Could a decades-old DNA sample solve the yogurt shop murder case?
Summary
In the early 1990s, four teenage girls were killed in a yogurt shop in Austin, Texas, but the case remained unsolved for decades. Advances in DNA testing identified serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers as the suspect in 2025, clearing four men previously accused who received a $35 million settlement.Key Facts
- Four teenage girls were murdered in a yogurt shop in Austin, Texas, in 1991.
- The victims were Eliza Thomas (17), Amy Ayers (13), Jennifer Harbison (17), and Sarah Harbison (15).
- The crime involved binding the victims, shooting them, and setting the shop on fire.
- A fire damaged much of the crime scene evidence.
- In 1999, four men were arrested but later had charges dropped or convictions overturned due to weak evidence and disputed confessions.
- In September 2025, DNA testing identified Robert Eugene Brashers, a deceased serial killer, as the suspect.
- In February 2026, the four men were formally declared innocent and exonerated.
- In May 2026, the City of Austin agreed to pay the exonerated men a $35 million settlement.
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