AUSTIN, Texas – A decades-old cold case has been dramatically altered with the identification of Robert Eugene Brashers as a suspect in the 1991 Austin “Yogurt Shop Murders.” New DNA evidence links Brashers not only to the deaths of four teenage girls in Austin, but also to a string of violent crimes across multiple states.
Heith Compte, a 20-year Austin resident, expressed relief at the development. “ItS a good thing. Like finally. At least they know who did it,but I wish they knew who did it a long,long time ago,” Compte said.
investigators have connected brashers’ DNA to the 1990 death of a woman in South Carolina, a 1997 rape in Memphis, Tennessee, and the 1998 murders of a mother and daughter in Portageville, Missouri, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
Brashers died by suicide in 1999 during a standoff with police. “I’m kind of glad. Hopefully all that stuff broke his heart,” Compte added.
RELATED COVERAGE:New suspect identified in 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders case
Austin police are scheduled to release further details on Monday regarding the DNA discovery and the investigation’s progress. The revelation has prompted questions from residents like Courtney Ely, who wonders about the timeline. “I think everyone’s curious about who was this person,and how did they get away with this for so long? Why didn’t they figure out what the DNA match was sooner?” she said.