Psy 545 1-2 Journal Social Media and Psychologists

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1 1-2 Journal: Social Media and Psychologists By Wendy Grimes Southern New Hampshire University Psychology 545 Forensic Psychology Dr. Russell Ford December 8, 2023

2 The media can be both good and bad. Forensic psychology has become popular due in part to entertainment media’s fascination with the psychology and law. In crime dramas, the forensic psychologist is often shown as the omnipotent seer with the clairvoyance to diagnose pathology, instantly, as well as capture even the most brilliant criminals and manipulate the opinions of the most punitive jurors. However, even when forensic psychology makes for an entertaining story- line, the reality is just as compelling. The real experts are not gifted with a sixth sense into criminal minds. So, while the media’s imagination remains fixated on criminal minds and chasing runaway juries, the study of psychology and law provides researchers and clinicians a framework for both scientific exploration and pragmatic application. The case I found on Fox News is Yogurt Shop Murders: Texas families mark 32 years since unsolved killings of four girls. On the 32 nd anniversary of the killings of four girls found nude, gagged, and shot dead execution style in the ashes of a yogurt shop, their families and the the haunted Austin, Texas, community still haven’t seen justice served. Firefighters responding to a fire at the I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! Shop around midnight December 6, 1991, were shocked, to find the bodies of employees Eliza Thomas, 17, Jennifer Harbinson, 17, Sarah Harbinson, 15, and Amy Ayers, 13, still inside, according to reporting from KXAN. However, these teenagers were not just stuck in the blaze. The four girls were tied up, stacked on top of each other and each girl was shot in the head. Along with one of the girls had been raped. “You can’t help but relive those images, and I still see the images,” former Austin firefighter, Rene Garza told the Outlet. There was a couple that had talked with the police and mentioned, that one of the teenagers locked up the store behind them an hour earlier, according to the Austin. American-Statesman. Two of the girls, Eliza and Jennifer worked at the store, and Jennifers sister Sarah was visiting with her friend Amy. The investigators didn’t find evidence of forced entry, however, they did find that the back door was open, and the suspect or suspects could have used this to flee the scene. Two guns a .22 revolver and a .380 semi-automatic pistol-were believed to be used in the killing, according to the Statesman.

3 The investigators are thinking that the teenagers were forced into the shop’s storage room, forced to undress, bound by their own undergarments and sexually assaulted. Now, after they were killed with gunshots to the back of their heads, the suspect or suspects started a blaze to cover up their crime, using paper products from the yogurt shop doused in lighter fluid. The reward amounts for any evidence started at $25,000 then increased to $100,000 and is now at $125,000 as the months, and then years passed. Although it has been three decades, there are still no answers s to what that night. There have been many that have been interviewed and there have been many that under pressure have given a false confession to the girls’ murders. In August 1992, Austin police began searching for three men who were indicted in an unrelated abduction and sexual assault, saying they wanted to question them for the Austin quadruple homicide. However, Mexican authorities said two of the men would be prosecuted after one confessed to the girls’ killings. Unfortunately, the suspect later recanted his statement, stating that Mexican police tortured him, per the Statesman. The following year, the Outlet stated, Austin police had investigated more than 5,000 leads and still had no arrests. Police now zeroed in on four teenage boys- Maurice Pierce, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Forest Wellburn. Maurice Pierce had been found at a near by mall with a gun on him that matched the caliber of the gun used at the yogurt shop, turning police attention toward the group. Maurice, Michael, Robert, and Forest were detained and questioned several times over the years, according to People. In 1999, three of the four had confessed to the yogurt shop murders. However, there was not any physical evidence or witnesses that tied them to the scene. One of the teenagers, Michael Scott, was placed on death row in 2001, and Robert Springsteen was sentenced to life in prison the next year. During a press conference Austin Mayor Kirk Watson talked to his city, along with Chief of Police Stan Knee and District Attorney Ronnie Earle. “On December 6, 1991; we-as a city-lost our innocence. Today we regain our, confidence,” he said triumphantly. A detective on the case later admitted to withholding information that ruled out Pierce’s gun as the murder weapon. Also, another detective was caught

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4 on security footage holding a gun to Michael Scott’s head during the multi-day interrogation that led to his confession that named the other men, as reported by Texas monthly. Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen’s convictions were overturned by the Texas Court of Appeals in 2006, stated by the Death Penalty Information Center, and a later 2009 analysis of DNA found at the crime scene did not match either of the men. Although potential evidence was destroyed in the fire, police found a partial DNA profile Austin Detective John Jones said in a “48 Hours” special. The profile had 16 markers, which means it could belong to thousands of men. This is enough to eliminate a potential suspect but not to identify one. But in 2017, Austin detectives submitted the sample into a data base that matched an unidentified individual whose sample was provided by the FBI, stated by CBS News. However, federal agents never revealed the suspect’s identity, along with an arrest was never made. Last year Congressman Michael McCoul cited the yogurt shop murders when introducing the Homicide Victims’ Families Rights Act, a bill that allows for federal review and renewed investigation of cases that have gone cold at least three years. “After 30 years, we still do not know who is responsible for murdering four teenage girls at a yogurt shop, in Austin Texas,” McCaul said in a press release from his office.” By passing this legislation, we are providing not only hope, but resources to those who lost family members to federal murder cases to ensure cold cases do not stay that way.” Amy’s family has worked to keep the investigation alive, with her older brother Shawn Ayers and his wife Angie starting the Texas Attorney General’s Cold Case and Missing Persons Advisory Committee. “They’re not forgotten,” Angie told People. “They’re not given up on.” I chose this case as I decided to do Can You Point Out the Person you saw in the Park? (Eye Witness Memory and Recovered Memory). The Texas case and the amusement park case are similar with the issues of DNA Collection. Also, there were witnesses who believe they saw the girl but could not identify the suspect. In both cases, I would immediately talk to the witnesses and possibly do hypnosis to see if they can recall anything, especially where sometimes we can repress memories. I would also want all information on family backgrounds, and what

5 information the police have on possible suspects so I can see their backgrounds, to see possible motives in killing these girls. Do the suspects have a prior criminal history, what was their child- hood was like. I would also want to sit in on the questioning of possible suspects so I can watch their behavior and body language. By doing this I will get the information I need to compare with their background to rule if this is a match for a suspect or not. The violence that was used on Jennifer, Sarah, Amy, and Eliza, we are looking for two suspects who have a violent history, as this was a clearly thought-out crime. I would also advise that the suspects knew by watching the yogurt shop, what the routine was. To bind, rape, shoot them execution style and then set fire, this is someone that is cold blooded as well as a psychopath, due to not having any feeling or remorse. I also want the records from the FBI as to why they will not release the identity of the possible suspect. Something in my gut is telling me that they know who the suspects are and for some reason are not moving forward. I would take the information from all the police reports and research to build a profile on who they should be focusing on.

6 References Coultler, Christina, U.S. and World Reporter for Fox News Digital https://www.foxnews.com/us/yogurt-shop-murders-texas-families-mark-32-years-since- unsolved-killings-of-four-girls Vitriol, Joseph (March 1, 2008) The reality of Forensic Psychology Association for Psychological Science.

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