A notorious cold case that gripped a Texas city for over three decades is the focus of a new four-part documentary from HBO. The Yogurt Shop Murders will premiere Monday, 4 August on HBO Max, with new episodes released weekly.
A crime that shook a city
In 1991, the brutal murder of four teenage girls at a frozen yoghurt shop in Austin, Texas shocked the local community and sparked one of the most perplexing investigations in US history.
The case remained a national story for years and continues to stir controversy and pain among the victims’ families, the accused, and law enforcement.
The HBO Original docuseries is directed by Descendant filmmaker Margaret Brown and produced by A24 and Fruit Tree. It features interviews with family members, police investigators, and the two men who were once convicted for the crime and later released after new DNA evidence emerged.
Examining memory, justice and trauma
The series draws from decades of news footage and archival materials, including interrogation room videos and audio from the initial police investigation. Viewers are taken inside a complex case where confessions led to convictions, but DNA evidence later cast doubt on the prosecution.
While the charges were eventually dropped, the shadow of presumed guilt continues to hang over the accused men. The series delves into the psychological toll on all involved, reflecting on the lasting impact of grief, the fragility of memory, and the role of media in shaping public perception.
The Yogurt Shop Murders seeks not only to revisit the crime, but also to explore the unresolved trauma it left behind, reminding viewers of the human cost of delayed justice, and the power of storytelling in seeking closure. The series premieres Monday 4 August, only on HBO Max.