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Robert Eugene Brashers

Updated: 5/30/2026, 12:58:24 AM Wikipedia source

Robert Eugene Brashers (March 13, 1958 – January 19, 1999) was an American serial killer and mass murderer who committed at least eight murders in Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas between 1990 and 1998. During his lifetime, Brashers was convicted of attempted murder for shooting a woman in 1985, as well as for various other offenses stemming from a 1992 case in which he stole a vehicle, but was not identified as a suspect in any of his murders and remained in relative obscurity. He died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1999 to avoid arrest for an unrelated crime after a standoff with police. Decades after his death, due to advances in investigative genetic genealogy, Brashers was tied to a series of extremely violent crimes. Investigators linked him to several unsolved rapes and murders committed against women and young girls. In 2025 police in Austin, Texas, identified Brashers as the perpetrator in the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders, in which four teenaged girls were murdered.

Infobox

Born
(1958-03-13)March 13, 1958 Newport News, Virginia, U .
Died
January 19, 1999(1999-01-19) (aged 40) Kennett, Missouri, U .
Other names
"Mr. Maroon" Jack Anthony McClelland Gary Dean Brashers
Criminal status
Deceased
Children
1
Convictions
Florida Attempted first-degree murder Aggravated battery Using a firearm during the commission of a crime Georgia Grand theft auto Impersonating a police officer
Criminal penalty
Florida 12 years imprisonment (served 3 ) Georgia 5 years imprisonment
Victims
At least 19 victims of various violent crimes
Span of crimes
1985–1998
Country
United States
States
Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
Killed
8
Injured
2
Date apprehended
1986–1989, 1992–1997

Tables

· List of confirmed victims
Michelle Wilkerson
Michelle Wilkerson
Name
Michelle Wilkerson
Age
24
Date
November 22, 1985
Location
Fort Pierce, Florida
Details
Attempted murder
Genevieve Zitricki
Genevieve Zitricki
Name
Genevieve Zitricki
Age
28
Date
April 5, 1990
Location
Greenville, South Carolina
Details
Murder, rape
Amy Ayers
Amy Ayers
Name
Amy Ayers
Age
13
Date
December 6, 1991
Location
Austin, Texas
Details
Murder, rape
Eliza Thomas
Eliza Thomas
Name
Eliza Thomas
Age
17
Jennifer Harbison
Jennifer Harbison
Name
Jennifer Harbison
Age
17
Sarah Harbison
Sarah Harbison
Name
Sarah Harbison
Age
15
Unnamed female and four family members
Unnamed female and four family members
Name
Unnamed female and four family members
Age
14 (female victim), various ages (family)
Date
March 11, 1997
Location
Memphis, Tennessee
Details
Rape (female), hostage-taking (family)
Megan Scherer
Megan Scherer
Name
Megan Scherer
Age
12
Date
March 28, 1998
Location
Portageville, Missouri
Details
Murder, rape
Sherri Scherer
Sherri Scherer
Name
Sherri Scherer
Age
38
Date
Murder
Unnamed female
Unnamed female
Name
Unnamed female
Age
25
Date
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Location
Attempted assault
Linda Marie Rutledge
Linda Marie Rutledge
Name
Linda Marie Rutledge
Age
43
Date
November 7, 1998
Location
Lexington, Kentucky
Details
Murder, rape
Brashers' family members
Brashers' family members
Name
Brashers' family members
Age
Various ages
Date
January 13, 1999
Location
Kennett, Missouri
Details
Hostage-taking
Name
Age
Date
Location
Details
Michelle Wilkerson
24
November 22, 1985
Fort Pierce, Florida
Attempted murder
Genevieve Zitricki
28
April 5, 1990
Greenville, South Carolina
Murder, rape
Amy Ayers
13
December 6, 1991
Austin, Texas
Murder, rape
Eliza Thomas
17
Jennifer Harbison
17
Sarah Harbison
15
Unnamed female and four family members
14 (female victim), various ages (family)
March 11, 1997
Memphis, Tennessee
Rape (female), hostage-taking (family)
Megan Scherer
12
March 28, 1998
Portageville, Missouri
Murder, rape
Sherri Scherer
38
Murder
Unnamed female
25
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Attempted assault
Linda Marie Rutledge
43
November 7, 1998
Lexington, Kentucky
Murder, rape
Brashers' family members
Various ages
January 13, 1999
Kennett, Missouri
Hostage-taking

References

  1. "Bullet casing in drain at Texas yogurt shop links serial killer to the infamous murders, says original investigator"
    2025
    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suspect-identified-in-infamous-texas-yogurt-shop-murder-case-48-hours/
  2. "What to know about new suspect identified in Texas' infamous yogurt shop killings"
    2025
    https://apnews.com/article/austin-yogurt-shop-1991-murders-solved-fc86a1997a8895224f6cd213be3f4321
  3. Fulton Sun
    2020
    https://www.fultonsun.com/news/2020/nov/19/fulton-resident-reminisces-homicide-investigation/
  4. Paragould Daily Press
    1999
    https://www.newspapers.com/article/paragould-daily-press-robert-yogurt-sho/181844303/
  5. Greenville Journal
    2018
    https://greenvillejournal.com/news/greenville-police-murderer-in-28-year-old-cold-case-identified/
  6. KFVS-TV
    2026
    https://www.kfvs12.com/2026/05/06/chasing-ghost-chapter-ten-no-set-path/
  7. Alabama Media Group
    2025
    https://www.al.com/crime/2025/11/alabama-woman-horrified-to-learn-her-all-american-father-was-a-serial-killer-there-may-be-more-victims.html
  8. KXAN-TV
    2025
    https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/seventh-layer-of-hades-daughter-of-yogurt-shop-murders-suspect-reacts-to-breakthrough-in-case/
  9. The Palm Beach Post
    1985
    https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31099977/robert-brashers-mo-from-1985/
  10. Miami Herald
    1985
    https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54853022/robert-brashers-florida-crime-1985/
  11. The Greenville News
    2018
    https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/10/05/greenville-cold-case-zitricki-murder-first-series-murders-across-three-states/1532153002/
  12. The Greenville News
    2017
    https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/greenville-roots/2017/04/24/jenny-zitricki-unsolved-homicide/100851876/
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