DNA Links Dead Serial Killer to 1991 Texas Yogurt Shop Murders

Authorities have identified Robert Eugene Brashers, a deceased serial killer and rapist, as the suspect responsible for the 1991 murders of four teenage girls in an Austin yogurt shop. The victims—Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison, Eliza Thomas, and Amy Ayers—were found gagged, tied, and shot in the head, with evidence of sexual assault on at least one victim. Brashers, who was linked through DNA and ballistics testing, had a history of violent crimes including murders and sexual assaults in multiple states. He died by suicide in 1999 during a police standoff in Missouri. The case remained cold for decades despite earlier convictions of other suspects, which were later overturned or resulted in releases due to insufficient evidence or constitutional concerns. Renewed forensic analysis ultimately connected Brashers, shedding new light on one of Texas' most notorious cold cases.