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Arlington Police Arrest Janie Perkins in 1991 Cynthia Gonzalez Killing After UTA Student Review

Questions from a new UTA criminology course spurred detectives to revisit witness statements, which they say supported a capital murder charge.

Overview

  • Detectives obtained a capital murder warrant for 63-year-old Janie Perkins and the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force arrested her in Azle on November 6, 2025.
  • The development grew from a new partnership that let UTA criminology students review APD cold cases, leading them to press detectives with specific questions about Perkins.
  • Investigators say a renewed file review surfaced witness accounts alleging Perkins admitted involvement and offered verifiable details, leading them to believe she participated in or facilitated the kidnapping and death.
  • Arlington police consulted the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office before filing the charge, and APD and UTA announced the arrest at a joint briefing with students and family present.
  • Cynthia Gonzalez, 25, was reported missing on September 17, 1991, and was found days later in rural Johnson County with multiple gunshot wounds.