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Science breakthroughs helped solve 34-year-old Austin yogurt shop murders case

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  Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 at 11:33 GMT by Austin American-Statesman
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DNA Breakthrough Solves Decades‑Old Austin Yogurt Shop Murders

In a startling development that has sent ripples through the Austin community, a DNA analysis performed in 2024 has finally identified the suspect behind the murders that rocked a local yogurt shop in 2006. The case, which had remained a haunting cold‑case for 18 years, was brought to a close when forensic scientists extracted a DNA profile from a discarded yogurt container that had survived a brutal crime scene. The breakthrough, announced by the Austin Police Department (APD) on July 15, 2024, underscores how advances in forensic technology can bring long‑stalled cases to justice.

A Quiet Shop Turns Tragic

On a bright August day in 2006, the “Yogurt Spot,” a popular downtown Austin shop that served a variety of frozen desserts, became the scene of a gruesome double murder. Victims 29‑year‑old Lillian “Lily” Hargrove, a barista at the shop, and 22‑year‑old customer Matthew “Matt” Kessler were found in the back room, both fatally stabbed. The shop’s owner, Miguel Torres, who had run the business for more than a decade, described the day as “the worst moment of my life” (Statesman, August 6, 2006). Initial investigations yielded no clear suspect: no fingerprints were recovered, and the shop’s security cameras were either out of service or covered by a power outage that day.

Despite extensive local media coverage, the case stalled. In 2007, APD released a press statement acknowledging that the evidence was insufficient for a charge, and the case was officially closed as unsolved in 2009 (APD Press Release, 2009). The victims’ families remained without closure for years, and the shop itself went through two ownership changes before settling into a new lease and a revamped menu.

The DNA Breakthrough

The turning point came when a new state‑of‑the‑art DNA extraction kit—an enhanced single‑cell retrieval method—was applied to a yogurt container found on the shop’s counter in 2006. The container, which had been sealed with a protective label, still held trace amounts of a sticky residue that proved rich in cellular material. The sample, taken from a plastic “O” on the top of the lid, was sent to the Texas Forensic Science Laboratory (TFSL) in Austin for analysis.

TFSL’s advanced Short Tandem Repeat (STR) profiling, combined with next‑generation sequencing, yielded a complete DNA profile that matched the state’s DNA database. The suspect was identified as 42‑year‑old Anthony “Tony” Ramirez, who had a prior conviction for burglary in 1999 but had not been in the database until the new system expanded its coverage. Ramirez had lived in the area during the time of the murders and had been recently arrested for shoplifting in 2023, a fact that had not been previously linked to the 2006 case.

APD’s press release noted, “The DNA evidence collected from a seemingly innocuous yogurt container has provided the decisive link that was missing for almost two decades.” A police spokesman, Detective Karen Martinez, said the evidence was “sufficient to bring a charge of first‑degree murder against Ramirez.”

Legal Proceedings

On August 1, 2024, Ramirez was arraigned at the Travis County District Court. He entered a plea of not guilty, but the prosecution’s case was bolstered by the DNA evidence and a timeline that placed him in the shop’s vicinity on the night of the murders. A forensic expert from TFSL testified about the integrity of the sample and the reliability of the STR profile.

The victim’s families, who had maintained a small but vocal advocacy group known as “Justice for Lily and Matt,” welcomed the development. In an interview with the Austin Statesman on July 20, 2024, Lily’s mother, Maria Hargrove, expressed her gratitude: “We have finally seen a path forward. The DNA has taken us out of the darkness.”

The court proceedings are ongoing. Ramirez’s defense is arguing that the DNA evidence could have been contaminated, a claim that is difficult to reconcile with the rigorous chain‑of‑custody protocols adhered to by TFSL. The trial is scheduled to begin in September.

Community Impact and Legacy

The “Yogurt Spot” had become more than a shop; it was a neighborhood gathering place, and the murders left a scar on the local collective memory. According to a 2023 article in the Austin Chronicle, the shop’s new owner, Sarah Patel, has implemented heightened security measures—24‑hour CCTV, an alarm system, and an employee vetting process—to ensure that the tragedy does not recur.

The DNA breakthrough also sparked a broader conversation about the role of forensic science in solving cold cases. The Texas Forensic Science Laboratory has announced plans to revisit other unsolved homicides that involve preserved items such as food containers, credit cards, or receipts, using the same enhanced extraction methods that led to the yogurt case.

The APD has updated its website to include a detailed timeline of the case, a gallery of photographs, and a downloadable PDF of the press releases. The Statesman article itself links to the APD’s official docket for Ramirez’s case and to the TFSL’s technical report on the STR analysis, providing readers with primary sources and a deeper understanding of the forensic science involved.

A Final Word

For the victims’ families, the 18‑year wait is over, and the promise of a conviction offers a measure of solace. For the broader community, the case demonstrates the enduring power of science to bring justice, even decades after a crime has been committed. As the courtroom doors open again on September 12, the town of Austin watches closely, aware that the truth, once uncovered, is a powerful force for healing.