Investigators in Austin, Texas, have made a breakthrough in a cold case from 1991 by linking Robert Eugene Brashers to the murders of four teenage girls at a yogurt shop. The case, which has remained unsolved for over three decades, has now gained new momentum through forensic evidence. Brash, who had a history of violent crimes including a 1985 attempted murder, was also tied to other sexual assaults and murders in Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee. His death in 1999 did not halt the investigation, which now includes DNA evidence connecting him to these crimes.
The victims, who were bound, gagged, and shot, were employees at the now-infamous ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt’ store, where the building was set on fire after the killings. The Austin police department has scheduled a conference to discuss the new evidence, signaling renewed hope for justice in a case that has captured public attention nationwide. The case, later known as the ‘Yogurt Shop Murders,’ has been the subject of a docuseries on HBO, which has kept the tragedy in the public eye. The victims, Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15, were brutally killed, with the perpetrator allegedly leaving the scene of the crime before the building was torched. The police department’s statement emphasized that their team never gave up, despite the case remaining unsolved for over three decades.
Earlier convictions of Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott, who were teenagers at the time of the murders, were overturned due to the lack of DNA evidence. Their original sentences of death and life in prison were nullified, highlighting the importance of forensic advancements in solving cold cases. The current developments, including the DNA linking Brashers to the murders, have rekindled both public and legal interest in the case. As the Austin police prepare for a conference to discuss the new evidence, the case remains a powerful reminder of the impact of forensic science in modern criminal investigations.