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Four men accused in one of Austin’s most infamous murders have been declared officially innocent; two of them were convicted, one was sentenced to death. 34 years later, their records have been cleared. We’ll have more from Thursday’s exoneration hearing.
An Austin-area congressional seat is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a decade. We’re going to hear from voters in the 21st congressional district about what they want and don’t want from their next representative.
Plus, Austin FC kicks off their new season Saturday night at Q2 Stadium. We’ll go over the things to look out for on the pitch and what you can expect this season from the team and our podcast Vamos Verde.
And a rare corpse flower blooms at a carnivorous plant shop here in Austin.
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The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:08] Four men accused in one of Austin’s most infamous murders have been declared officially innocent. Two of them were convicted. One was sentenced to death. 34 years later, their records and their names have been cleared. More from Thursday’s exoneration hearing. And an Austin area congressional seat is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a decade. We’re gonna hear from voters in the 21st congressional district about what they want and what they don’t want from their next representative. That is coming up on today’s show.
KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:00:35] The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:40] Plus, Austin FC kicks off their new season Saturday night at Q2 Stadium, things to look for on the pitch and what can expect this season from the team and from our podcast, Vamos Verde, those stories and more coming up next right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there, this is Austin Signal. It’s the 20th day of February. I’m your host, Jerry Quijano. Thank you for spending part of your Friday here with listener powered public radio, KUT News. Four men implicated in Austin’s infamous yogurt shop murders were formally exonerated on Thursday. As KUT’s Andrew Weber reports, the judge’s order marks the end of a dark chapter in Austin history.
Andrew Weber [00:01:33] On a Friday night 34 years ago, Austin firefighters responded to a blaze at the store, I can’t believe it’s yogurt. When they put everything out, they discovered a scene that’s haunted the city ever since.
News Anchor 1 [00:01:43] Austin police are continuing to look for answers in the killings of four teenage girls
Andrew Weber [00:01:49] The so-called Yogurt Shop murders became synonymous with Austin. It laid bare a darker side to the self-described slacker town known for its live music scene. That’s when the lives of four young men, exonerated Thursday, were first wrapped up in this case. Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen, Maurice Pierce, and Forrest Wellborn. They were all questioned by investigators for the murders of four other teens, Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, and Jennifer and Sarah Harbison. Austin police detectives were convinced they were all involved somehow. But they couldn’t tie them to it. At least, not immediately. The case stalled for years. Then, nearly eight years to the day. Four yogurt shop murder suspects are behind bars for the deaths of four young girls. Police said they’d arrested Springsteen, Scott, Pierce, and Wellborn on suspicion of murdering the four girls. Springstean and Scott told police they’d intended on robbing the shop. Things went wrong.
News Anchor 2 [00:02:44] Investigators say Michael Scott went on to describe exactly how the victims were left in the shop and other details police say only the killers would know.
Andrew Weber [00:02:56] That information, taken after five days of interrogations, was enough to convince a Travis County jury. Springsteen was sentenced to death, Scott to life in prison. Maurice Pierce was held in Travis County jail for three years. Forrest Wellborn’s case was never taken to trial. The cases were later thrown out, but the lives of all four defendants were shattered in one way or another that day, weighed down by the presumption of guilt. For years, they were harassed by police and were cast out because of their criminal history. Capital murder arrest on all of their records. Then, last October, police said they found the man they believed killed those four girls all those years ago.
Press Conference Speaker [00:03:35] The Austin police have announced that a significant breakthrough has been made in the yogurt shop murder case. This day has been a long time coming.
Andrew Weber [00:03:45] And in December, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza announced he would seek to make amends and formally declare the four men innocent in court. Today, Judge Dana Blazey officially recognized their innocence. She said it wouldn’t make up for the decades of pain for the families of the victims or the four young men wrongfully accused of their murders.
Judge Dayna Blazey [00:04:05] The court can and does state without qualification or hesitation that you are cleared and that your innocence is affirmed.
Andrew Weber [00:04:19] At the hearing today, Mike Scott said the police who arrested him and prosecutors who convinced a jury to give him life in prison robbed him of his youth, of a full life.
Mike Scott [00:04:29] For decades I have carried the burden of wrongful conviction. Every day I have carried the weight of a crime I did not commit. No court ruling can return the years and the love that were taken from me. But it can acknowledge the truth. I am not guilty.
Andrew Weber [00:04:54] Attorney Amber Farley read a statement from Robert Springsteen, who was sentenced to death.
Amber Farley [00:04:59] I have lived every single day since October the 6th, 1999, being seen as a monster for something I did not do. I have suffered 27 years of persecution, repeated harassment, and of trying to exist and survive in this world, which has been a constant daily struggle.
Andrew Weber [00:05:23] Farley said the lives of the boys were cratered by their arrests and imprisonment. That impact is still there for three, but not for Maury’s peers. He had a mental health episode in 2010 and was shot by an Austin police officer he attempted to attack with a knife.
Amber Farley [00:05:39] This case needs to change Austin. It needs to Change Texas. It is truly a miracle that we are here. A miracle that has come too late for Maurice Pierce and has been denied for too long for Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, and Forrest Wellborn.
Andrew Weber [00:06:00] In tearful testimony, Pierce’s daughter Marissa said she will continue to fight for people wrongfully accused of crimes in Texas. She said the tunnel vision of police and prosecutors robbed him of his dignity, his mental health, and that he was just an innocent boy when he was arrested as a teen. Marissa said nobody heard him or believed him.
Maurice Pierce [00:06:22] Finally The man who made me who I am today, my best friend. My daddy. Daddy, you have your name back. The world finally hears what you were trying to say all along.
Andrew Weber [00:06:52] After the hearing, Travis County DA Jose Garza apologized to Forest Wellborn, Mike Scott, Robert Springsteen, and Maurice Pierce. He said the time for healing had begun.
Jose Garza [00:07:03] It is my sincere hope that with this closure, we can begin to heal.
Andrew Weber [00:07:13] Mike Scott, snaking through the media circus outside the courthouse entrance on his way home, smiled and hugged his loved ones. He said that time for healing was a very long time coming. I’m Andrew Weber in Austin.
Jerry Quijano [00:07:37] Early voting is underway in the Texas primaries in the 21st congressional district south of Austin. Voters are choosing a nominee to replace Chip Roy, the outgoing Republican representative. Roy has held the position since 2018 but is leaving to run for Texas Attorney General. 12 candidates are vying for the Republican nomination to represent the solidly red district. KUT’s Leigh Walden spoke to some GOP voters in the district to hear what issues are on their mind. As they head to the poles.
Leigh Walden [00:08:08] Congressional District 21 covers a diverse range of urban and rural life. It stretches across 10 different counties, from Hayes County way out to Kerr County. It’s solidly Republican. President Trump won the district by 23 points in 2024. So whoever wins the GOP primary for the seat is favored to win a place in Congress. Mary Clarkson is a longtime resident of Dripping Springs. She’s active in local Republican groups. And she says that she’s voted for Chip Roy in all of the recent elections. But has grown disenchanted with him.
Mary Clarkson [00:08:39] Chip Roy runs hot and cold all the time. He gets on the soapbox for one thing and then you don’t hear from him for a while and then he’s back on it again.
Leigh Walden [00:08:47] She’s ready for someone new. In terms of issues, Clarkson wants her next member of Congress to look out for Texas and the U.S. Equally.
Mary Clarkson [00:08:54] Secure the border when we’re doing that, secure the boarder lower taxes water
Leigh Walden [00:09:03] is a big deal for everybody. You don’t have water, you don’t have much else.” Dripping Springs is in Hayes County. On Monday, the county judge called for stricter water regulations and a moratorium on building permits for facilities that use a lot of water. The other side of the district, Kerrville, is no stranger to droughts and water problems. George Hammerline says he and other Republicans in the area are also keeping an eye on new developments that use lot of water.
George Hammerline [00:09:26] And I know it’s probably not a very, what you would think, being in downtown Austin, a very traditional Republican position, but we’re real against having desks or battery energy storage systems here or data centers that require a lot of water usage and electrical usage because we’re tapped out as far as water. You can only put so many straws in the same glass.
Leigh Walden [00:09:50] Hammerline says that his next representative needs to protect local water rights. He says that most of his other views fall in line with standard Republican talking points. He’s pro-military, securing the border, and lowering taxes. Like Clarkson, he’s got mixed feelings about Chip Roy.
George Hammerline [00:10:05] I do think he was made a little too much for Fox TV, you know, like, oh, let me go tell everyone what I don’t like, what the president’s doing, then I’ll fold right at the end, you know, right before the government shut down or something like that.
Leigh Walden [00:10:20] President Trump has endorsed Mark DeSherah for the GOP primary in District 21. DeSharah is a former Texas Rangers baseball player. But Trump’s endorsement doesn’t matter so much to everyone. Blake is a voter in Wimberley. He didn’t want to give his last name, but he says he doesn’t make voting decisions based on endorsements, or often even specific issues.
Blake [00:10:40] I don’t follow what he wants on this stuff. This is between what I feel is right according to my Bible and the best candidate that’s going to represent that.
Leigh Walden [00:10:50] If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the race for the Republican nomination will go to a runoff in May. With 12 names on the primary ballot, the odds of a run off are pretty high. That hasn’t lowered the stakes for the voters I talked to.
Mary Clarkson [00:11:03] You really have to do your homework. And don’t just take it for granted what you read here or there. You need to go and listen. When they’re coming near your town, go out and see them.
Leigh Walden [00:11:14] From Hayes County, I’m Leigh Walden.
Jerry Quijano [00:11:16] And early voting runs through February 27th, primary election day is March 3rd. We have voter guides for Hayes, Travis, and Williamson counties at kut.org. Also there, the city of Austin repainted three experimental crosswalks this week after federal officials shut down a safety study before it was over. That study was looking at how colorful pavement like rainbow crosswalk’s affect pedestrian safety. The crosswalks were on Morrow at Watson, Manor Road at Leona, and Pedernales at Webberville Road. You can read more about that story at KUT.org. More Austin Signal after this break.
Drew Martinez [00:11:59] Hi, my name is Drew Martinez and I’m the owner of Carnivoro and you’re listening to Austin Signal. Carnivoro has been operating since about 2011. It was a sideline business for a long time because I’m actually a tech guy that just has been passionate about these plants for like 30 years. So it was always the dream to have a nursery like this. And so we moved to Austin, let’s see, in 2015. Austin’s weird, right? Like, keep Austin weird. Like, what’s a better fit than weird plants? So we are looking at an African corpse flower. The scientific name is Pseudohydrosamine gabouense. This is native to Gaboon and other areas in West Africa, and it is an endangered corpse flower and they have evolved to produce very large flowers that are very stinky. And that’s because they rely on flies and other insects that are attracted to carrion or dead animals to pollinate them. And they need to be stinky to be able to attract those flies from miles away because it’s actually a pretty rare plant. Wow, this is a very endangered plant. So we’ve grown this plant from seed for the last decade and it has finally bloomed this year. So the structure of this plant, let’s see, well, first you’ll notice the, it’s kind of like a fleshy kind of color to it, right? That’s, that is by evolution. It’s trying to attract things that are attracted to flesh. And so it’s large, right, you notice the shape, right. Well, I mean, what better kind of a, like a, an exhaust pipe, I guess, for a, for, for smell that it needs to produce. The inside of it is actually, it just like a little stick. It is called a, And the little stick is, it’s got male and female parts to the flower. So it’s both shedding and also like receptive so it can get pollinated and produce seed They generate bloom for not very long, so like 24, 48, maybe 72 hours, and then they’ll go down. That’s pretty ubiquitous with the corpse flowers. We actually have been in contact with other botanical gardens who have pollen and who have flowered these before, and we’re actually collaborating with them to try to create seed here so we can distribute them across more botanically gardens and other greenhouses. Just genetic diversity is key for endangered species. My name is Drew Martinez. I’m the owner of Carnivoro and this is Austin Signal.
Jerry Quijano [00:14:35] And if you missed the window to get out and smell the corpse flower, there are other weird plants to catch at carnivoro out in far west Austin. We’re going to have a link to more in the story by KUT’s digital producer, Chelsea Zhu in the podcast show notes. The Major League Soccer season kicks off this weekend here in Austin with the Verde and Black opening the 2026 campaign in front of their home fans Saturday night out at Q2 Stadium. Along with the new season of Action, there’s a new season at Vamos Verde. That’s the podcast from KUT, KUTX Studios. That is all about Austin FC. Joining us now to talk about the season of the show and the season football up ahead is KUT’s Juan Diego Garcia. He’s one of the co-hosts of Vamos Verde Juan. Thanks for being here. So let’s talk Austin FC, we are on the precipice of a new season, which means anything is possible right now. What’s got you most excited ahead of the start of this particular season?
Juan Diego Garcia [00:15:38] Ooh, that’s tough. I would say the relative uncertainty that we have, given the fact that this is relatively a very similar squad that you saw last year.
Jerry Quijano [00:15:52] Hmm, okay.
Juan Diego Garcia [00:15:53] It’s the second year under head coach Nico Estevez. A lot of the same stars are around, but they did change some things up. They sold one of their key players. They brought in a different player that had a lot of success in Major League Soccer. I’m talking about winger Facundo Torres. And they seem to go through the roster and target certain areas with upgrades. The thing that I noticed about it is… The team seemed to prioritize getting cheaper, younger, and more versatile. And that might give the coach a few more tools in the tool belt to tackle the new season. They’re building off of a year where they made it back to the playoffs, got through as the sixth place team in the Western Conference, and they made a cup final. So like you said, this is the season of opportunity. Anything is possible at this stage of the season.
Jerry Quijano [00:16:44] Let’s talk a little bit more about Facundo Torres. What number is he going to be wearing for Austin FC so people can keep an eye out for him? And what kind of style of play should they expect to see from him?
Juan Diego Garcia [00:16:54] Yeah, so Facundo Torres is going to be wearing the number 11, and the thing folks can expect is this dude is going be going for goal. That is the thing that he did best at Orlando, which was his first stop in Major League Soccer. He left there as the club’s all-time record goal scorer, and he still holds that title over in Orlando. The guy scored goals for fun in Major League Soccer, now he’s back and We know that Austin FC struggled to score goals, so logic would have it. If you’ve got a guy that scores them for fun, you’re gonna score more goals this year than you did last year.
Jerry Quijano [00:17:30] Absolutely. Last year, speaking of, we saw that Owen Wolfe had a big year for Austin FC. Fans were very, very excited about that. Is there somebody that you’re expecting to kind of have a breakout season for the team this year?
Juan Diego Garcia [00:17:45] That is a very good question. I am going to say I’m keeping an eye on Mirto Uzuni for a very particular reason. It’s not necessarily that he has a lower set of expectations around the team. It’s actually more the fact that there were such high expectations for the guy when he was brought in last year. And all of last year, he really struggled to get going. It seemed like he never could find his rhythm. He never could found himself in the right place. And when he did, at the right time, that sort of final touch sometimes eluded him a little bit. Now we do see a pattern in Major League Soccer where sometimes players that come in from abroad, it takes them at least a year, sometimes a little longer to really get settled in. And I know Uzuni had some personal struggles going on last year. His wife spent a big part of the year out of the country away from him. And in that time, she also birthed their first child. So that’s something that would affect anybody. And it adds on to the already sky high expectations on a guy who, you know, Austin FC broke their transfer record for him, they brought him in, he was supposed to be this like goal scoring machine. And he hasn’t quite lived up to that. So I don’t know if he is going to start scoring goals for fun like his new teammate Facundo Torres, but I do think another year in Nico Estevez’s system, another year gelling with his teammates, and just another year on the league, usually that does wonders to players who are maybe struggling when they first arrive in the league. But Jury’s still out on Mirto and what he can do, but ultimately now things are in his hands to kind of prove to the Austin faithful that he was worth every any of that. Expensive transfer fee.
Jerry Quijano [00:19:36] Well, speaking of another year, we have another season of football, but we have another season, uh, of vamos verde. That’s the podcast that you co-host along with Jimmy Moss, your first episode launched this week on Thursday. Uh, what was featured?
Juan Diego Garcia [00:19:50] Episode one. Yeah. So in episode one, we spoke to Lindsay Mackin. She’s the front woman of the band Annabelle Chairlegs. They were just featured as a KUTX artist of the month. There was also a sneak peek at the new Austin FC shirt for 2026. Yeah, kind of a sneaky reveal, right? Yeah, yeah, it was a strategic leak, if you will. And we talked to Lindsay about soccer. She has a lifetime of enjoying and playing and watching soccer. We talked to her about her music, her history, her band, her bands, and also a little bit about the World Cup. She had a Scottish grandfather, so her allegiance is a little split heading into the World cup, and obviously she and I are very excited to see the Scottish national team. In the World Cup for the first time since 1998. It’s the first they’ve been in the World Cup since before I was born, Jerry. Wow, that’s a long time, holy moly. I mean, for a person, it’s not that long. For a soccer team not in the World Cup is an eternity.
Jerry Quijano [00:20:52] Well, what else do y’all have coming up on Vodmos Better There? Are you going to be digging into more World Cup things since…
Juan Diego Garcia [00:20:58] It’s happening this summer? Forgot to mention for the first episode, we also spoke to Austin FC club president, Andy Loughnane, a little bit about him, a little about what folks can expect in the new year. Looking ahead at the World Cup, we’re gonna be doing bits here and there leading up to the World cup, but Jimmy and I will be covering the tournament on NPR. We’ll be covering it on a few of the other stations around some of the… Host cities. Oh, that’s very cool. Absolutely. It should be a lot of fun. But you’ll definitely hear a lot of chat about the World Cup on the actual podcast. And we might dedicate an episode or two specifically to the tournament because I mean, it’s it’s the biggest deal in the world. It’s one of the few things you can say is in the United States that might be bigger than the Super Bowl. So if it’s bigger than The Super Bowl, we’re gonna be there.
Jerry Quijano [00:21:46] We will be featuring everything that Vamos Verde brings to you right here on Austin Signal all season long. We have been speaking with Juan Diego Garcia. He is one of the hosts of the Vamos Verdes podcast. You can find that wherever you listen to your shows and we’ll have a link to their latest episode in the show notes for today’s episode. Juan, thank you for your time. Thanks for having me again, Jerry. And that is it for this week here on Austin Signal. Thank you for tuning in. We’re gonna have links to all the stories featured today in the podcast show notes. And in case you missed it, it was another busy week of news here in the Austin area. So you can catch up on what you might’ve missed over at kut.org slash signal. Kristin Cabrera is our managing producer and Reyna Sevilla is our technical director. Thank you to Andrew Weber, Lee Walden, and Juan Diego Garcia for their help and a special thanks to Leah Scarpelli and Rene Chavez for their help today and for the carne guisada taco. I’m your host, Jerry Quijano. We will be back with you on Monday afternoon. Have a great weekend.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
