DNA Links Serial Killer Robert Brashers To 1991 Austin Yogurt Shop Murders
Retired Austin detective John Jones told "48 Hours" on May 29, 2026 that DNA evidence and a matching bullet casing link serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers to the 1991 yogurt shop murders in Austin.[1]
Jones said the gun Brashers used to kill himself in January 1999 is believed to be consistent with a casing recovered from a drain inside the shop.[1] Austin police formally identified Brashers through DNA testing in September 2025, and Jones is one of the original investigators now publicly detailing the connection.[1] The revelation comes after a Feb. 19, 2026 "actual innocence" ruling for four men once accused and a May 2026 $35 million settlement by the City of Austin.[2]
Austin police say they matched case evidence to Brashers in DNA testing completed in September 2025, but the identification was not widely detailed until the "48 Hours" interview.[1] Brashers, described by investigators as a serial killer and rapist, died by suicide in January 1999, and officials have long sought to link physical evidence from the shop to him.[1]
The "48 Hours" segment is the first public account from an original investigator tying the DNA identification to the casing evidence.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Retired Austin detective John Jones says serial killer and rapist Robert Eugene Brashers has been identified as the suspect in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders, based on DNA evidence. (Retired Austin detective John Jones)
- Jones told '48 Hours' that the gun Brashers used to kill himself in January 1999 is believed to be consistent with a bullet casing recovered from a drain inside the yogurt shop. (bullet casing recovered from a drain inside the yogurt shop)
- Austin police formally identified Brashers as the suspect through DNA testing in September 2025, and one of the original investigators is now publicly detailing that connection. (Austin police)
- The article links the Brashers identification to recent legal outcomes: a Feb. 19, 2026 'actual innocence' ruling for four wrongfully accused men and a May 2026 $35 million settlement by the City of Austin. (May 2026 $35 million settlement by the City of Austin)
- The '48 Hours' piece, titled 'Bullet casing at yogurt shop links serial killer to the infamous murders,' was published May 29, 2026 and provides the public account from an original investigator. ('Bullet casing at yogurt shop links serial killer to the infamous murders')
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Retired Austin detective John Jones says serial killer and rapist Robert Eugene Brashers has been identified as the suspect in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders, based on DNA evidence.
- Jones told '48 Hours' that the gun Brashers used to kill himself in January 1999 is believed to be consistent with a bullet casing recovered from a drain inside the yogurt shop.
- The article reiterates that Austin police formally identified Brashers as the suspect through DNA testing in September 2025 but adds that this connection is being publicly detailed by one of the original investigators.
- The piece confirms the case chronology: the Feb. 19, 2026 'actual innocence' ruling for the four wrongfully accused men and the May 2026 $35 million settlement by the City of Austin, tying these legal outcomes directly to the Brashers identification.