UTA Students Help Crack 34-Year-Old Murder Case in Arlington

Arlington Police just announced a major breakthrough in a cold case that has haunted a family for more than three decades. And the big twist? It was solved with the help of criminology students at the University of Texas at Arlington. Talk about homework with real-world impact.

A Mysterious Disappearance in 1991

Cynthia Gonzalez, a 25-year-old young mother described as an “adult entertainer,” vanished on September 17, 1991, after leaving to meet a client. Her car was found abandoned just hours later, and on September 22, her body was discovered in rural Johnson County. She had been shot multiple times. Despite decades passing, detectives and her family never stopped hoping for answers.

“When we launched our partnership with UTA, we always hoped that we could get a moment like this,” said Arlington Police Chief Al Jones.

Police announced the arrest of Janie Perkins, 63, for the 1991 murder of Cynthia Gonzalez.

College Students Take the Case

Because Arlington had no full-time cold case unit, the department teamed up with UTA’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, launching an advanced course in the fall of 2025. Select students were granted rare access to the case files—minus the physical evidence. Their fresh eyes led detectives to re-examine 63-year-old Janie Perkins, a friend of Gonzalez who shared a romantic partner with her. Perkins reportedly had no alibi, failed two polygraph tests, and had once even admitted being glad Gonzalez was dead. (You're telling me the police couldn't figure out she did it with all that evidence?)

A Lead That Changes Everything

Investigators uncovered old witness statements indicating Perkins knew details “only a killer would know,” according to Chief Jones. Perkins was arrested November 6 in Azle on capital murder charges.

A Family Finally Gets Answers

Gonzalez’s daughter, Jessica Roberts, who was just six when her mother was killed, said, “I am so grateful for this program and so proud of these students at UTA.”
Students were emotional, too. “We had to comb through four to five hundred files,” said senior Jacey Concannon. “We’re so honored we’re able to give the family some peace of mind.”

UTA students are now reviewing two additional cold cases.