Naman Shrestha
In CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Yogurt Shop Murders’ and ABC’s ’20/20: Yogurt Shop Murders,’ the primary focus is on the tragic and untimely killings of four teenage girls — Jennifer Harbison, Eliza Thomas, Sarah Harbison, and Amy Ayers — in a frozen yogurt shop in Austin, Texas, in 1991. The tragedy sent shockwaves across the entire community and opened an investigation that led to four possible suspects. The documentaries explore the trauma that the incident caused the deceased girls’ family and friends, as well as the decades-long investigation, with the help of exclusive interviews.
Jennifer Harbison, Eliza Thomas, Sarah Harbison, and Amy Ayers Knew Each Other
Mike and Barbara Harbison were loving parents to two daughters — Jennifer Ann Harbison (born on May 6, 1974) and Sarah Louise Harbison (born on October 28, 1976). Jennifer was raised in the Texarkana region, but after her parents separated in the late 1970s, she relocated to Austin, Texas, where she lived with her mother and younger sister, Sarah. Given her sociable and determined personality, Jennifer was an inspiring figure to Sarah, with whom she shared a close-knit bond. While the older sister attended Lanier High School, Sarah went to Burnet Middle School.
Jennifer was popular among her peers, excelling academically and participating in extracurricular activities. For instance, she was president of the school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter, a member of the Vikettes drill team, and a member of the track team. Meanwhile, Sarah was described as a kind and warm-hearted individual. Following in her sister’s footsteps, she also attended Lanier High School, where she became involved in Future Farmers of America (FFA) and animal husbandry, including raising and showing livestock, indicating her love for animals and nature.
In order to contribute to her family’s finances, Jennifer worked at an Albertson’s before landing a job at I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! store on Anderson Lane in Austin, Texas. There, she worked with her friend, Eliza Hope Thomas, who was born on May 16, 1974, in Austin, Texas. The only child of Maria and James Thomas, Eliza was also a student at Lanier High School, where she sang in the school choir and played the clarinet. Described as a kind, free-spirited, and loyal girl, the teenager was also passionate about animals, specifically cats. Working at the yogurt shop, Eliza usually took closing shifts and earned extra money to support herself.
The Four Teenagers Were Found Inside the Burned Yogurt Shop
While studying at Burnet Middle School, Sarah Harbison became friends with Amy Leigh Ayers, who was born on January 31, 1978, in Johnson County, Texas. She was also an animal lover and had recently joined the junior Future Farmers of America, through which she was raising a lamb named Tootie. Given her passion towards animals, Amy aspired to become a veterinarian. On the fateful night of December 6, 1991, all four young girls — 17-year-old Jennifer, 15-year-old Sarah, 17-year-old Eliza, and 13-year-old Amy — were at the I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! store, while Jennifer was closing the shop for the night with Eliza.
When a police patrolman noticed flames coming from the yogurt shop, firefighters were called to put out the fire. After the blaze was extinguished and controlled, the authorities went inside and found the remains of the four girls, each of whom had been gagged and tied up. Upon further inspection, it was determined that all of them were shot in the head execution style. Moreover, at least one of the girls, Amy, had been raped. The perpetrator/s had reportedly set the shop on fire to get rid of the evidence that could help the detectives solve the case. Looking at the gunshot wounds, they deduced that two types of guns were used — a .380 and a .22 caliber. The crime scene hardly provided them with any evidence, but they immediately launched an investigation into the tragic killings.
A Group of Four Men Were Suspected of Committing the Crime
As part of the investigation, the Austin Police Department created a specialized task force to solve the murders, with the help of the FBI and other government agencies. Eight days after the incident, the detectives arrested a suspect named Maurice Pierce carrying a .22 caliber gun at a mall near the yogurt shop. During his questioning, he implicated three other men — Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, and Robert Springsteen. However, the three men denied any involvement in the crime. Due to a lack of evidence against the four potential suspects, the police could not arrest them.
Over the following months, they came across various suspects, including six people who confessed to the crime. But the investigators found no evidence tying any one of them to the yogurt shop murders. The case went cold for several years before the four original suspects, Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Maurice Pierce, and Forrest Welborn, were arrested again in 1999. At first, Michael confessed to the crime after four days of interview, followed by Robert, who corroborated much of what Michael told the detectives. During his interview, Robert claimed that he shot one girl and raped her. Meanwhile, the charges against Maurice and Forrest were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
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A New Suspect Emerged Through DNA Evidence
Robert’s 2011 trial resulted in his conviction and the death penalty. The following year, Michael was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. A few years down the line, their convictions were overturned on constitutional grounds. Before retrying both Robert and Michael, the district attorney’s office utilized a new type of DNA testing called Y-STR testing. After the vaginal swabs from the victims were tested using this technique, the DNA sample didn’t match any of the four men. Thus, in 2009, the charges against Robert and Michael were dropped, and they were released from custody. More than one and a half decades later, in 2025, the detectives connected another suspect to the yogurt shop killings — Robert Eugene Brashers — with the help of DNA evidence.
The suspect was deemed a serial killer and rapist as he was linked to three murders between 1990 and 1998 in South Carolina and Missouri. They couldn’t confirm the same as he died during a standoff with the police in January 1999. After he took his own life, the authorities inspected his gun and claimed that it was consistent with a bullet casing found in a drain inside the burned-down yogurt shop. On February 19, 2026, the four accused men — Maurice Pierce, Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, and Robert Springsteen — were officially declared innocent, with their names formally cleared from the case. Thus, as of today, the case still hangs in the balance, with the families of the deceased girls seeking closure and justice.
