news

Austin yogurt shop murders hearing: See exoneration photos

Over 34 years later, the Austin yogurt shop murder case returns to court as four men are set to be exonerated amid emotional testimony.

Published February 19, 2026 at 5:49pm by Ricardo B. Brazziell

Forrest Welborn arrives at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

More than three decades after one of Austin’s most notorious crimes, the 1991 yogurt shop murders case is back in court. A judge is expected to formally exonerate four men in the decades-old quadruple homicide, marking a significant moment in a case that has shaped Central Texas criminal justice history for more than 34 years.

The attorney for Robert Springsteen, one of the wrongfully convicted men, said her client maintained his innocence from the very beginning. But when he was convicted and sentenced to death row, she said he lost all hope. "He lost hope that the real killer would ever be found and [placed] in the criminal justice system," Amber Farrelly said.

Family members, attorneys and supporters gathered in the courtroom as arguments and testimony revisited the case’s complicated history. The anticipated exonerations could bring a new chapter to a case that has long raised questions about evidence, convictions and justice in Austin.

Marisa Pierce, right, the daughter of yogurt shop suspect Maurice Pierce, hugs Sharon Shipman, the mother of yogurt shop suspect Forrest Welborn, as they arrive at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Robert Springsteen arrives at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Forrest Welborn, middle, arrives with his attorneys at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Michael Scott, left, hugs Travis County prosecutor Dexter Gilford as they arrive at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Forrest Welborn, left, arrives at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Michael Scott arrives at the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Michael Scott, left, shakes hands with a representative at the Travis County District Attorney’s office before the exoneration hearing for four men wrongfully accused in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Forrest Welborn, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Maurice Pierce, who is deceased, were declared actually innocent during the hearing.

Feb 19, 2026

Ricardo B. Brazziell, a devoted husband, father of three, and seasoned staff photojournalist at the Austin American-Statesman, has spent 23 years capturing the essence of central Texas. A graduate of Grambling State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication/Visual Communications, Brazziell has been honored with numerous state and national awards, including the Austin Area Urban League Young Professionals Citizen of the Year, Star Photojournalist of the Year, and the 2016 Online Journalism Award for his impactful project, "Casualties of the Streets." Over his career, he has documented pivotal moments such as the BLM movement and the Austin City Limits Music Festival, along with major events like South by Southwest, National Championships, Formula One, NASCAR, and NFL Super Bowls.