Arlington police arrested Janie Perkins in 2025 in connection with the 1991 murder of Cynthia Gonzalez, solved through a student-led review of evidence.

Arlington police arrested 63-year-old Janie Perkins in November 2025 in connection with the 1991 murder of 25-year-old Cynthia Gonzalez, a case solved after students from UT Arlington’s criminology program reviewed the cold case as part of a new academic partnership with the police department. The breakthrough followed a re-examination of evidence, including witness statements and Perkins’ prior connections to Gonzalez, who was killed after meeting a client. Perkins, a former friend with a history of interest in Gonzalez, had no alibi, failed polygraph tests, and made troubling statements. The arrest was made possible through the collaboration, which has since prompted a review of two additional cold cases.