DNA Technology Finally Solves Yogurt Shop Murders in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas — After nearly 34 years, law enforcement claims to have solved the infamous Yogurt Shop Murders. Initially occurring on December 6, 1991, four teenage girls were killed at an I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt location off West Anderson Lane.

Investigators confirmed to KVUE that American serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide in 1999, is the identified suspect. This breakthrough was made possible through genetic genealogy technology that connected Brashers’s DNA to multiple unsolved crimes.

The victims—Jennifer Harbison, 17; her sister Sarah, 15; Eliza Thomas, 17; and Amy Ayers, 13—were discovered bound, gagged, and shot inside the yogurt shop, which was later set ablaze, obscuring forensic evidence. The double tragedy left a profound impact on the Austin community, marked by decades of searches for justice.

Initially, four men were arrested in 1999, but two of their cases were overturned, leading to ongoing appeals and retrials that never occurred for the remaining suspects. The case was dormant until renewed pushes for investigation led to the re-examination of DNA evidence found on Ayers’s body.

A docuseries titled ‘The Yogurt Shop Murders’ premiered on HBO Max earlier this year, highlighting the long-unsolved case. Austin police recently met with the families of the victims to share the news about the identified suspect.

Authorities believe advancements in forensic science can bring closure to the affected families and the Austin community at large. The Austin Police Department is expected to announce the case closure in the coming days.