Texas police crack decades-old “Lovers’ Lane” double homicide

Police arrested and charged a suspect in a double homicide dating back to 1990, according to Houston officials. Investigators identified Floyd William Parrott as a suspect in the killings of Cheryl Henry, 22, and Andy Atkinson, 21, locally dubbed the “Lovers’ Lane Murders.”

The pair went on a date on the night of Aug. 23, 1990, and were killed before returning home. A security guard found Henry’s body in a car parked in a cul-de-sac and called police, according to investigators. Responding officers found Atkinson’s body near the car. Officials reported that both victims suffered neck injuries.

Police investigated around 100 possible persons of interest throughout the more than 35 years of investigation, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told reporters on Friday. Investigators collected DNA from the scene, which was later used to link the Lover’s Lane attacker to a separate rape in 2008, according to Teare.

Parrott was never on the detectives’ radar until police received a tip regarding the 64-year-old within the last year. Parrott’s name never appeared in the 1,000-page case file, and the suspect wasn’t identified until shortly before the arrest, officials said. An FBI SWAT team arrested Parrott for capital murder on Wednesday in Lincoln, Neb., officials said. The suspect is awaiting extradition back to Harris County in Texas.

What is known about the suspect? Officials accused Parrott of falsely presenting himself as a police officer in the late 1980s, throughout the 1990s, and through the 2000s. Teare said Parrott used different cars and pulled people over, and likely committed other crimes. Teare called on locals to report any run-ins they might have had with the phony cop to give more insight into the suspect. Investigators believe Parrott committed various crimes against other victims who are likely still living in the area, Teare added.

Officials remained tight-lipped about the ongoing investigation, noting that Parrott had yet to be prosecuted. Parrott spent the majority of his life in the Houston area before moving away less than two years ago, Teare said. The suspect has a number of children after being married a number of times, the attorney added. Records showed Parrott worked in auto stores in the late 1980s, and that he worked at different local clubs as a bouncer or manager, Teare said.

Dig deeper: Read my recent report on another Texas cold case solved with DNA.