In December 1991, four teenage girls were found dead inside I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! in Austin, Texas. Jennifer Harbison, 17, her sister Sarah Harbison, 15, Eliza Thomas, 17, and Amy Ayers, 13, died from gunshot wounds. The fire that killed them was intentionally set to destroy evidence.
Investigation revealed that the suspects were Maurice Pierce, 16, Forrest Welborn, 15, Michael Scott, 17, and Robert Springsteen IV, 17. However, Welborn, Scott, and Springsteen denied any involvement, while Pierce implicated them in his statement.
Three years later, Pierce was released after DNA testing failed to link him to the crime scene. Springsteen’s conviction was overturned due to coercion during his interrogation, and Scott’s conviction was also thrown out for similar reasons. Welborn was not charged due to insufficient evidence.
Today, the case remains open, with investigators waiting for improved DNA technology to resubmit their existing evidence for further testing. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul stated that “DNA is everything” in hopes of solving the 1991 yogurt shop murders.
The Austin Police Department and the FBI are working together to re-examine the case using new techniques and technologies. The documentary series “The Yogurt Shop Murders” on HBO will provide a chilling look at the crime and its investigation, sparking renewed hope for justice for the victims’ families.
Source: https://www.eonline.com/news/1420623/yogurt-shop-murders-who-killed-4-teen-girls-in-1991-texas