Murder Sheet: The Yogurt Shop Murders and Serial Killer Robert Eugene Brashers

Episode Date: October 28, 2025
Guests: Anne Marie Schubert (former Sacramento County District Attorney)
Hosts: Áine Cain (journalist) & Kevin Greenlee (attorney)

Episode Overview

This episode of Murder Sheet features a wide-ranging interview with Anne Marie Schubert, renowned for her leadership in prosecuting violent crimes and pioneering the use of DNA and genetic genealogy in cold case investigations. The discussion revolves around Schubert’s decades-long career, her instrumental role in the Golden State Killer arrest, and, most recently, her involvement in breaking the Austin Yogurt Shop Murders—where DNA evidence linked serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers to the 1991 slayings. Schubert also shares insights into the evolution and challenges of cold case investigations, her advocacy for increased resources and public involvement, and the critical role of humility and teamwork in solving difficult cases.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anne Marie Schubert’s Path to Becoming a Prosecutor

• [07:47] Schubert reveals she initially went to law school without a clear direction, but an internship with a “super cool, kind of hippie judge” (Lucy McCabe) exposed her to criminal law and ignited her passion for public safety.
  • Quote: “I just fell in love with this idea of public safety. ... I was very lucky that I found something that I was very passionate about.”
• [08:53] Her career focus: balancing accountability, justice for crime victims, and rehabilitation for offenders—especially in nonviolent crimes. DNA quickly became a pivotal tool in her career.

2. Pioneering Work on DNA & Cold Cases

• [10:08] First major DNA case in the mid-90s involving a teenager kidnapped and raped in Solano County, which established DNA’s reliability in California courts.
  • Quote: “I realized right away that this tool was the greatest thing we’ve ever seen for law enforcement.”
• [12:40] Schubert advocated for and set up Sacramento’s cold case unit, pursuing cases including child kidnappings, rapes, murder, and notably, the then-unsolved Golden State Killer series.
  • Quote: “The key to solving cold cases is you have to be a digger. You have to be extremely persistent. Almost the, quote, pain in the ass factor of never giving up...”
• [13:23] Details the 1979 abduction and murder of Eva Chu, a pregnant woman—solved decades later via DNA.

3. Understanding & Profiling Serial Offenders

• [17:01] Schubert explains the depravity and sociopathy common to serial killers/rapists like Joseph DeAngelo (Golden State Killer), while cautioning that not all abusers become offenders.
  • Quote: “They’re just sociopaths. Just individuals that care nothing about the rights of other human beings...”

4. The Golden State Killer Case—Breakthroughs & Impact

• [20:07] Schubert describes the GSK arrest as “like finding a needle in a haystack” but credits team persistence and innovative use of genetic genealogy.
  • Quote: “...when I first got involved with that case...I always knew that the key to solving that case was the DNA. Period.”
• Schubert highlights the “seismic shift” the case triggered in DNA-led investigations and the value for victim’s families.

5. Life After the DA’s Office—Consulting & Advocacy

• [22:40] Since retirement, Schubert remains active, consulting for law enforcement, teaching about genealogy, and advocating for better resources.
  • Quote: “There’s well over 1.3 million crime scene profiles in [CODIS] that still need to be solved...I look at this as...we have a lifetime ahead of us, far beyond my lifetime, to do the work.”

6. Public Involvement & Cold Case Funding

• [25:02] Schubert urges people to lobby for government funding and support nonprofit initiatives. She and Mindy Montford are creating a National Cold Case Association for resource pooling and crowdfunding.
  • Quote: “I’d rather give my 20 bucks to helping solve a cold case than 20 bucks to a politician. ... There’s even crowdsourcing out there.”

7. Behind the Scenes: The Yogurt Shop Murders Break

• [27:16] Schubert’s involvement began after meeting prosecutor Mindy Montford. She brought a team with both Golden State Killer and genetic genealogy expertise into the Texas investigation.
  • Quote: “...they built this team and they were—you know, they didn’t have any egos about it...”
• [30:27] Lessons and methods from the GSK case (“Golden State Killer alumni”) were applied, combining extensive data review, expert collaboration, and new laboratory technologies.
• [32:45] Describes the painstaking process of evidence review—tracking its chain through various labs and the crucial role of YSTR DNA analysis that led to eliminating false suspects and identifying Brashers.
  • Quote: “The YSTR, I think for all of us, was kind of a head scratcher...obviously, now we know it was the actual killer’s DNA.”

8. The Culture of Collaboration & Avoiding Ego

• [35:28] Schubert stresses the need for humility and openness: “Sometimes people’s egos get in the way, like, ‘If I can’t solve this damn case, nobody is.’ ... Let’s just all come together...offer our input...eliminate those egos. ... It’s about the families and the victims.”
• Removes “tunnel vision” and ensures evidence-based, not theory-based, investigation.

9. Emotional Resolution & Meeting the Victims’ Families

• [39:45, 41:03] Schubert on learning the breakthrough and meeting the Ayers family after the Yogurt Shop Murders were solved:
  • Quote: “Amy Ayers spoke for all of those other kids ... by telling us through that DNA who was the perpetrator. ... That’s what brings it all home.”
  • Meeting the family was “a little surreal,” underscoring the personal impact of resolution.

10. The Future of Cold Case Work

• [42:23] Schubert remains committed to tackling cold cases and scaling efforts through national organizations and nonprofit projects.
  • Quote: “We have the capacity to solve 90% of crime if you have DNA...Don’t we owe it to [victims] to do everything in our power to solve that for them?”
• [44:11] Emphasizes eliminating suspicion and preventing repeat offenders; cites Steve Kramer (FBI): “We have the power to eliminate the word serial from our language.”

11. Final Reflections on the Yogurt Shop Case

• [44:45] The real reason the case was solved: “...passion and persistence of the people involved...without that passion, we’re going to struggle.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Importance of Persistence:
  • “You have to be extremely persistent. Almost the, quote, pain in the ass factor of never giving up...”
    – Anne Marie Schubert [13:23]
• On Collaboration:
  • “Let’s just all come together, offer our input, eliminate those egos. Because at the end of it, this is not about us. It’s about the families and the victims.”
    – Anne Marie Schubert [35:47]
• On the Value of Genetic Genealogy:
  • “We use something that really had never been done before and it worked. And now it’s changing the world on our ability to not just solve crime, exonerate the innocent, identify people sooner than later, prevent future crime.”
    – Anne Marie Schubert [21:42]
• On the Emotional Toll:
  • “Amy Ayers spoke for all of those other kids, herself and those other victims, by telling us through that DNA who was the perpetrator.”
    – Anne Marie Schubert [40:30]
• On Responsibility to Victims:
  • “Don’t we owe it to them to do everything in our power to solve that for them?”
    – Anne Marie Schubert [43:25]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Schubert’s career origin & passion for law: [07:47]
• First DNA case and the start of cold case advocacy: [10:08]
• Reflection on Golden State Killer case: [20:07]
• Post-retirement consulting & CODIS stats: [22:40]
• Discussing funding and public involvement: [25:02]
• Getting involved in the Yogurt Shop Murders investigation: [27:16-30:27]
• Behind the scenes—the collaboration & evidence review: [32:45]
• Egos and tunnel vision in cold case work: [35:28]
• Hearing about the break in the Yogurt Shop case: [39:45]
• Meeting the Ayers family & emotional impact: [41:01]
• Vision for continued cold case advocacy: [42:23]
• Concluding thoughts on what solves cases: [44:45]

Conclusion

This episode offers a deep inside look at the relentless, collaborative, and humane work required to bring justice in some of America’s most notorious and challenging unsolved crimes. Anne Marie Schubert’s testimony stands as a tribute not just to technological advances in forensics but to the persistence, humility, and passion of investigators, prosecutors, lab scientists, and the affected families themselves.

Anyone interested in true crime, forensic science, or justice reform will find this an inspiring and informative listen. The enduring message: “Set aside the egos, and never stop digging—the answers are out there, and we owe it to the victims to find them.”