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Authorities claim that the Austin yogurt shop murders remain one of the most horrific crimes the Texan city has ever seen. In 1991, four teenage girls were brutally murdered inside an I Can't Believe It's Yogurt! shop before being set on fire by the perpetrator(s). According to sources, the victims were found tied up and gagged, with gunshot wounds to their heads. The case remains unsolved to date.
However, four men, namely Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Maurice Pierce, and Forrest Welborn, were arrested and charged with the murders in 1999. Springsteen and Scott were the two to be convicted and sentenced for the murders. Their convictions were later overturned on constitutional grounds, and when DNA didn't match either of the accused, the charges were dropped.
About three decades later, as investigators continue their search for those involved in the crime, 48 Hours on CBS aims to re-examine the yogurt shop murders in its upcoming episode, titled The Yogurt Shop Murders, set to air this Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 9 pm ET. The episode will focus on the investigation and try to find fresh leads that may help the case and allow the victims' families to find closure.
Trigger warning: This article contains information about graphic violence.
Two were convicted for the Austin yogurt shop murders
Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, Jennifer Harbison, and Sarah Harbison were found brutally murdered in a yogurt shop in 1991. An autopsy revealed that each had been shot once in the head with a .22 and a .380 shotgun, and that some were also r*ped. Additionally, the unlocked back door proved that the intruders must have used it to escape after the heinous act. The only remaining evidence was DNA.
Although investigators were able to identify the apparent indicators of an arson attack and even had a suspect in mind, every lead they followed ended in a dead end, which made the case move at a snail's pace. The police also detained an individual at the mall who possessed a .22 caliber pistol and helped them locate three others, including Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott.
The authorities were compelled to release the men since they had no proof that that particular gun was the murder weapon used in the yogurt shop murders. The murder went unsolved for years before authorities took notice of it and came to the conclusion that Springsteen and Scott were somehow connected. Authorities took them to the station and interrogated them thoroughly.
Police allegedly coerced Springsteen and Scott to admit to the killing before recording their statement for the court. Even though there was no concrete evidence linking the two to the crime, the authorities decided to prosecute them for murder based only on their statements.
Reports state that there was no definitive DNA or physical evidence of their complicity. However, the coerced confessions were utilized by the prosecutors, leading to the conviction of the defendants for murder. Springsteen was given the death penalty in 2001, while Scott was given a life sentence in jail in 2002.
Where are Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott now?
Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott contested their convictions, and in 2006, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, on unconstitutional grounds, reversed Springsteen's sentence. Scott's was reversed the following year. As per the Sixth Amendment, defendants have the right to cross-examine their accusers in court, but the two were denied the opportunity to do so.
In 2008, their DNA samples were compared to the ones discovered at the crime scene and the results came back negative, thus proving that they were not involved in the yogurt shop murders. After serving nearly 10 years in prison, Scott and Springsteen were ultimately freed from jail in 2009 but not exonerated, after the court rejected all of the allegations filed against them.
Springsteen reportedly filed a petition in 2016 requesting a court judgment acquitting him of the yogurt shop murders. If he prevails, he may potentially recover almost $720,000 from the state of Texas for a wrongful conviction. The state vehemently opposed this notion, arguing that if it were to be upheld, they would be unable to accuse or prosecute him if new evidence were to come to light.
Despite this, both Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott have welcomed their newfound right to privacy since their release from prison. Springsteen was reportedly sent to West Virginia in 2016 and, according to his attorney, the situation forced him to perform "common labor work."
Tune in to CBS 48 Hours this Saturday to learn more about the Austin yogurt shop murders that haunt the lives of the city people and those directly connected to the case.
