Austin Yogurt Shop Murders: Accountability, Not Words
Dear Friends,
In 1999, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson proclaimed victory when police arrested four young men for the horrific 1991 murders of four teenage girls in a North Austin yogurt shop. The city exhaled—believing justice had been done. But the truth was far more tragic: The real killer would remain unidentified for more than 25 years, while four innocent teenagers were branded as murderers.
This fall, those murders have finally been solved. DNA and forensic evidence have identified the true perpetrator: serial killer Robert Brashers, who acted alone. The four young men were innocent. But when Mayor Watson, Police Chief Lisa Davis and District Attorney José Garza announced their new finding, only Garza apologized to the wrongfully accused.
Texas has a serious problem when it comes to wrongful convictions. Nearly 500 people have been exonerated in Texas. Thousands more remain in our prisons today, unable to afford counsel to take up their claims of innocence. Austin is no exception to this trend, but Austin’s elected officials should be leaders in ensuring our justice system is as fair and reliable as possible. They can start today, by taking ownership over their past mistakes. For the public to regain faith in their criminal-legal system, Austin leadership must do three things.
First, Austin’s leaders should apologize unequivocally to the men who were wronged.
Second, the Police Department must examine how coercive interrogations and tunnel vision led to false confessions.
Accountability is not merely about words—it is about learning from failure. Austin owes these men more than an apology. It owes them a commitment to change—the promise that this city, which once failed so profoundly, can do better.
With gratitude,
Burke Butler
Executive Director
Texas Defender Service
