The city of Austin, Texas, recently marked the 30th anniversary of the Yogurt Shop Murders, a horrifying crime that continues to haunt the community. On December 6, 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered at a frozen yogurt shop, and to this day, their families and the Austin community have not seen justice served. The victims, Eliza Thomas, Jennifer Harbinson, Sarah Harbinson, and Amy Ayers, were found nude, gagged, and shot dead execution-style in the ashes of the yogurt shop.
The discovery of the bodies shocked firefighters who were responding to a fire at the I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! shop. The girls had been tied up, stacked on top of each other, and each shot in the head. Tragically, one of the girls had also been raped. The crime scene indicated that the criminals had started the fire to cover up their horrific act.
Investigations into the murders have yielded few answers over the past three decades. Despite thousands of leads and multiple false confessions, no arrests have been made. In 1999, four teenage boys – Maurice Pierce, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen, and Forest Wellburn – became the primary suspects. Three of them eventually confessed to the murders, but their confessions lacked physical evidence or witness testimony to support them.
However, doubts surrounding the convictions emerged later. It was revealed that detectives had withheld crucial information, and one detective was caught on security footage holding a gun to Scott’s head during the interrogation. In 2006, both men’s convictions were overturned by the Texas Court of Appeals, and subsequent DNA analysis did not match either of them.
Despite the destruction of most potential evidence in the fire, a partial DNA profile was found at the crime scene. However, it only had 16 markers, making it inconclusive for identifying a specific suspect. In 2017, the sample was submitted to a database and matched an unidentified individual provided by the FBI. Unfortunately, the suspect’s identity was never revealed, and no arrest was made.
Last year, Congressman Michael McCaul introduced the Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act, inspired by the Yogurt Shop Murders. The act allows for federal review and renewed investigation of cold cases that have remained unsolved for at least three years. This legislation provides hope and resources for families who have lost loved ones to unsolved murders.
The families of the victims, particularly Amy Ayers’ family, have been dedicated to keeping the investigation alive. Amy’s brother, Shawn Ayers, and his wife, Angie, have started the Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Advisory Committee. They refuse to give up on finding justice for the victims.
The Yogurt Shop Murders continue to serve as a painful reminder of the unresolved crimes in Austin. As the 30th anniversary passes, the community remains haunted by the lack of closure and the need for justice. The hope is that continued efforts and the support of legislation like the Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act will bring attention to the case and lead to the identification and capture of the perpetrators.
