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DNA Hope for 30-Year Yogurt Shop Murders
19 Feb
Summary
- Male DNA found on victim offers new hope.
- Robert Eugene Brashers identified as suspect in 2025.
- Four wrongly accused men exonerated in February 2026.
Thirty-one years after four teenage girls were murdered in an Austin, Texas, yogurt shop, new DNA research provides a potential breakthrough. In September 2025, Robert Eugene Brashers, a serial killer, was identified as the suspect through DNA testing. This development culminated in the formal exoneration of four men wrongly accused of the crime on February 19, 2026, with their legal teams exploring restitution options.
The horrific 1991 murders of Eliza Thomas, Sarah and Jennifer Harbison, and Amy Ayers have long haunted investigators and their families. A small sample of male DNA found on one of the victims offers a glimmer of hope for solving the case. This crucial evidence, combined with advancements in DNA technology, may finally bring justice after decades of investigation.
In 2009, DNA testing revealed a partial male DNA profile that did not match the previously convicted men, Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott, leading to the dismissal of charges against them. Despite subsequent efforts, a potential match in a DNA database in 2017 was later conclusively excluded. As of February 19, 2026, the investigation into the yogurt shop murders remains ongoing, with hopes pinned on further DNA analysis.
