TX TX - Cheryl Henry, 22, & Andy Atkinson, 21, Houston, 21 Aug 1990

New Posts

mocity:
It's nice to hear the LE has been so nice to the victim's family. You always read about what LE does in public; but, it's rare to hear the supportive things they do behind the scenes.

FWIW,..... you say that you told LE that ,.........."my other sister and I told them we all (when we were in high school) used to park out there and hang out and drink beer. :) and that LE has checked out those from the bar. (from her present crowd)
Your sister had been away at college and was 22, so it had been a few years since 'her' crowd had hung out at this 'party site.' What about the, then current, high school crowd? Were they still using this location to party? Have you or LE tracked anyone that was in high school at that time that has since been in trouble with the law? This crime could have been committed by someone who was in high scool then and just beginning their life of crime. It could have been some high school kids getting high or drunk, saw the couple and started joking with them, then harrassing them and things got out of hand (especially if they were under the influence it's easy to get out of control).

Just a suggestion.

JMHO
fran

PS....Just an aside. There's another case I've recently seen where there's a 15 year old murder of a high school girl, (I believe it's from Utah?). Anyway, they're just now arresting people involved and they were from her high school crowd. I don't know the details of the original investigation (much different circumstances than your sister's (girl went missing at lunch time from school)), however this would have been at the time the high school friends first started their, what is now (15 years later,) life of crime. Up to the point the girl went missing, these people probably hadn't been in trouble (ie. not been caught) so LE didn't suspect them. However, since that time, some of them have been involved in drugs, etc, and served time, and it seems talked a little here and there to acquaintenances about 'little hints.'..........fran
 
mocity said:
I had a question and thought I might try this site. My step-sister and her boyfriend were murdered back in 1990. Today, August 23rd 2005, is the 15th anniversary of her death. We had a press conference today with the Houston Police Department and Crimestoppers. The case remains unsolved however there is a good DNA sample and someone sent a handwritten letter to HPD but that person has never come forward. The story is below.

My question is with regards to national media coverage. We want to try to get this story out to the news media on a national level. There has been alot of coverage locally but none nationally. Do you know where we can start? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
This is a good forum in which to profile this case. Others who have heard of it locally might provide more information, while it also brings it to the attention of people on a national level. Perhaps readers will recognize the MO of the killer and connect him with another case or known person.
 
I wonder if the DNA has been put into the national database and tested lately? If the crime was committed by a serial offender odds are by now he could have been arrested and placed into the database.

If after all these years no match is found, I would think this possibly was a personal crime against Cheryl. The killer knew her and was jealous that she was with another man. Perhaps someone who wanted to date her and she always turned him down.
 
Thanks to you both.

Yes, the DNA is in a national database and has been compared to many serial killers with no success. Then again, the DNA match just matches the person that raped her.. not necessarily who killed her. They think it was more than one person.

Personally, I think it was a personal attack against Cheryl. She was hanging out with a bad crowd (in my opinion anyway) that summer and one of them had a crush on her but she wouldn't go out with him. He left the country the night she was killed. However, they have been questioned repeatedly and all submitted DNA samples which didn't match. They have alibi's as well. The police don't think it was this group. I am sure they know more than they are telling us and probably know more than me!
 
I would suggest that Sgt. Belk try to contact AMW; it might carry more weight when the lead detective asks for a show.


Where all old boyfriends cleared? The fact that Cheryl's body was covered and Andy's wasn't seems to say the killer knew her and felt remorse, but they were mad at Andy and left him in the open.

Where the balloons kept? Where they ever checked for DNA (or could they be now)?
 
I am glad you got to have a press conference on the anniversary. Each year on the annivsary have some kind of event. A graveside candlelight service. A candlelight vigil at the courthouse. When you are going to casual public events (local sports events for instance- wear a t-shirt with their pictures and names on them. On their birthdays, post memorial pictures of them in the paper with a synopsis of their story and a plea for info. Keep them in the media. Check to see if there is a crimestopper person attached to your TV stations and newspapers. Make sure they remember your sister's case and that it is unsolved.
 
mocity, I saw a picture of your sister with a news story on the internet. What a beauty!! Absolutely gorgeous.

You know, one of my biggest fears is that after I'm gone, no one will remember me - I have this crazy feeling that if no one remembers me, it will be like I never existed. How wonderful it is that after 15 long years, you're not only still remembering your sister, but fighting so hard to make sure others remember her too. I can tell you love her very much, and it's very moving. I wish I could give you a hug.

Now, on to your question :) To get national attention, here are my thoughts and ideas.

- I think Beth Holloway Twitty is a genius at getting national attention. Each time media attention waned, she created a situation or event to bring the media back. A good example is when she went to the Internet Cafe. I don't know if she thought of ideas herself, or if she consulted some sort of public relations agent. But she seems like a wonderful, loving, caring person, and I would suggest that you contact her, and tell her what you're trying to do, and ask her how she went about sustaining national media attention for such a long period of time. I'll bet she'd be more than happy to talk with you.

Look at the stories that grab national attention, try to find out why, then try to hit the media in the same way. e.g., Natalee Holloway was young, beautiful, blonde hair, out doing not a thing wrong and having a good time with friends. All this is the same for your sister.

- National media attention is based on 2 things - whether a story will raise their ratings, and probably more importantly, how "slow" the news is at any given time. When there are not enough interesting things going on in the world, the media actually has to go looking for them.

Right now, because of the hurricane, getting national media attention for your sister's case would be close to impossible. A few weeks ago, when the news was "slow", it would have been much easier.

Keep track of slow news times, and try to tie your sister's case to "popular" and especially "sensational" news stories - when you see something with a link of some sort, that's a good time to hit the media. e.g., if BTK sending his letter after so many years hits the media again, that would be a good time for you to hit the media with the letter sent after so many years in your sister's case.

- Consider writing a book, and even having a movie made. I'd recommend talking to an agent about this to find out the "ins and outs", for example, if you write the book yourself, as opposed to having one of the "famous" true crime writers (Ann Rule, Mark Furman(sp?), Linda Fairstein(sp?)) write it, or co-write it. Not only would this get national attention, but you can use the funds for further efforts that you may not be able to afford right now.

- I had an idea for a "sensational" event that would probably get national media attention. Enlist your friends and the detective to re-enact the crime, at the location it happened, to try to look for information that may have been forgotten after all this time. Publicize it well it advance. Send press releases, and send invitations to every single one of the "experts" in the entire country to come to it to make notes, ask questions, and share them. You may well get a couple of the big experts there if your sister's case catches their attention, and especially if they're looking for some media attention. Watch all the news channels and Court TV, and record the names of all the experts who frequently appear - they're attention seekers :) They definitely all get invitations :)

An alternative to this would be because right now internet bloggers are getting attention for the work they do on crimes. You could have the same re-enactment, and invite all bloggers and web sleuths to attend :) It could be publicized as something like "Woman turns to web detectives to solve sister's case".

- Again, a consultation with a really good PR agent may be well worth the money to get the attention in the national media you seek.

- This isn't media, but might help http://www.vidocq.org/ They work for free. You could also look for other organizations like them.


mocity, I hope none of my ideas offend you, for example where I use the word "sensational". I'm not at all suggesting that you show disrespect to your sister. I'm just thinking off the top of my head, and unfortunately, it seems to me that the media today looks for things that they can "sensationalize". So I was thinking in terms of what would get their attention. Again, I am very sorry if I offended you in any way. My sincere thoughts and prayers are with you.
 
hey just to be on the safe side, why not compare that dna sample to joseph duncan? or would that not be the kind of person that may have done this, I know he primarly is linked to kids, but is it possible he did this also? just a random thought, maybe just compare handwritting samples to his.
 
Thanks again for everyone's suggestions. I really appreciate the thoughts and support. The DNA is in the National Database so it is my understanding once someone's DNA is entered, such as Jospeph Duncan's, it would automatically be checked. Is this correct? Here is another link to an article one of the local tv stations had on their website. It contains a pic of both Andy and Cheryl.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4885372/detail.html
 
No, I don't think that DNA is automatically searched. I think you have to specifically request it.
 
Do you know where we can start? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
There's some options.

1. Pay a wire service to write a release
2. Ask the police dept. to send their release outside of their jurisdiction. Likely they won't, but you might want to get a copy of this and send it to other areas.

Papers want angles to stories, and if you can find anything relative to their area, then you have a better luck getting it printed.
 
Pook said:
No, I don't think that DNA is automatically searched. I think you have to specifically request it.
Click to expand...



Isn't that the purpose of the DNA data base though...LE can enter DNA into the data base and the data base looks for a match? That has been my understanding anyway. Like the way they can enter fingerprints into a data base and the data base searches to see if there are any fingerprints already in the data base that match the ones just put in.

If there was more than one person involved in the murders I'm surprised that one of the killers hasn't bragged about it to someone. I sure wish LE would get a good tip that would lead to the killers. This family needs justice for Cheryl.
 
Thanks again to all. From the beginning LE has thought it was more than one person so they thought it would come out eventually because someone wouldn't be able to keep their mouth closed... whether it be bragging to someone, talking a family member, girlfriend, etc. So it is amazing that nothing has come up in 15 years. I have heard them say as many as 4 or 5 people. However, they have also set up scenarios where it was one person but that is highly unlikely.
 
Bobbisangel said:
Isn't that the purpose of the DNA data base though...LE can enter DNA into the data base and the data base looks for a match? That has been my understanding anyway. Like the way they can enter fingerprints into a data base and the data base searches to see if there are any fingerprints already in the data base that match the ones just put in.
Click to expand...

But new DNA and fingerprints are entered on a daily basis. So for old cases, they sometimes have to run matches periodically to see if something might finally be matched up that wasn't there the last time they searched. I saw a show on this on CTV once, where a dedicated lab assistant ran a new match every month on his own time, and it took years to finally find a match. For this case, which is so old, that might have to happen.
 
It is so hard.You might think you have info but it is up to the detectives at hand. If they are not inclined it kinds of go away. Just keep it up and someone somewhere will speak. It will come from the most unlikely source.
 
Have any other evidence been looked into? The 2 different ropes bugs me. One type of hemp rope was used on CH and another 'simular' type on AA. Was anything taken off these 2 ropes and reveiwed?

What time did they leave the club...how long a drive to "lover's lane" from the club...I read a LE patrol car found them the evening of 8/22 and tracking dogs called in. Did the dogs track/find any scent of the killer/s? Were there any other tire tracks or footprints of others other than the 2 victims?

Sorry, *so* many questions!! :)

I believe that there was more than one person involved. The brutality of CH and AA's murders is also *very* disturbing! I can't help but wonder if AA was tortured having to watch what was done to CH and then killed after she was. Perhaps the reverse is true...obviously, that's possible.

I wish we had more forensic info as well as autopsy (my apologies to you, Mocity, if I am seem to be insensitive. *Truly*, not my intention.) results that pertain to this case. I can understand LE wanting to be tight lipped with info, but after *15* years, it could be so beneficial to this case! After all, the letter sent to LE was sent March of 2001.

There must be *something* that can be shared without hurting this case, *especially* after so many years gone by.

I hope so for this case and for the two families that have been dealing with this tragedy for so long.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 85 more.
Total: 3,846 (members: 86, guests: 3,760)

Online statistics

Members online
86
Guests online
3,760
Total visitors
3,846
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,493
Messages
17,969,833
Members
228,789
Latest member
Soccergirl500
Back
Top