DNA Evidence Links Deceased Man to 1991 Austin Yogurt Shop Murders
DNA evidence has linked Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide in 1999, to the 1991 killings of four girls at an Austin, Texas, yogurt shop, solving the cold case.
DNA evidence links dead man to notorious 1991 Texas yogurt shop murders
New York Daily News
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Overview
- In 1991, four teenage girls were tragically killed at a frozen yogurt shop in Austin, Texas, in what became one of the area's most notorious and unsolved crimes for decades.
- Years later, in 1999, four men were arrested and convicted for the murders, but their convictions were overturned in 2009 due to new DNA evidence.
- Recent DNA analysis has now definitively linked a deceased man, Robert Eugene Brashers, to the 1991 killings, cracking the long-standing cold case.
- Brashers died by suicide in 1999 during a standoff with law enforcement, preventing his apprehension for these and other suspected crimes.
- Investigators had previously linked Brashers to multiple murders and a rape in the 1990s, suspecting him of being a serial predator before his death.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story as a significant, long-awaited breakthrough in a gruesome cold case, emphasizing the emotional impact on the community and the victims' families. They highlight the tireless dedication of investigators and the role of advanced DNA technology in finally bringing resolution to an "infamous" and "unimaginable loss."
"Austin police have identified a new suspect in the 1991 yogurt shop murders of four teenage girls in Texas."
ABC News"This is quite a breakthrough in the case, which gripped the nation and traumatized the city of Austin."
Deadline"Police named a dead man Friday as a new suspect in the 1991 unsolved killings of four teenage girls at an Austin yogurt shop, saying DNA evidence led to a “significant breakthrough” in the brutal crime that has haunted Texas’ capital and stumped investigators for decades."
Associated PressArticles (5)
FAQ
Robert Eugene Brashers was identified through DNA evidence as the suspect in the 1991 murders of four teenage girls at an Austin yogurt shop. He died by suicide in 1999 during a standoff with law enforcement, preventing his apprehension for these crimes and other suspected offenses.
Four men were arrested and convicted for the murders in 1999 but had their convictions overturned in 2009 due to new DNA evidence that excluded them and later implicated Robert Eugene Brashers.
On December 6, 1991, four teenage girls—Jennifer Harbison (17), Sarah Harbison (15), Eliza Thomas (17), and Amy Ayers (13)—were found gagged, tied with their own clothing, shot in the head, and the yogurt shop had been set on fire, which compromised much of the forensic evidence.
The cold case remained unsolved for decades until recent advancements in DNA testing allowed investigators to link Robert Eugene Brashers to the murders, demonstrating a renewed and sustained investigative effort by the Austin Police Department.
Investigators had previously linked Brashers to multiple murders and a rape in the 1990s and suspected him of being a serial predator prior to his death.
History
- This story does not have any previous versions.