Police detectives in Arlington have made an arrest in a 34-year-old cold case thanks to help from some students at the University of Texas at Arlington.
At the beginning of the 2025 fall semester, the Arlington police launched a new advanced course with UTA’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice.
Some students were given access to materials from the case of Cynthia Gonzelez, who was reported missing on September 17, 1991, who left for work the night before and was never seen again.
The fresh eyes of the criminology students led police to re-question the now 63-year-old Janie Perkins, a friend of Gonzalez’s who shared a love interest with the victim.
Eventually, Perkins was arrested on one count of murder after Chief Al Jones said Perkins “knew information only a killer would know.”
Jones told NBC DFW, “when we launched our partnership with UTA, we always hoped that we could get a moment like this.”
Currently, UTA students are now reviewing two other cold cases.
UTA professor Patricia Eddings said, “This is basically a culmination of things that should be happening.
"There are not enough people in crime labs, not enough detectives in crime labs; these people need to be supported so much more."
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