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

[McSpy]

Thank you, canadiandoc. I don't think the family revealed Cheryl's former workplace until much later. I suspect that was for good reasons, and I suspect they were right. It could have made her case much easier to dismiss, sad to say.

I'm not convinced there is a strip club connection, by the way. Westheimer was lined with them, and so many people worked there. I think the real link is that both attacks took place in urban areas, adjoining open spaces. I don't think Cheryl and Andy and the rape survivor were followed from their workplaces.

I think the killer was hiding out in those open spaces, watching, waiting, and planning until the time was right.

Was the location the victims were killed a remote place? Was it only known by locals?

 

[McSpy]

I have a few questions I hope someone can answer:

How did the police know what the perp looked like for the composite drawing?

Was the murder weapon found?

Did LE check out the girl's male high school friends from the past? Maybe one still held a torch for her and felt rejected.

Is the area a place where people would come in from out of town?

 

[zwiebel]

Was the location the victims were killed a remote place? Was it only known by locals?

Hi McSpy,

Going by what I’ve read, the murder location was an isolated open space at the end of a cul de sac, known to locals as a place for courting couples to hang out. It wasn’t anywhere a stranger would chance upon or pass through, or anyone but courting couples had any reason to be, late at night. That’s what makes me believe the killer was already there waiting, although not specifically for Andy and Cheryl. Perhaps for any courting couple unlucky enough to arrive. If he’d followed them from Bayou Mama’s, the nightclub, I would have thought it would have been too obvious.

The rape location, though an urban area, looks similar to me; a cul de sac leading to a smaller open space.

It is a bit hard to tell now because it seems the murder location at least, has been extensively developed, but here are the links to maps:

Murder location, nr 1300 block Enclave Parkway, Houston, 77077:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sugex...a=X&ei=76nuUIHlF9DmtQaywIDoAw&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA


Rape location, Terra Cotta Drive, Houston, 77040:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sugex...&sa=X&ei=AKvuUJC6FoeYtQaP64A4&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA

 

[zwiebel]

I have a few questions I hope someone can answer:

How did the police know what the perp looked like for the composite drawing?

Was the murder weapon found?

Did LE check out the girl's male high school friends from the past? Maybe one still held a torch for her and felt rejected.

Is the area a place where people would come in from out of town?

I can answer one question; LE knew what the killer looked like from the description given by a rape survivor who was attacked within two months' of the murder of Andy and Cheryl. DNA from Cheryl's rape, and the surviving woman's rape, were matched years later.

The survivor said her attacker made a comment about how 'you're not very observant, I've got a military uniform on'. LE thinks this was probably a red herring, in case she had noticed the attacker was wearing some kind of work uniform. He was hiding upstairs in her bedroom, when she came home at 2am. I'm guessing he had been spying on her and her boyfriend for a while before that.

 

[zwiebel]

If this is the killer that sent this letter, it would reinforce his desire to taunt and control. From the first attack where the woman survived, we know he enjoys taunting. I'm sorry to say this, but I think he tied the young man to the tree and made him watch his evil acts. This leads me to wonder whether his anger is truly towards the men vs. the women. (He referenced the boyfriend of the first victim when he was taunting her). This is psychologically a complicated case. It would be great to hear from someone who has expertise in this aspect of the case. I think if we can get into this creatures head more, we can get closer to his whereabouts.

Just bumping this post because I think it's a very important point in this case.

 

[zwiebel]

Here is a list of locations. Sorry it took me more than a minute, locations and workplaces have changed/closed. Anybody who can confirm I have murder site absolutely correct?

IMO, we really need a map and a SAR expert here. I think the map is going to reveal a relatively small area where the killer lived and/or worked.

Gigi's: 11150 Nw Fwy, Houston 77092 - workplace of rape survivor.

Rick's Cabaret: 77057 Bering Dr, Houston 77057 - former workplace of Cheryl.

Gold's gym: 16211 Clay rd, Houston, 77084 - workplace of Andy.

Dreamstreet Club: number unknown, Winrock Blvrd, Houston, 77057 -workplace of Andy.

Bayou Mama's: corner near Westheiner rd and Gessner rd, Houston, 77064- (building now demolished). Nightclub Cheryl and Andy visited before their murder.

1300 Enclave Parkway, Houston 77077, cul de sac nr Gulf Freeway (Eldridge Prkway??) - site of murder of Cheryl and Andy.

Terra Cotta Dr, Houston, 77040 - location of rape attack.

Bumping my list of important locations. If anyone knows how to post a map with all these places pinned, or even a line drawn between them, it would be really helpful. I'm almost sure it will end up including the area where the killer worked or lived.

 

[Claudette]

Bumping my list of important locations. If anyone knows how to post a map with all these places pinned, or even a line drawn between them, it would be really helpful. I'm almost sure it will end up including the area where the killer worked or lived.

I tried doing this but I have to be logged into Google, which would post my full name, sorry

 

[zwiebel]

Oh! Right, that's not a good idea, especially on this thread. Thank you very much for trying though, Claudette. I have just been given a graphic tablet which might let me do it, but I am not sure how to use it yet. I will keep on trying though.

Meanwhile, I have seen these maps posted on other threads, without people's private details, so if anyone else can help, please jump in!

 

[zwiebel]

Just to clarify again because I can't edit that post now, Bayou Mama's was at the corner of Gessner and WestheiMer, not WestheiNer, as I posted initially.

 

[zwiebel]

I'm not a facebooker so I didn't realise; there is a fb page set up for Andy and Cheryl. There doesn't seem to be any new information about the case but there are recent comments.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Cheryl-and-Andy/286963727967

 

[zwiebel]

The fb page says on December 11, 2011, America's Most Wanted covered Cheryl's and Andy's case.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Cheryl-and-Andy/286963727967?sk=events

It is also mentioned here, but airing on January 22, 2011:
http://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/index.php/about-cah/cah-making-a-difference/

I can't find any trace of the programme though. Is anyone any good at searching TV sites, to provide a direct link?

 

[McSpy]

I've read on another thread about a 'comfort' zone for killers; far enough away from their home so they won't be connected, but still within an area they are familiar with and feel comfortable in. I think this is one of those cases that fit that theory.

Agree, unless he followed them from the night club. It is doubtful an out of town person would have known about the lover's lane area. JMO

 

[McSpy]

Just to clarify again because I can't edit that post now, Bayou Mama's was at the corner of Gessner and WestheiMer, not WestheiNer, as I posted initially.

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but how big is that town? Does anyone know about the demographics too?

 

[McSpy]

I can answer one question; LE knew what the killer looked like from the description given by a rape survivor who was attacked within two months' of the murder of Andy and Cheryl. DNA from Cheryl's rape, and the surviving woman's rape, were matched years later.

The survivor said her attacker made a comment about how 'you're not very observant, I've got a military uniform on'. LE thinks this was probably a red herring, in case she had noticed the attacker was wearing some kind of work uniform. He was hiding upstairs in her bedroom, when she came home at 2am. I'm guessing he had been spying on her and her boyfriend for a while before that.

Thanks! So it looks like he was at least in the area for a month. Do you know if her home was in close proximity to where Cheryl and Andy were killed?

OOPS! Sorry, I just noticed you supplied the addresses on another post . . .

 

[zwiebel]

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.

 

[zwiebel]

Here is the link between Terra Cotta Drive (rape attack) and 1300 block, Enclave parkway. It is 15 miles between them, 25 mins driving time.

I'm favouring that the killer lived out somewhere near Enclave, rather than Terracota. Just a hunch.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sugex...a=X&ei=9pXwUN2pJZDItAbUmIHYAQ&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA

So sorry, that link is not showing the route. If you click on it, in the get directions box, add from '1300 Enclave Parkway, Houston', and the route should come up.

 

[zwiebel]

Does anyone else think that the deflated ballons on the tree, found near poor Cheryl's body, show it was a hangout for young people, well known to LOCALS as a place to party/make out?

Note: Police could find no link between the balloons and the murders.

 

[McSpy]

Bumping my list of important locations. If anyone knows how to post a map with all these places pinned, or even a line drawn between them, it would be really helpful. I'm almost sure it will end up including the area where the killer worked or lived.

What did the rape survivor do for a living? What kind of place was GiGi's?

Reason why I'm asking is because it may be more than a coincidence that both Cheryl and the rape survivor had similar occupations. The killer/rapist seemed to be after a certain type of woman. I guess this all depends on the rape survivor's occupation, which I don't know.

Sorry, I noticed you already answered my question above in another post. I think these girls were targeted and possibly followed before he struck. The distance between the crime sites make me think this. Also, I have a hard time believing it was a coincidence that they were in the same occupation.

 

[McSpy]

Hi McSpy,

Going by what I’ve read, the murder location was an isolated open space at the end of a cul de sac, known to locals as a place for courting couples to hang out. It wasn’t anywhere a stranger would chance upon or pass through, or anyone but courting couples had any reason to be, late at night. That’s what makes me believe the killer was already there waiting, although not specifically for Andy and Cheryl. Perhaps for any courting couple unlucky enough to arrive. If he’d followed them from Bayou Mama’s, the nightclub, I would have thought it would have been too obvious.

The rape location, though an urban area, looks similar to me; a cul de sac leading to a smaller open space.

It is a bit hard to tell now because it seems the murder location at least, has been extensively developed, but here are the links to maps:

Murder location, nr 1300 block Enclave Parkway, Houston, 77077:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sugex...a=X&ei=76nuUIHlF9DmtQaywIDoAw&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA


Rape location, Terra Cotta Drive, Houston, 77040:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sugex...&sa=X&ei=AKvuUJC6FoeYtQaP64A4&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA

I find it interesting that it is a 24 minute drive from the area Cheryl and Andy were killed to the other crime site. Maybe one place was close to where he worked and the other was close to where he lived. I don't know. Something to think about though . . .

 

[McSpy]

I can answer one question; LE knew what the killer looked like from the description given by a rape survivor who was attacked within two months' of the murder of Andy and Cheryl. DNA from Cheryl's rape, and the surviving woman's rape, were matched years later.

The survivor said her attacker made a comment about how 'you're not very observant, I've got a military uniform on'. LE thinks this was probably a red herring, in case she had noticed the attacker was wearing some kind of work uniform. He was hiding upstairs in her bedroom, when she came home at 2am. I'm guessing he had been spying on her and her boyfriend for a while before that.

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