Copyright © 1991, The Austin American-Statesman

Kerry Haglund, Police look for links to yogurt shop slayings., 12-11-1991.

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Police look for links to yogurt shop slayings

Police on Tuesday interviewed several acquaintances of four teen-age girls found fatally shot last week in a burning yogurt parlor.

"We developed some information as of late yesterday concerning known acquaintances of the victims that have interesting backgrounds," said Austin police Lt. Andrew Waters.

But he declined to elaborate.

Police said they are still unsure whether the teens knew their assailants.

Interviews with a handful of people who were at the establishment in the hour before it closed Friday turned up nothing, Waters said. "Nobody saw anything unusual," he said.

Meanwhile, Las Cruces, N.M., police Capt. Fred Rubio said his department has called Austin on the belief that there might be links between the girls' slayings and the unsolved shooting deaths of four people at a Las Cruces bowling alley last year.

Las Cruces, a city of 60,000, continues to mourn the deaths, said Rubio, who is investigating the killings.

"We are hoping that even if it has no connection to our case, we are hoping that your community solves it," Rubio said. "It's a tragic thing for the community, and even more tragic when you can't solve the damn thing."

In Austin, four teen-age girls ranging in age from 13 to 17 were each shot in the back of the head late Friday. The girls were discovered by firefighters called to put out a two-alarm blaze at I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!, 2949 W. Anderson Lane.

In Las Cruces in February 1990, two men robbed Las Cruces Bowl of $5,000, made the witnesses lie down and shot all of them in the back of the head. The four victims ranged in age from 2 to 26, including a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old and an employee who stopped by the bowling alley as the robbery occurred. Three others were shot but did not die.

In both cases, a fire was started with items within the establishment - apparently in the hopes of destroying evidence. In Las Cruces, the men came in just before the business opened through front doors that had been unlocked. In Austin, police said the back doors of the yogurt parlor were unlocked, and there was no sign of forced entry. An undisclosed amount of money was missing.

There are some differences, however. In Austin, the teens had their hands tied. And police here are investigating the possibility of sexual assault.

"It's probably 50-50," Waters said when asked if he thought there might be any connection between the two cases. "There are some similarities, but there are some dissimilarities, too."

On Tuesday, the company had the letters identifying the business as I Can't Believe It's Yogurt! taken down and carried away.

The handful of flowers left at the shop's doors over the weekend had grown to dozens of bouquets by Tuesday. Burning candles, poems and messages to the victims and their families also were left as memorials to the victims.

An insurance adjuster went to the shop Tuesday to survey damage but was told by police that it might be a week or more before anyone is allowed inside.

Buddy Harvey, vice president of operations, said Dallas-based Brice Foods hasn't determined the establishment's future.

"It's possible we may not reopen the store," he said. Harvey would not say specifically if the company is actively looking for another location.

"We are always looking for other locations," he said.

Telephone call-in

Incidents such as the quadruple murder in Austin last week tend to accentuate concerns about crime and personal security in the community. This question, and those to appear Thursday and Friday, give readers a chance to respond to these issues by calling the American-Statesman call in poll. Responses will be published Sunday.

Q:Have you or has someone you know in Austin been a victim of a crime during the last two years?

To participate, call 445-3850. Press 1 to respond "Yes" or press 2 to respond "No."

The line will be open until 6:30 p.m. today. Sorry, no comments can be taken, and only touchtone telephones can be used to register your response.

Copyright © 1991, The Austin American-Statesman

Kerry Haglund, Police look for links to yogurt shop slayings., 12-11-1991.