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

[McSpy]

I'm going to swap computers so I can post a link between the two addresss for you, MSpy! bear with me.

Like you, I have been thinking about the possibility of him following them from the nightclub. To my mind, that could make all the difference in the case.

If he did NOT follow them, he is just a predatory killer, stalking known hang outs where he knows he will find courting couples. Or, in the case of the rape survivor, a woman and maybe her boyfriend ( he was a pilot, away a lot).

If he DID follow them, he is still a predatory stalker, but he is one who hangs out in clubs, looking for victims. So then, the fact that the rape survivor and Cheryl both worked in striptease clubs, might be very relevant.

ETA: In the first case, he would have to be a local. In the second, he could be a stranger just following people.

bolded by me

I don't think this was a coincidence (their occupations). There is a 24 minute drive from Cheryl's murder site to the rape survivor's house. I think he targeted them and had watched them from afar. Seems that way to me at this point. Do you know if Cheryl lived at home with parents or with roommates? Maybe it was hard for this guy to get her in her home, so he saw an opportunity to get her at the lover's lane. Just speculating.

 

[McSpy]

I wonder if LE had a FBI profiler look at the case file and crime scene pictures? If not, I think they should, because they can be spot on about the perp. Even down to the type of car they would drive. JMO

 

[McSpy]

I also wonder if the rape survivor had blond hair like Cheryl. Don't know if he had a certain preference in appearance or if it was it all about the victims' occupation. JMO

 

[McSpy]

Another thought . . .I wonder if there are some unsolved disappearances of strippers in other cities. Obviously, he hasn't been caught yet (DNA), but I have a hard time believing he stopped this behavior. Perhaps, he committed suicide and it was never connected to these secrets or he died from another cause. Usually, these guys get worse. Can't believe he stopped. JMO

 

[zwiebel]

I think he spent some time observing these women, because how did he know there was a woman living in that house? I think there was a little planning at least with the rape case. Although, it might not have been a lot of planning. Just targeting someone who caught his fancy and waiting to strike. How did he get in the house? Window? JMO

I haven't seen any info about his 'mode of entry' into the Terra Cotta property. I am wondering if it was not considered important by media, or if LE didn't release the details because it could be important in a later court case. But if it was unique, why haven't they highlighted other home break -ins or attacks, where this was used? I am sure our killer left a trail elsewhere and releasing that info now might help track him down. Any new info might help, in fact.

No details of the woman who was raped appear to have been released except:
She was about 30, and put her attacker's age at about the same or a bit younger than herself. She worked in a striptease club and her then boyfriend was an airline pilot. The rapist asked, 'where's J.....? (boyfriend) as he attacked her. Given where she and Cheryl both worked, I think we can safely assume they had some shared physical characteristics (youth, attractiveness, slim build) but it would be very useful to know if they shared the same hair colour too.

I am also thinking you have a really valid point about the 'coincidence' that the rape survivor and Cheryl Henry, the murder victim, both worked - or had worked - in striptease clubs. As far as I can see, Cheryl had not worked in a club for some time before she died, and was simply home for the summer from college. The really sad thing is, imo, Andy had also just arrived in Houston. He had been brought up by his grandmother, and his father had only just persuaded Andy to move to Houston.

 

[zwiebel]

Has anyone noticed that on top of the 'aged' missing poster it says 'could have been Latin"?

What does that mean, Italian?

 

[maima]

I just read through this thread, and I'm mostly a lurker, but I wanted to ask if anyone has considered whether the unknown suspect in California's unsolved EAR-ONS (East Area Rapist-Original Night Stalker) could be responsible for the murder of Cheryl and Andy, and for the rape that has been linked by DNA to Cheryl and Andy's case?

I recently finished reading Larry Crompton's book, "Sudden Terror", about EAR-ONS, so that might be so fresh in my mind that I'm wanting to see a connection that isn't there. But after reading about Cheryl and Andy's case, and about the description of the DNA-linked rape, I was so struck by some similarities in the M.O.'s that I actually just sent a link to this thread to the Orange County Sheriff's Department e-mail address that solicits tips about the EAR-ONS cases (serialkillerclues@ocsd.org). Perhaps it's a long shot, but I couldn't help but send the e-mail and post here to ask all of you what you think.

EAR-ONS last known murder was of Janelle Cruz in 1986 in Irvine, CA. Perhaps at some point EAR-ONS left California and moved to Houston, where he continued to rape/murder.

Aside from Larry Crompton's book that I mentioned above, you can read more about EAR-ONS (also known as EAR-ONS-DKK -- the DKK standing for "Diamond Knot Killer") at this thread on Websleuths.com: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25334&highlight=ear-ons and at these other excellent websites: http://www.ear-ons.com and https://sites.google.com/site/jjmcgr/home. EAR-ONS is also discussed on the AETV message board: http://community.aetv.com/service/displayForum.kickAction?as=119137&w=278284

 

[zwiebel]

I hadn't heard anything about this at all. Thank you. I do think the answer to Cheryl and Andy's murder is out there in other crimes, somewhere. I am going to have a look at your links now.

 

[zwiebel]

First thought about this - our rape survivor was 30 and put the age of her attacker around the same or a bit younger. The EAR-ONS attacker's first crimes happened in 74. That would make our perp 14, maybe 16, maybe 18 max? What do others think?

 

[zwiebel]

Ummm. Okay, Click on these two links. Compare the photofits. Ignore the hair, even the features to some extent. But pay attention to the way those features are laid out; the spacing between them. I am a little bit of a portrait artist. The spaces/layout of features are how you get a real likeness. These match, imo.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...help-break-notorious-Lover-s-Lane-1635849.php

http://www.ear-ons.com/EnhancedComposites.html

 

[zwiebel]

In the EAR-ON link, the middle pic is a very, very good match for our perp, imo.

 

[maima]

First thought about this - our rape survivor was 30 and put the age of her attacker around the same or a bit younger. The EAR-ONS attacker's first crimes happened in 74. That would make our perp 14, maybe 16, maybe 18 max? What do others think?

Yes, it's very possible that EAR-ONS started his crimes as a young teen. EAR-ONS may be the same person known as the "Visalia Ransacker", who committed mainly home invasions and burglaries, although as I recall, I don't believe EAR-ONS has been definitively linked to the VR. But the VR could have evolved into EAR-ONS as he grew more experienced and confident. I don't think the VR left any DNA evidence. EAR-ONS certainly did leave DNA, and a DNA profile -- so far not linked to any known individual -- has been developed.

 

[maima]

In the EAR-ON link, the middle pic is a very, very good match for our perp, imo.

So hard to say, I don't know what to think with respect to comparing the composite sketches. But I should add that the EAR-ONS suspect is described as having "light olive skin", which I think is similar to the Houston suspect? It would be interesting to know the estimated height and weight of the Houston suspect.

What struck me the most, honestly, was the similar M.O.'s. The behavior, and the things the Houston rape suspect was saying to the victim -- extremely similar to the East Area Rapist.

 

[maima]

It would have been highly unusual for EAR-ONS to have attacked and killed someone outdoors. His known crimes were in private homes. So, that makes me hesitate to say that Cheryl and Andy's killer must be the EAR-ONS. Also, EAR-ONS last known murder victims were bludgeoned to death. Still, he was known to be experienced/confident in controlling a man and a woman together. He was known to have threatened his victims with guns and knives. He used rope to bind his victims, and it is known that he used a special ("diamond") knot in some cases. There are various other similarities -- and quite a few differences, too -- between the EAR-ONS crimes and the murders of Cheryl and Andy. But enough similarities to really many me wonder... Maybe I'll make up a chart to compare the crimes.

 

[zwiebel]

If you do, I'd like to see it. There do seem to be enough similarities to make these cases worth looking at together. Poor Cheryl and Andy's case seems to have hit a brick wall but I am sure there are more attacks from this suspect out there; it's just a matter of finding them.

 

[chicagofa13]

Zwiebel, if I am understanding your question, "Latin" in the US is a Latino/a. Hispanic male/female. Puerto Rican. Cuban. Mexican. Etc.

Your profile says you are in the EU. I apologize if I misunderstood what you were asking.

 

[zwiebel]

You understood perfectly, thank you. I'd heard the term 'Latino' used before, but it was the 'Latin' without the 'o', that put me off. I wonder if the suspect had any sort of accent, because he had a stocking mask on and I would have thought it would have been hard to judge skin colour, through that.

 

[zwiebel]

Early on in the thread, mocity did mention one of Andy's or Cheryl's circle left the country immediately following the killings. If I remember correctly though, LE had checked that person out.

I doubt the suspect stayed in Houston and stopped attacking people, so he may have left the state at least. Thing is though, the earlier rape wasn't connected to him until 18 years later. So he could have stayed in Houston and returned to raping, rather than murdering and no-one would have made a connection.

I hope a cold case detective has gone over records with a fine toothcombe. Trouble is, rape is under reported too, so there may be victims who have never come forward. Sigh.

 

[Kimster]

You guys have done such a great job in this case that I hate to have to remove it from being featured! THANK YOU isn't enough!

 

[chicagofa13]

You understood perfectly, thank you. I'd heard the term 'Latino' used before, but it was the 'Latin' without the 'o', that put me off. I wonder if the suspect had any sort of accent, because he had a stocking mask on and I would have thought it would have been hard to judge skin colour, through that.

Yes, it was poorly written. 'May be Latino' or 'may be of Latin origin' would have been more clear. Generally if the suspect's country of origin has been verified they will use it, like French or Italian (and in order to do that they usually have a lot of info to confirm where someone is from!). The problem with Spanish speakers in the US, most people can't tell what kind of Spanish they are using or where they are from by their looks. So the catch alls of 'latino', 'hispanic', 'of Latin origin', come into play. I don't mean to offend anyone by my post. It's just a fact of life here.

I have wondered if they have done more in depth testing on the dna to obtain the suspects genetic heritage. I believe this was done in Morgan Harrington's case and the suspect is most likely African American.