrested Parrott in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Wednesday, where he is currently awaiting extradition to the Harris County Jail.

Authorities will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Friday to provide more details on the case.