Decades after one of the most horrific crimes in Austin’s history shocked the nation, DNA technology has finally identified the man responsible for the brutal slaying of four teenage girls inside a yogurt shop in 1991.
According to Fox News, Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide in 1999, has been confirmed through DNA evidence as the perpetrator of the "Yogurt Shop Murders," more than thirty years after the crime and the wrongful conviction of two other men.
The case began on the night of Dec. 6, 1991, when firefighters in Austin responded to a blaze at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” store. Inside, they found the horrifying scene: four teenage girls — Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; Jennifer Harbison, 17; and Sarah Harbison, 15 — had been bound, gagged, and shot. Most of their bodies were stacked together and burned.
The murders instantly stunned the community and drew national attention. Two of the girls had been employees at the store, working their evening shifts, while the others were there for a ride home after a mall outing. The brutal nature of the crime, combined with the victims' young ages, prompted a decades-long investigation that at first led to charges against two teenage suspects—Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott.
Springsteen and Scott were charged in 2001 and 2002 and later convicted. Springsteen received the death penalty, and Scott was sentenced to life. However, their convictions unraveled when no physical evidence tied either of them to the crime scene. The absence of DNA linking them to the victims led to their releases, and the case once again went cold.
The Suspect Had a Violent History Before the Killings
Investigators now say the case’s true perpetrator was Robert Eugene Brashers, a man who had already been convicted of and connected to violent crimes in multiple states. In 1985, Brashers was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to murder a woman he shot in the head. Despite that conviction, he served just three years before being released in 1989.
Brashers continued to elude authorities throughout the 1990s, even as he crossed state lines and committed other crimes. In 1999, police closed in on him at a motel where he was staying with his family. After a tense standoff in which he released his wife, daughter, and two stepdaughters, Brashers fatally shot himself as officers closed in.
More than two decades after his death, DNA testing linked Brashers to the 1991 murders in Austin. Advances in forensic genealogy and intensive investigative work led to samples matching those recovered from the crime scene. In addition, the same DNA has been tied to three other violent cases in Missouri, South Carolina, and Tennessee — including the rape and murder of a mother and daughter.
Forensic Breakthrough Solves Decades-Old Mystery
The Austin Police Department announced the breakthrough on Friday. Authorities said forensic evidence now proves Brashers was responsible for the yogurt shop crime. Detectives working on the case never gave up, the department emphasized in a statement. “Our team never gave up working this case,” officials stated. They credited persistence, modern DNA technology, and careful genealogy work with finally uncovering the mystery that had gone unsolved for more than thirty years.
This revelation clears the names of Springsteen and Scott, both of whom had maintained their innocence. Though they were ultimately released, the two men spent years in prison, victims of what are now officially acknowledged as wrongful convictions by the state of Texas.
Public Interest Renewed by Recent HBO Series
The renewed focus on the case comes weeks after the debut of the HBO docuseries “The Yogurt Shop Murders,” which re-examines the 1991 slayings and the flawed investigation. The miniseries sparked renewed public interest and prompted viewers to re-examine evidence and discuss the details of the still technically open case.
Authorities have noted that, although they’ve identified the killer, the case remains officially open. Law enforcement is continuing to investigate whether Brashers had any accomplices or whether anyone else may have been involved who has not been connected through physical evidence. Austin police have scheduled a press conference for Monday to disclose additional findings and outline the next steps in what remains a profoundly disturbing case. They have signaled that more information may be made public following additional review of the evidence tied to Brashers.
Families of the Victims Await New Closure
The families of the four girls killed in the yogurt shop have waited for answers for over three decades. While the identification of Brashers does not undo the pain of unimaginable loss, it may provide belated clarity about the true identity of the killer.
The legacy of the yogurt shop murders has haunted the city of Austin for years — not only for the horrific nature of the tragedy itself, but also for the questions it raised about justice. For many residents and families, the latest discovery is a turning point in a long and painful journey. Though Brashers cannot face trial, his confirmed connection through DNA represents the kind of forensic closure law enforcement had long hoped to provide. The advancement reinforces the expanding role of science in resolving cold cases traditionally considered unsolvable.
