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On the 6th of December, 1991, Jennifer Harbison and Eliza Thomas, both seventeen years old, were finishing their shift at the frozen yogurt shop where they were employed. Waiting for a pickup were Jennifer's sister, Sarah Harbison, aged 15, and Sarah’s friend, Amy Ayers, who was 13.

Shortly before the clock struck twelve, a blaze at the shop drew first responders, who uncovered the tragedy: the four girls had been restrained, fatally attacked, and showed signs of sexual assault. The fire destroyed the bulk of physical proof, aside from a bullet casing that had fallen into a gutter and trace amounts of biological evidence, including evidence found in her nail scrapings.

The Case That Shook a City

These horrific killings profoundly shook the city of Austin and evolved into one of the best-known cold cases in the United States. Following decades of investigative roadblocks and false accusations, the killings in time contributed to a federal law enacted in recent years that permits victims' families to request unsolved investigations to be reopened.

But the murders remained unsolved for almost thirty-four years – until now.

A Major Breakthrough

Police authorities revealed on Monday a "major development" made possible by modern methods in bullet matching and genetic testing, said the city's mayor at a press conference.

The evidence point to Robert Eugene Brashers, who was named posthumously as a multiple murderer. Further crimes could be attributed to him as DNA analyses continue to improve and widespread.

"The single piece of proof found at the yogurt shop corresponds directly to him," explained the top law enforcement officer.

The murders hasn't reached conclusion, but this is a "major step", and Brashers is thought to be the sole perpetrator, officials stated.

Families Find Answers

A family member, Sonora, said that her mind was split after the tragedy occurred.

"One half of my consciousness has been yelling, 'What happened to my sister?', and the remaining part kept repeating, 'I will never know. I'll pass away without answers, and I need to make peace with it,'" she said.

Upon hearing about this breakthrough in the case, "the conflicting thoughts of my brain started melding," she said.

"Now I understand what happened, and that relieves my suffering."

Wrongful Convictions Overturned

The breakthrough not only bring closure to the grieving families; it also fully exonerates two men, who were teens then, who insisted they were coerced into confessing.

Springsteen, then 17 years old at the time of the killings, was sent to death row, and Michael Scott, a 15-year-old then, was received a life sentence. Both men asserted they only confessed after marathon interviews in the year 1999. In 2009, they were released after their guilty findings were reversed due to court rulings on admissions absent tangible proof.

The district attorney's office dropped the prosecution against Springsteen and Scott in the same period after a DNA analysis, known as Y-STR, showed neither individual corresponded against the samples recovered from the yogurt shop.

Modern Technology Solves Case

This genetic marker – suggesting an unknown man – would ultimately be the key in solving this case. In 2018, the genetic data was sent for reanalysis because of improved methods – but a countrywide check to investigative bodies found no matches.

This past June, the lead detective assigned to the investigation in 2022, considered a new approach. Time had gone by since the bullet casings from the shell casing had been submitted to the NIBIN database – and in that time, the database had been significantly improved.

"The technology has advanced significantly. I mean, we're using 3D stuff now," Jackson said at the press conference.

There was a hit. An open homicide case in the state of Kentucky, with a comparable method, had the same type of cartridge. Jackson and a colleague met with the Kentucky detectives, who are continuing to investigate their open file – which involves processing samples from a rape kit.

Building a Case

This development prompted further inquiry. Could there be additional proof that might correspond to crimes in different locations? He recalled instantly of the DNA profile – but there was a challenge. The Combined DNA Index System is the federal genetic registry for investigators, but the genetic material from the scene was not complete enough and minimal to submit.

"I suggested, well, time has passed. Additional facilities are performing these tests. Registries are growing. Let's do a national inquiry again," the detective explained.

He distributed the years-old genetic findings to law enforcement agencies around the country, requesting them to manually compare it to their internal records.

They found another match. The DNA pattern corresponded precisely with a sample from Greenville, South Carolina – a killing that occurred in 1990 that was solved with assistance from a DNA firm and a celebrated genealogist in recent years.

Identifying the Killer

The researcher developed a family tree for the South Carolina killer and identified a relative whose biological evidence pointed to a immediate family link – almost certainly a sibling. A judge authorized that Brasher's body be dug up, and his biological samples matched against the forensic proof from Austin.

Usually, she is able to set aside solved cases in order to focus on the following case.

"But I have {not been