Tarrant County grand jury declines to indict woman in 1991 cold case

The murder of Cynthia Gonzalez drew national attention last fall after Arlington Police partnered with UTA students to reexamine the case & announced an arrest.

There’s been a major development in a North Texas cold case that’s drawn national attention.

A Tarrant County Grand Jury returned a "no bill," declining to indict a woman arrested for capital murder in the 1991 death of a missing Arlington woman.

In September of 1991, Cynthia Gonzalez was found murdered. Family reported the 25-year-old mother missing after she left for work and never returned. Her body was found five days later in rural Johnson County. Investigators said she had been shot to death.

For 34 years, there had been no break in the case until a stunning development last fall shocked the Gonzalez family.

Arlington police announced in November that they arrested a woman for capital murder after partnering with criminology students at UT Arlington.

With no dedicated cold case unit, Arlington PD granted a select group of students rare access to the Gonzalez file. They helped detectives zero in on a suspect.

On Saturday, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office released a statement, saying a grand jury reviewed evidence and chose not to issue charges against the woman.

"This is the difficult reality of many cold cases," Trial Specialist Kim D'Avignon said. "Over time, witnesses can pass away or become unable to testify. Also, cold cases don't have some of the modern technological resources like cell phone data and cameras. Sometimes these factors can leave us without the admissible evidence needed to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt."

D’Avignon added the office remains hopeful new information will emerge that allows them to reopen the investigation and encouraged anyone with information to reach out to Arlington Police.

Gonzalez’s daughter, Jessica Roberts, was six years old when her mother was murdered. NBC5 spoke with her about this latest development.

“It was disappointing, and there were a lot of tears – it’s been an emotional rollercoaster for a lot of people right now,” Roberts said.

She said she knew a ‘no bill’ was a possibility and is not giving up hope justice will come in her mother’s case.

“A ‘no bill’ does not mean it is not a ‘not guilty’ verdict. And this isn’t the end. This isn’t the end for us,” Roberts said.

The attorney representing the woman issued a statement. NBC 5 is no longer naming her since she is not charged with a crime.

D. Miles Brissette said his client’s family is grateful to the district attorney and the grand jury, writing, in part:

“Their evaluation was grounded in the facts – not in the narrative advanced publicly by the Arlington Police Department and UTA. We appreciate their commitment to fairness and to the integrity of the judicial process.”

Brissette added that his client and her family look forward to moving “beyond the intense public scrutiny generated by the premature and highly publicized accusations.”

Roberts said she still has confidence in the Arlington police department and their partnership with UTA.

“I think what they’re doing there is wonderful and I’m so proud of that program,” Roberts said.

She hopes the partnership that reopened her mother’s case will bring answers to more cold case victims, even if justice for family has not yet come.

“Never lose hope. And I never will. I am going to keep fighting,” said Roberts.

In a statement to NBC 5, the Arlington Police Department said it respects the judicial process and the decision of the grand jury, adding:

“We stand behind the investigative efforts of the detectives who worked on this case over the past three decades, and the efforts of the UT Arlington students who assisted as part of our cold case partnership with the university.

It is our hope that additional information will come to light that will ultimately help deliver justice to Ms. Gonzalez’s family.”

NBC 5 also reached out to UT Arlington following the grand jury decision:

The University of Texas at Arlington’s criminology course was developed to provide students with hands-on experience reviewing cold case materials in partnership with the Arlington Police Department. As part of the course, students analyzed case files and shared observations with APD for further investigation.

The decision to pursue an arrest and submit the case to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office was made solely by the Arlington Police Department based on its independent review of the evidence. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for presenting cases to a grand jury. UT Arlington respects the legal process and its outcomes.

The course has sparked nationwide interest in similar partnerships between universities and law enforcement agencies. We are proud of our faculty’s innovative approach and our students’ dedication in examining complex cases, and we remain committed to providing meaningful, real-world learning opportunities.