Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"And Barbara doesn't need convincing. So the police are called and a missing person's report is filed. And then Shane is like right back out the door ready to hit the city streets with Cheryl's friends searching for the couple and for Andy's white Honda, which they were in the night before." — Ashley Flowers
"The thinking is that there's some kind of blitz attack when the two are in the car. And somehow they're then taken to the tree that Andy was tied to." — Ashley Flowers
"The long and the short of it is as far as I can tell no DNA profiles from Lake Waco have ever been entered into CODIS." — Britt
This episode of Crime Junkie meticulously recounts the tragic and perplexing 1990 murders of Andy Atkinson and Cheryl Henry. The narrative begins with their disappearance and the subsequent discovery of their abandoned car, revealing disturbing signs of foul play including blood stains and cigarette butts with lipstick. The initial investigation is hampered by the lack of streetlights and the delay in law enforcement response, leading to a chaotic crime scene. The discovery of Cheryl's body, brutally murdered and bound, is followed by the grim finding of Andy's body, also murdered and bound to a tree nearby. The episode delves into the early investigative efforts, including the use of scent-tracking dogs and the collection of biological evidence, highlighting the challenges faced by investigators in 1990 with limited forensic capabilities.
The investigation explores several potential leads, including individuals known to Cheryl and Andy, with a particular focus on Aaron, an ex-boyfriend, and Lance, a friend's boyfriend. Despite obtaining a DNA sample from Lance, he is ruled out. Aaron's refusal to provide DNA for years adds to the suspicion, but a later warrant for his DNA also excludes him. The episode also touches upon the eerie similarities to the Lake Waco case, though a connection is deemed unlikely at the time due to the Lake Waco case having already resulted in convictions. Years later, a significant break occurs when a DNA hit from an unrelated, yet historically linked, sexual assault case from 1990 is found to match potential DNA from the Atkinson-Henry case. This new lead provides a composite sketch of a suspect, but the trail goes cold once again.
The narrative concludes by emphasizing the unsolved nature of the case, the profound and lasting impact on the victims' families, particularly Cheryl's sister Shane and Andy's father Garland, who passed away without seeing justice. The hosts highlight the ongoing pursuit of answers, the complexities of DNA evidence and its database entry, and the potential for genetic genealogy to solve such cold cases. The episode ends with a plea for information and a call to support organizations dedicated to helping families of murdered children.