Shivangi Sinha
False accusations and wrongful implications in criminal cases can leave lasting consequences. In the Yogurt Shop Murders investigation, suspicion fell not just on one but on four individuals who were drawn into the spotlight. Among them was Maurice Pierce, who became the first to be arrested on suspicion. He even spent time behind bars before eventually being released. CBS’ ‘48 Hours: The Yogurt Shop Murders’ presents a detailed timeline of the case. It sheds light on how the investigation unfolded and the impact it had on those involved.
Maurice Pierce Was Arrested From a Mall Eight Days After the Incident
Maurice Pierce had grown up in Austin, Texas, and spent much of his life there. He was only 16 years old when news of the Yogurt Shop killings shook the community following the December 6, 1991, incident. A week later, on December 13, 1991, Maurice was arrested at Northcross Mall for illegally carrying a .22-caliber firearm. At the time, investigators believed that a weapon of the same caliber had been used in the crime, based on shell casings recovered from the scene, which quickly placed him under suspicion. He was taken in for questioning, where he was allegedly shown crime scene photographs and told that the weapon involved was his.
During the interrogation, Maurice allegedly confessed to the killings of Amy Ayers, Eliza Thomas, Jennifer Harbison, and Sarah Harbison. However, the very next day, Maurice recanted his statement, alleging that he had given his gun to his friend Forrest Welborn, who had allegedly confessed the killings to him. As the investigation widened, Maurice’s friends, Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen, were also considered suspects.
Maurice was even wired and sent to speak with Forrest, but the effort soon revealed several inconsistencies, and the police released them at the time. Years later, in October 1999, the case was reopened, and Maurice was arrested again on suspicion. Around the same time, Springsteen and Scott allegedly confessed to the crime, though they later withdrew their statements, saying they had been pressured into making them. Maurice, who was also held on capital murder charges, consistently maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
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Maurice Pierce Passed Away After a Reported Scuffle With the Police
Maurice Pierce remained in custody at the Travis County Jail until 2003. During that time, he fully cooperated with investigators, agreeing to polygraph tests and repeated questioning while consistently maintaining his innocence. With no evidence ultimately linking him to the crime, the charges against him were dropped, and he was released. Still, the stigma of the case followed him, and he chose to live a largely low-profile life. On December 23, 2010, Maurice was driving in North Austin when Officers Frank Wilson and Bradley Smith stopped him for what was reported to be a routine check.
According to official accounts, Maurice fled the scene on foot, and the officers pursued him. During the encounter, he allegedly produced a knife and slashed Wilson in the neck. In the ensuing struggle, officers opened fire, and Maurice died from a gunshot wound. His family later alleged that his past experiences with law enforcement influenced his reaction and contributed to the tragic outcome. In February 2026, a Travis County judge formally declared Maurice innocent and issued an apology to his family for the years of wrongful suspicion and incarceration.
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