In a remarkable turn of events, a decades-old murder mystery that had baffled police in Texas has finally been solved, thanks to the sharp minds of a group of university students.
The Cold Case That Stumped Detectives
The case centred on Cynthia Gonzalez, a 25-year-old adult entertainer from Arlington, Texas. She was reported missing by her ex-husband in September 1991 and was found dead just five days later in a rural area south of the city. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite initial investigations, the case grew cold over the years. As recently as 2024, a detective from the Arlington Police Department had reviewed the file and concluded there were no new leads to pursue, leaving the killer's identity a secret for 24 years.
An Innovative Academic Partnership
The breakthrough came from an unexpected source: a pioneering criminology course at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Established in September 2025, the programme gave 15 students access to the original case files of three unsolved homicides, including that of Cynthia Gonzalez.
Where experienced detectives had hit a wall, the students saw an opportunity. They quickly focused their attention on a person of interest from the original investigation: Janie Perkins, a close friend of the victim.
The Evidence That Led to an Arrest
According to police, Perkins, who was 29 at the time of the murder, had a powerful motive. It is alleged that a shared romantic partner had broken up with Perkins to be with Gonzalez just weeks before the killing.
During the original 1990s investigation, Perkins had failed two voluntary polygraph tests and could not provide a solid alibi for the night Gonzalez vanished. While polygraph results are not admissible in court due to their unreliability, investigators noted that Perkins had made statements suggesting she was glad Gonzalez was dead and had even contemplated having her killed.
Prompted by the students' work, modern-day detectives reopened the line of inquiry. They allegedly uncovered witnesses who claimed Perkins had privately confessed to the murder, providing specific details that matched the evidence.
This new information led to the arrest of 63-year-old Janie Perkins on 6 November 2025 in Azle, Texas. She was charged with capital murder, booked into Tarrant County Jail, and later released on a $150,000 bond. Perkins maintains her innocence.
A New Hope for Cold Cases
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones expressed profound gratitude for the students' contributions. In a press release, he stated, "When we launched our cold case partnership with UTA, we always hoped we’d get an outcome like this one day. I don’t think any of us expected that lightning would strike the first time."
He added, "I want to sincerely thank the students for their work and dedication to this case. We hope this is just the first of more to come."
This case demonstrates the powerful potential of academic-police collaborations in bringing long-awaited justice to victims and their families, offering a new template for investigating cold cases.
