Suspect in ‘Lovers Lane’ cold-case murders dies in jail weeks after his arrest

More than three decades after a young couple was found slain in a cold case known as the “Lovers Lane murders,” the man who was finally arrested just last month has died before he could face trial, authorities said.

Floyd William Parrott, 64, was taken into custody on March 25 and charged with capital murder in the 1990 deaths of Garland “Andy” Atkinson, 21, and Cheryl Henry, 22, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Parrott was awaiting extradition to Texas for the killings that long haunted Harris County when he was found unresponsive in his Nebraska jail cell on Tuesday, according to Kristy Bauer with the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners. Life-saving measures were performed but Parrott was pronounced dead at the scene.

"We ache for Andy’s and Cheryl’s families who were denied their day in court. Our anger for what Parrott took from them is matched only by our determination to keep going,” the District Attorney's Office said in a statement.

“Yes, we are still working. Parrott’s death does not erase his crimes or end our motivation. It does not bring comfort to the people he hurt. Which is why we are in Louisiana right now seeking to close a cold case linked to Parrott. His survivors deserve accountability.”

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Atkinson and Henry were last seen on August 22, 1990, after spending the night out dancing. The next day, a security guard found Atkinson’s car that had been parked for hours in a West Houston cul-de-sac near 1300 Enclave Parkway. Inside, there was blood and Henry’s purse.

Henry’s body was found nearby, hidden under wooden boards. Another body, later identified as Atkinson, Henry’s boyfriend, was found about 150 to 200 yards away.

Both victims had their hands tied behind their backs and their necks were cut, according to the charging documents. Police allege that Parrott had sexually assaulted Henry.

Despite an extensive investigation, the case went cold for decades.

In 2008, investigators had linked DNA from the crime scene to a separate rape case but were unable to identify a suspect.

The case finally broke in 2025, when a tip naming Parrott, combined with renewed DNA testing and additional investigative work, led to charges.

Investigators said Parrott had a history of impersonating police officers in the 1990s, often driving a fake patrol car. He was also charged with sexual assault in 1996, though a Harris County grand jury declined to pursue that case.

Authorities ultimately identified Parrott as a suspect by matching DNA from that earlier sexual assault case to DNA collected during Henry’s autopsy.

Investigators discovered that Parrott was 28 years old at the time of the murders and was working about a mile from where the bodies were discovered.

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"Parrott murdered Andy and Cheryl, he violently assaulted others, and spent decades thinking he got away with it. We now know he thought he escaped justice while hiding out in Nebraska,” the District Attorney's Office said in a statement this week.

"Floyd William Parrott thought he could outrun the truth. He thought time would erase his past. But prosecutors and investigators never stopped working the Lovers’ Lane cold case.”

Investigators said that “since Parrott’s arrest, we can confirm new survivors have come forward, bravely reliving the horrors he inflicted in painful detail. After decades since some of these crimes, we had hoped to answer their courage with action.”

Parrott had not waived his right to extradition and was scheduled to be in court on April 30 as part of the process of moving him from Nebraska to Harris County. Now, his death is raising questions about how the case will proceed.

Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.