The Yogurt Shop Murders: A New Suspect Emerges
AUSTIN — DNA evidence has helped to identify a new suspect in the unsolved killing of four teenage girls at a yogurt shop in 1991, a man who died by suicide in 1999, police said Friday.
In a statement, Austin police said they had made a “significant breakthrough” and that DNA tests have led investigators to Robert Eugene Brashers.
Police said the case known as the “Yogurt Shop Murders” remains open and scheduled a Monday news conference to detail their findings.
Background of the Case
Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15, were bound, gagged and shot in the head at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” store where two of them worked. The building was then set on fire.
Amy Ayers (from left), 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; Jennifer Harbison, 17, and Sarah Harbison, 15, were killed in an Austin yogurt shop in 1991.
File photos
Previous Investigations and Trials
The murders stunned Texas’ capital city and became known as one the area’s most notorious crimes. Two men who were teenagers at the time of the murders were later tried, convicted and sent to death row and life in prison before their convictions were eventually reversed on appeal.
The case was also the subject of “The Yogurt Shop Murders,” an HBO documentary series that came out last month.
The New Suspect: Robert Eugene Brashers
Brashers died in 1999 when he shot himself during an hours-long standoff with police at a motel in Kennett, Mo.
“Our team never gave up working this case,” Austin police said in a statement.
Conclusion
The Yogurt Shop Murders case has been a longstanding mystery in Austin, Texas, and the new development in the case brings hope to the families of the victims and the community that justice may finally be served. The identification of Robert Eugene Brashers as a suspect is a significant breakthrough, and the police are working to piece together the events of that fateful night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Yogurt Shop Murders case:
Q: Who were the victims of the Yogurt Shop Murders?
A: The victims were Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15.
Q: What happened to the victims?
A: The victims were bound, gagged, and shot in the head at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” store where two of them worked. The building was then set on fire.
Q: Who is the new suspect in the case?
A: The new suspect is Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide in 1999.
Q: How was Brashers identified as a suspect?
A: Brashers was identified as a suspect through DNA evidence and ballistics testing.
Q: Is the case still open?
A: Yes, the case is still open, and the police are working to piece together the events of that fateful night.
