The settlement would be a historic amount for the city and may require loans to pay out.
AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin has reached a tentative $35 million settlement with four men wrongly accused in the Austin yogurt shop murders.
The settlement would be a historic amount for the city and rivals many wrongful conviction settlements across the country.
KVUE has learned the city may have to take out a loan to pay the settlement, though that has not been determined. The settlement and its funding would require City Council approval, which is expected within about a week.
“This settlement closes the final chapter of a devastating story in Austin’s history,” said Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax. “For 34 years our community sought answers to this senseless and heartbreaking crime, and, thanks to the dedicated commitment of the Austin Police Department, we delivered those answers in September 2025. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with those who were wrongly accused and wrongly convicted in this case and hope that this settlement brings a sense of closure to everyone affected by this horrific event.”
The four men — Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Maurice Pierce and Forrest Welborn — were declared innocent in February after what they and their families described as years of suffering tied to the wrongful accusations.
Springsteen served 10 years on Texas’ death row, and Scott was sentenced to life in prison.
Pierce spent three years in jail awaiting trial before charges were dropped. Welborn was never indicted but told KVUE in a February interview that his association with the case destroyed his life.
Their exonerations came after Austin police last year linked serial killer Robert Eugene Brashers to the yogurt shop murders and said they believe he acted alone.
A spokesperson representing Springsteen, Wellborn, and the families of Scott and Pierce released this statement:
“While no resolution can fully restore the years taken or the harm endured, this agreement represents an important step toward accountability and closure and a final step in officially clearing their names. Our clients remain focused not only on their own healing, but on ensuring that what happened to them never happens to anyone else.
They express their appreciation to the current administration of the City of Austin for its willingness to engage constructively and work toward righting the wrongs of the past. This resolution reflects a shared commitment to move forward with integrity, transparency, and meaningful reform.
Our clients also recognize the profound and lasting loss suffered by the families of the four young girls. It is our clients’ sincere hope that, after decades of uncertainty, the truth about the individual responsible for this horrific crime is now better understood, and that this brings some measure of clarity and peace to those families.
They are hopeful that this moment will serve as a catalyst for continued improvements in investigative practices, safeguards against wrongful convictions, and protections for all vulnerable individuals in the justice system. Discussions and negotiations are ongoing regarding police reforms that would help ensure that nothing like what occurred in this case ever happens again.”