The Yogurt Shop Murders

Dec 11, 2025

The tragic Yogurt Shop Murders shocked Austin in 1991 when four teenage girls were found dead in a burned building. Initial investigations faltered due to evidence destruction and false confessions. Years later, two men were arrested, but police misconduct muddied the case. With ongoing legal battles, the charges were eventually dropped after DNA evidence and genealogy advances pointed to Robert Brashers as the true killer. The hosts explore the intricate web of investigation, the victims' stories, and the wider impact of the case on the community.

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INSIGHT

Coercion Can Produce False Confessions

A photograph and reports revealed coercive interrogation tactics, including a gun being held to a suspect's head.
Coercion risks produce false confessions and contaminate investigations, undermining convictions.

INSIGHT

DNA Advances Undid The Convictions

DNA testing later excluded the prosecuted men and contradicted confession claims about sexual assault.
Advances in DNA turned old, ambiguous evidence into exculpatory proof.

ANECDOTE

Convictions Reversed After Appeals

Jurors convicted Rob Springsteen and Michael Scott despite weak physical evidence, sentencing one to death.
Both convictions were later overturned on appeal due to constitutional and evidentiary issues.

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Just before midnight on December 6, 1991, an Austin, TX patrol officer called in a fire at a yogurt shop and requested firefighters and additional officers. Once they managed to get the fire under control, firefighters discovered the bodies of four teenage girls in the burned out remains of the building, all having been shot execution style and the building torched to cover up the crime.

Almost immediately, investigators on the case ran into a dead end, as leads were scarce and the fire and efforts to extinguish it destroyed or compromised critical evidence. In short time, the case went cold and the residents of Austin moved on. To their surprise, nearly ten years later, Austin detectives announced they’d arrested for young men for the crime, two of whom confessed, and it seemed like, after a long delay, justice would finally be served; however, in this case, justice was still a long way off and when it finally arrived, it came tainted by police misconduct.

References

Associated Press. 1992. "Arrests no relief to families of slain teen-agers." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 23: 43.

Austin American-Statesman. 1999. "American digest quotes of the week." Austin American-Statesman, October 10: 1.

CBS News. 2009. "Deadly encounter." 48 Hours, March 9.

Copelin, Laylan, and Leah Quin. 1999. "Police say 2 confessed to killings at yogurt shop." Austin American-Statesman, October 7: 1.

Gamboa, Suzanne. 1999. "16-year-old told police in 1991 he had weapon." Austin American-Statesman, October 7: 8.

Garcia, Kimberly. 1992. "In the shadow of death." Austin American-Statesman, March 6: 1.

—. 1991. "Profiles of killers released." Austin American-Statesman, December 18: 27.

Haglund, Kerry. 1991. "More than 1 raided shop, police say." Austin American-Statesman, December 10: 1.

—. 1991. "Officials say they have few leads in yogurt shop killings." Austin American-Statesman, December 24: 11.

—. 1991. "Slayings of teens stun friends, families." Austin American-Statesman, December 8: 27.

Hall, Michael. 2001. "Under the Gun." Texas Monthly, Janaury: 94-115.

Lindell, Chuck, and Kerry Haglund. 1991. "The spark of fear." Austin American-Statesman, December 15: 1.

Lowry, Beverly. 2016. Who Killed These Girls: The Unsolved Murders that Rocked a Texas Town. New York, NY: Vintage.

Martinez, Sylvia. 1991. "Teens' violent deaths mourned." Austin American-Statesman, December 9: 1.

Michael Scott v The State of Texas. 2007. PD-0862-05 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, June 6).

Pettaway, Taylor. 2022. Rape, murder of four teen girls in Austin yogurt shop remains unsolved 31 years later. December 12. Accessed October 23, 2025. https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Austin-yogurt-shop-killings-17648880.php.

Quin, Leah. 2000. "Video could damage yogurt shop case." Austin American-Statesman, May 31: 1.

Rivera, Dylan. 1999. "'A decent kid' with a new family and a job." Austin American-Statesman, October 7: 8.

Stanley, Dick. 1991. "Robbery may be motive in teens' slayings." Austin American-Statesman, December 8: 1.

Vine, Katy. 2025. "How police finally solved Austin's most notorious cold case." Texas Monthly, October 3.

Ward, Pamela. 1991. "Classmates try to cope with slayings." Austin American-Statesman, December 10: 1.

Wilson, Janet. 1999. "For families, excruciating memories reawakened." Austin American-Statesman, October 7: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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