Yogurt Murder Solved

After over 34 years, the unsolved murder of four teenage girls found in a Texas yogurt shop was solved due to DNA evidence.

On December 6th, 1991, four girls were mysteriously murdered in a yogurt shop in Texas. The girls were: Jennifer Harbison (17), Eliza Thomas (17), Jennifer's younger sister, Sarah Harbison (15) and Amy Ayers (13) who was Sarah's best friend. 

The case was marked as unsolved for over 3 decades, until now. Investigators  finally confirmed that the murderer was Robert Eugene Brashers.

When Jennifer Harbison and Eliza Thomas were closing up the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” shop with two of their friends (one of which was the sibling of Jennifer), someone  entered the building. The four girls were stripped to the bone, tied up with their clothing, gagged, raped, and then two were shot in their head. The remaining two were left alive moments before the building was burned to the ground. All four girls tragically passed away. 

Evidence also shows that the youngest of the girls had been sexually assaulted before she died. 

The fire had burned most, if not all, evidence except for a bullet casing found in the drain. Once the firefighters arrived at the crime scene, there was little evidence that could give a strong lead. Billboards were put up with pictures of the girls offering a $100,000 to $125,000 reward for anyone who could point the police in the right direction. 

The lack of documentation caused investigators confusion and with no leads the case was left alone. The case went cold for eight years until 1999 when the case was reopened. Two men who were teenagers at the time, Micheal Scott and Robert Springsteen, both confessed and they were found guilty. 

Springsteen was given life in prison, but was later overturned in 2009 after only 10 years  because the police deemed his statement as an unfair trial due to biased implications. Once again, the case was left alone until recently a new piece of evidence took the police down a different trail.

Using “genetic genealogy”, they were able to connect the DNA found under 13 year old Amy Ayers fingernail to the DNA of Robert Eugene Brashers. The DNA they collected from Ayers was likely taken from Brashers’s body during a struggle for her life. Additionally, a vaginal swab of the girls was done, and Brashers DNA was found. 

“My team has worked tirelessly on this case for years, and this development is a testament to their dedication and hard work,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a recent press release.

Robert is a serial killer with multiple rape and sexual assault charges. In the states of Tennessee, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas, Brashers is the suspect of several murders. From the years 1990 to 1998, it is said that he committed at least three murders. Then, in 1999 during a stand off with the police he shot himself. The gun used to commit suiside matched with the bullet casing found at the yogurt shop crime scene.

In September , the case was marked as solved 34 years after the murder of the four young girls. There had been over 1,200 suspects, and the police had finally narrowed it down to one: Robert Eugene Brashers.

“I feel very bad for the parents who had to go years without knowing who murdered their children. I wish we figured it out sooner so he could get the punishment he deserves,” NHS freshman Olivia Fernandes said.. “I'm happy that technology has advanced so we can solve crimes like these.” 

Similar reactions to the case occurred during other interviews.

 “It’s upsetting for their families but a relief that they actually found out who did it, NHS sophomore Skylar Awalt said.”