Overview of Rewind with Karen & Georgia — Episode 70 (Live at the Moontower Comedy Festival)
This Rewind episode revisits the Exactly Right / My Favorite Murder live show recorded at the Paramount (Moontower) Theater in Austin, TX (original episode released May 25, 2017). Karen and Georgia replay and re‑comment on that live show (banter, audience interaction, two long-form hometown murders), and—most importantly—deliver a major update: the long‑cold “Yogurt Shop Murders” case discussed in the original show has had a breakthrough.
Episode snapshot / what’s covered
- Context: Live show banter recorded in Austin — jokes about cowboy boots, stage nerves, audience, sound/stool antics, and personal anecdotes (airplane seizures, barf bags, underwear rules).
- Haunted theater callbacks: discussion of reported ghosts at the Paramount (Emily the woman in white; projectionist Walter Norris; an elderly gentleman in the opera box).
- Main true‑crime segments:
- Georgia’s deep dive: the Yogurt Shop Murders (Austin, 1991) — retelling of the crimes, investigation failures, false confessions/consequent wrongful convictions, and the 2025 DNA breakthrough.
- Karen’s deep dive: the Servant Girl Annihilator (Austin, 1884–1886) — overview of the axe‑murder spree, patterns, public panic, suspects and theories (including the “Malay cook” Maurice), and the case’s unresolved status.
- Live audience moments: they call out a crime-scene professional in the audience, trade jokes about fandom and city attitudes, and rename the episode based on live show lines (“Penicillin of America” = frozen yogurt).
Key takeaways / main updates
Yogurt Shop Murders (recap + major update)
- The crime (as recapped): On the night of December 6, 1991, four girls were attacked at “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” in Austin. Victims included 13‑year‑old Amy Ayers and 15‑year‑old Sarah Harbison, plus sisters Jennifer (17) and Eliza Thomas (17). Several were murdered; Amy was initially found barely alive and later died. Fire was set to conceal the crime.
- Investigation issues: initial scene mismanagement (treated first as a fire), lack of proper evidence collection, many false leads, coercive interrogations and false confessions years later. Four teens were charged in 1999; convictions were overturned after post‑conviction DNA testing (2007 onward).
- 2025 breakthrough (reported in the episode): Austin PD announced a genetic link tying evidence from the Yogurt Shop to a male DNA profile that matched DNA from a 1990 Greenville, South Carolina sexual assault/murder. The profile was tied to Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide during a police standoff in 1999. Authorities say additional ties (matching shell casing type, Y‑STR work and other DNA testing) link Brashers to unsolved murders/sexual assaults across states. Families expressed relief that investigators identified a likely perpetrator. The hosts recommend the new HBO documentary and Beverly Lowry’s book for more detail.
- Takeaway: decades‑long cold case work, new DNA/Y‑STR techniques, and cross‑jurisdiction lab cooperation produced a major lead that brought long‑awaited answers for victims’ families.
Servant Girl Annihilator (recap — unsolved 1884–1886 Austin killing spree)
- Overview: A string of brutal axe/knife attacks and murders in Austin (beginning Dec 1884, continuing through 1885) targeted women — many victims were dragged into yards, raped and murdered. The crimes caused citywide panic (curfews, vigilante patrols, Pinkerton detectives hired, many arrests but no conviction).
- Pattern and clues: similar modus operandi across attacks; some victims had a sharp object inserted in the ear; contemporaneous witnesses described an odd, sometimes disguised attacker; a reported bloody footprint with a missing toe (a commonly referenced forensic clue in accounts).
- Suspects & theories: numerous theories circulated at the time (including a “Malay cook” named Maurice who left Austin and was rumored to have been Jack the Ripper — an unproven and speculative line of lore). No conclusive perpetrator; the spree stopped after a violent confrontation in which a suspect (Nathan Elgin in the retelling) was fatally shot — his shoe reportedly matched the missing‑toe footprint, but because he was dead no trial resolved things definitively.
- Modern notes: in 2017 archivists uncovered old inquest files and trial records which were put on display but did not solve the case. The murders remain historically notorious and unsolved.
Notable insights & quotes
- Cold‑case humility: Karen and Georgia highlight how modern cold‑case work often requires admitting past investigative mistakes, re‑examining evidence, and using new forensic tools (like Y‑STR) to generate fresh leads.
- Performance and audience psychology: both hosts talk about how live audiences shape performance (nervousness in “cool” comedy cities like Austin, NY, LA) and how performers project expectations onto audiences.
- Cultural notes: the hosts use humor to place time and context (frozen yogurt’s 1980s/90s popularity, steak‑and‑dog lore about quiet nights), but stress the human cost behind the sensational headlines.
Important recommended follow‑ups (resources mentioned)
- HBO documentary: The Yogurt Shop Murders (recommended by hosts as timely viewing after the 2025 developments).
- Book: Who Killed These Girls? by Beverly Lowry — thorough retelling of the Yogurt Shop case (recommended for readers who want more depth; the hosts note it’s intense and not bedtime reading).
- Reporting Texas article: “The Paramount Theater, A Timeless Legacy and Its Friendly Ghosts” — primary‑source reporting on Paramount’s hauntings (referenced in the show).
- Austin Police Department statements / news conference (Sept 26/29, 2025) — for official details on the DNA/Y‑STR results and identifying Robert Brashers.
Quick factual recap (for reference)
- Original live episode recorded: Paramount (Moontower) Theater, Austin, Texas; episode release date: May 25, 2017.
- Yogurt Shop murders: December 6, 1991 — victims Amy Ayers (13), Sarah Harbison (15), Jennifer Harbison (17), Eliza Thomas (17).
- Cold‑case breakthrough discussed: Austin PD announced in late September 2025 linking the case to Robert Eugene Brashers via DNA (Y‑STR) and ballistics / shell‑type comparisons; Brashers died in a 1999 standoff.
- Servant Girl Annihilator spree: 1884–1886 Austin — unsolved; investigators and locals pursued many theories (no confirmed perpetrator).
What listeners/viewers might do next
- Watch the HBO documentary on the Yogurt Shop Murders for the most recent coverage and interviews.
- Read Beverly Lowry’s Who Killed These Girls? for a deep historical account of the Austin case.
- If interested in historical unsolved cases, look up archival coverage or the 2017 Travis County archives discovery for the Servant Girl Annihilator materials.
- Follow Austin PD and major outlets (AP, local Austin news) for official statements or follow‑ups on linked crimes attributed to Robert Brashers.
Final note
This Rewind episode is a mix of live show comedy banter and two heavyweight hometown murder retellings — one historical and still unsolved (Servant Girl Annihilator) and one cold case that finally produced a major DNA‑based lead in 2025 (Yogurt Shop Murders). The hosts emphasize both the human cost of these cases and the importance of persistent, humble cold‑case work that uses modern forensic methods to bring answers to grieving families.