HBO's 'Yogurt Shop Murders' is the new true crime obsession — here's why
The case centers on a 1991 tragedy in Austin, where four teenage girls were found murdered in the back of a yogurt shop that had been set on fire. What followed was a complicated investigation marked by questionable confessions, overturned convictions and years of legal limbo. Now, the series examines the crime that baffled investigators for over 30 years.
Whether you remember the headlines or are just hearing about the case for the first time, "The Yogurt Shop Murders" is an interesting look at a case where nearly every answer seems to raise more questions. Here's what you need to know about the HBO true crime series, especially if you plan to watch it yourself.
'The Yogurt Shop Murders' is a four-part documentary series that premiered on HBO on Aug. 3. It centers on the 1991 murders of four teenage girls in Austin, Texas, a case that still remains unsolved. The girls, ages 13 to 17, were found bound, shot and left inside a burning yogurt shop. The brutality of the crime shocked the community and led to a long investigation that spanned decades.
In the wake of the crime, several young men were arrested and convicted, but those convictions were later overturned after DNA evidence exonerated them. "Yogurt Shop Murders" takes viewers through the original investigation, confessions and the eventual release of the accused. It also explores the emotional aftermath that the victims' families had to deal with.
The docuseries uses archival footage, new interviews and never-before-seen material to explore the case, so if you're interested in puzzling over true crime narratives, this is one tale you can absolutely do so with.
The "Yogurt Shop Murders' docuseries has stirred up a variety of reactions online, especially from those who lived through the aftermath of the 1991 tragedy in Austin.
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One viewer on X (Twitter) grew up in Austin during the time of the murders and shared how painful it was to relive those memories. 'Watching the yogurt shop murders documentary on HBO and it's just as awful to relive as you'd expect,' wrote @mkelly007. 'Growing up in Austin when that happened left a scar on this city and on all of us who were kids here. Utterly tragic.'
Others echoed the long-lasting impact the crime had on the city. X user @desslocktx, who worked near the yogurt shop at the time, recalled how the murders changed the feel of daily life.
'I remember the Austin yogurt shop murders well. This freaked the city out for over a year,' they wrote. 'I managed the Radio Shack store on Anderson Ln a few blocks from the yogurt shop… every night a Travis County sheriff deputy would walk a security round… Yes, it was like losing an innocence.'
For some, the series has revived speculation about potential links to other unsolved crimes. 'I've always wondered if there's any connections between the Yogurt Shop murders and the Burger Chef murders,' tweeted @kel_cee_xo, pointing to similarities between the two cases despite being over a decade apart. 'Nobody has ever been charged with any of the murders. The similarities are uncanny!'
Meanwhile, the series is being praised for its storytelling and quality. "Nw: The Yogurt Shop Murders on HBO. It's exceptional,' wrote journalist Dan Przygoda (@dprzygoda).
The "Yogurt Shop Murders" case is still technically open, but no one has been charged since 2009. The last major development came when charges against Robert Springsteen and Michael Scott were dropped after DNA evidence from the crime scene excluded them as suspects, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
Although both men were released, they've never been formally let off the hook. That technicality has kept the case in a kind of legal limbo. A partial male DNA profile, recovered using more advanced forensic techniques, has reignited some hope, but that lead hasn't been strong enough to pursue in court. The FBI, according to CBS News, has declined to release the identity of the person it's associated with due to privacy laws.
In 2022, a cold case detective with the Austin Police Department confirmed that the investigation had been reopened, citing advances in DNA technology as a reason to believe the case might eventually be solved, as EW reported. Still, no new arrests have been made, and no suspects have been officially named.
The HBO docuseries has brought plenty of new attention to the case, but for now, 'The Yogurt Shop Murders' remains one of the most haunting unsolved crimes in Texas history.
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Like I have a hard time with it intimately, with individuals, but for some reason in a room full of strangers, I'll take those risks. And I think that there's something deeper than just anxieties. I think I speak from that place with the trauma bit and certainly with the grief stuff at the end. I think there's a part of me that's a little softer and a little more vulnerable and fragile underneath all the noise, which ranges from minor anxiety to rage. Actor/comedian Marc Maron speaks onstage at WTF with Marc Maron - LIVE Comedy Podcast during the 2012 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival on March 11, 2012 in Austin, Texas. Actor/comedian Marc Maron speaks onstage at WTF with Marc Maron - LIVE Comedy Podcast during the 2012 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival on March 11, 2012 in Austin, Texas. Cassie Wright/WireImage Your podcast, WTF with Marc Maron, really changed the game in the podcast space. 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