Breakthrough in 'Yogurt Shop Murders' as New Suspect Identified

Fri Oct 10 2025 19:50:18 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

DNA evidence links deceased man Robert Eugene Brashers to the notorious 1991 killings of four teenage girls in Austin, Texas, shedding new light on the cold case.

Authorities in Austin, Texas, have identified Robert Eugene Brashers as a new suspect in the 1991 murders of four teenage girls, following advancements in DNA technology. Brashers, who died in 1999, had previously been linked to multiple killings across various states, complicating the investigation. The news comes as interest in the case has surged with the recent release of an HBO documentary series. A press conference is scheduled to provide further insights into the case.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — In a significant breakthrough, police have identified Robert Eugene Brashers as a new suspect in the infamous 1991 'Yogurt Shop Murders' that left four teenage girls dead in Austin, Texas. This identification was made possible through advancements in DNA testing, which have linked Brashers to several killings in other states.

The announcement by the Austin Police Department comes in the wake of renewed public interest spurred by the release of HBO's documentary series 'The Yogurt Shop Murders' last month. Investigators are set to hold a press conference on Monday to discuss their findings.

The tragic case involved the deaths of Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15, who were bound, gagged, and shot in the head at the 'I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt' store where two of them were employed. The crime scene was further marred when the building was set ablaze.

Over the years, the case has perplexed law enforcement as investigators navigated through countless leads, false confessions, and compromised evidence from the fire-damaged crime scene. Initial arrests in 1999 targeted four male suspects, including Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott, both teenagers at the time. They confessed but later retracted their statements, claiming coercion by police.

Their convictions were eventually overturned, and they were released after new DNA testing indicated another possible suspect following a decade of legal turmoil.

Additonally, Brashers was implicated in several other violent crimes, including the strangulation of a woman in South Carolina in 1990 and the shooting of a mother and daughter in Missouri in 1998. He died by suicide following a standoff with the police in 1999.

The case known for its mystery and horror remains open as investigators continue to explore this new lead.