‘We got him’: Grand jury indicts suspect in 1990 ‘Lovers’ Lane’ killings after decades-long cold case

HOUSTON – A Harris County grand jury has returned a capital murder indictment against a suspect in one of Houston’s most haunting cold cases, more than three decades after two young people were found brutally killed in west Houston.

According to an update released Wednesday, Floyd William Parrott has been formally charged with capital murder in the 1990 killings of Cheryl Henry, 22, and Garland “Andy” Atkinson, 21 — a case long known as the “Lovers’ Lane” murders.

READ MORE: Crucial tip, DNA link leads to capital murder arrest in 1990 ‘Lovers’ Lane’ cold case that shook Houston

Parrott, now 64, was arrested last month in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is expected to be extradited back to Harris County.

During a press conference, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said the break in the case is especially meaningful to him, as he was just 11 years old when the murders happened and remembers how deeply it shook Houston.

“It gives me so much pride to be able to say, ‘We got him,’” Teare said.

KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry is working to learn more about Parrott’s extradition. Prosecutors have not released additional details, citing the ongoing legal process.

Investigators previously said Parrott is believed to have been in the Houston area in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Authorities are also asking the public to review previously released photos — including images of a vehicle — and come forward with any information that could assist the case.

“We truly believe there are more victims out there,” Teare said. “If you met him once, if you met him at a club, let us know. Because over the next months, we are going to get a complete picture of what this individual was doing in our community for decades.”

The announcement comes during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, observed April 19–25, with officials noting the decades-long wait families often endure in cases like this.

After Parrott’s arrest was announced last month, Henry’s sister told KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry the news was overwhelming and difficult to process after so many years.

“It’s hard to see that it’s real after 35 years of nothing,” she said.

• READ THE FAMILY’S FULL STATEMENT HERE.

Information on the murders

Henry and Atkinson had been dating at the time of their deaths in August 1990.

Henry was last seen after a night out with her sister and Atkinson. When she failed to show up for work the next day, her family reported her missing.

On Aug. 23, 1990, a security guard found a white Honda Civic parked at the end of a cul-de-sac near the 1300 block of Enclave Parkway. Henry’s purse was still inside the vehicle, along with her identification.

A search of the nearby wooded area led to a grim discovery.

Investigators found Henry’s body hidden under wooden boards, in what appeared to be an attempt to conceal it. Roughly 200 yards away, Atkinson’s body was found propped against a tree, where he had been tied.

Autopsies later determined both victims died from sharp-force injuries to the neck.

Court records allege Atkinson was tied up and killed first. Investigators believe Henry was then restrained, sexually assaulted, and killed.

Investigation that led to suspect’s arrest

The case remained unsolved for nearly 36 years until new developments emerged.

Investigators say a tip — followed up in late 2025 — led them to Parrott as a potential suspect.

That tip ultimately connected to DNA evidence through the national CODIS database.

Authorities said DNA from a 1996 sexual assault case, in which Parrott was identified as a suspect, matched evidence collected during Henry’s autopsy.

Another DNA link was also made to a separate sexual assault reported in June 1990.

Those connections helped investigators build the case that led to Parrott’s arrest.