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This week, authorities arrested a Texas man in connection with the notorious “Lover’s Lane” murders in Houston. The suspect, known for impersonating a police officer on multiple occasions, has prompted officials to release previous mugshots in hopes of identifying other potential victims.
According to CrimeOnline, William Parrott was apprehended by special agents from the FBI on Wednesday in Lincoln, Nebraska. Parrott faces charges related to the 1990 murders of Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson, who were both 22 years old at the time.
During a press briefing on Friday, Sean Teare, the Harris County District Attorney, revealed that over 100 individuals had been scrutinized through the years, yet Parrott’s name never surfaced in their investigations until recently.
In 2008, a breakthrough came when DNA from an unrelated rape case matched the genetic evidence found at the scene of the murders. It wasn’t until a tip received in 2025 that Parrott’s name entered the investigation.
ABC 11 reports that “renewed DNA analysis and additional police work” ultimately led to Parrott’s arrest, bringing hope for justice in this decades-old case.
“This case has weighed on the Henry and Atkinson families, as well as our community, for more than three decades,” Teare said. “Our prosecutors, working with HPD and the FBI, have worked hundreds of leads, but they never gave up.”
Henry and Atkinson were out on a date on August 23, 1990, in West Houston, when they were found deceased near their parked vehicle in a cul-de-sac at 1300 Enclave Parkway.
A security guard found the couple during a routine patrol. Andy Atkinson had been tied to a tree and “nearly decapitated,”according to KHOU.
Autopsy results indicated that Cheryl Henry had been sexually assaulted and had neck injuries, People magazine reports.
Police found her nude body hidden under wooden boards with a $20 bill placed beside her.
“He [Andy] was tied to a tree and listened to her scream, listened to her being murdered knowing that they were going to do the same thing to him and he couldn’t do anything about it,” Andy’s father, Garland Atkinson, told KHOU.
“That’s hard to accept.”
According to officials, Parrott worked at auto parts stores and stores for years, and lived in the Houston area for decades. At one point, he was affiliated with a wrecker service.
He also “held himself out to be law enforcement” over the years, prompting authorities release his mugshot from the 90s. Parrott left the area less than two years ago.
Police arrested Parrott three times for impersonating a police officer, with one of the arrests occurring after the Lover’s Lane murders.
“I believe there are more victims out there,” Teare said. “As we are able to identify more victims, it’s going to be easier to identify a common thread of behavior that this defendant was engaged in.”
On Thursday, Parrott fought extradition back to Harris County and asked for an attorney. He remains behind bars Lancaster County, Nebraska, without bond, awaiting a April 30 meeting.
Meanwhile, Cheryl’s sister, who attended the press conference, remembered her as someone loved deeply by many.
“She was more than a victim in a headline,” she said. “She was a daughter, a sister, a friend and a person who brought much love and light into our lives.”
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the cold case division at Teare’s office at 713-274-5640. Anonymous tipsters should contact Houston Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-8477.
[Feature Photos: Handout]