Judge declares 4 men wrongly accused of 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders innocent

The formal declaration of innocence could be a key step for the men and their families to seek financial compensation.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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A Texas judge has formally declared four men innocent of the 1991 rape and murder of four teenage girls at an Austin yogurt shop, a crime that haunted the city for decades. The men - Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Forrest Welborn, and Maurice Pierce - were teenagers when they were arrested in 1999, but their convictions were later overturned. After new DNA evidence linked the murders to a previously unknown suspect who died in 1999, the judge exonerated the four men and apologized for the wrongful prosecution.

Why it matters

The exoneration of these four men after over 25 years highlights the flaws in the criminal justice system and the devastating impact of wrongful convictions. It also raises questions about the pursuit of justice and the need for reforms to prevent such miscarriages of justice in the future.

The details

The four teenage girls - Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, 17 and 15 - were bound, gagged, and shot in the head at the 'I Can't Believe It's Yogurt' store where two of them worked. The building was then set on fire. Investigators chased thousands of leads and several false confessions before arresting the four men in 1999. Springsteen and Scott were convicted based largely on confessions they insisted were coerced, but their convictions were later overturned. Welborn was charged but never tried, and Pierce spent three years in jail before the charges were dismissed. New DNA evidence last year linked the murders to Robert Eugene Brashers, who died in 1999 during a standoff with police.

  • The murders occurred in 1991.
  • The four men were arrested in late 1999.
  • Springsteen and Scott's convictions were overturned in the mid-2000s.
  • Charges against the four men were dismissed in 2009 due to new DNA evidence.
  • The men were formally declared innocent by a judge on February 19, 2026.

The players

Robert Springsteen

One of the four men wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders. He was sent to death row before his conviction was overturned.

Michael Scott

One of the four men wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders. He was sentenced to life in prison before his conviction was overturned.

Forrest Welborn

One of the four men wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders. He was charged but never tried after two grand juries refused to indict him.

Maurice Pierce

One of the four men wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders. He spent three years in jail before the charges against him were dismissed.

Robert Eugene Brashers

The previously unknown suspect who was linked to the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders through new DNA evidence in 2025. He died in 1999 during a standoff with police.

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What they’re saying

“Let us not forgot that Robert Springsteen could be dead right now, executed at the hands of the state of Texas.”

— Amber Farrelly, Attorney for Robert Springsteen

“I lost my family. I lost my youth. My daughter was 3 years old when I was arrested. We had just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I lost the chance to build a family. Every day I have carried the weight of a crime I did not commit.”

— Michael Scott

“My son's name has finally been cleared after more than 25 years of being called the monster, the murderer and everything else. Son, be proud.”

— Phil Scott, Father of Michael Scott

“Daddy, you have your name back. The world knows what you were trying to say all along.”

— Marisa Pierce, Daughter of Maurice Pierce

“Over 25 years ago, the state prosecuted four innocent men ... (for) one of the worst crimes Austin has ever seen. We could not have been more wrong.”

— Trudy Strassburger, Travis County First Assistant District Attorney

What’s next

The formal declaration of innocence could be a key step for the men and their families if they seek financial compensation for the years they spent incarcerated or struggled to live under a cloud of suspicion.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating impact of wrongful convictions and the need for reforms to prevent such miscarriages of justice in the future. It also underscores the importance of using the latest forensic evidence to pursue the real perpetrators of heinous crimes, even decades later.