Officials in Lexington, Kentucky, have solved the 1998 killing of Linda Marie Rutledge. This was a cold case that plagued many for years, and through advanced DNA and ballistic evidence, they were able to connect her murder to the infamous “Yogurt Shop Murders” that took place in Austin, Texas.
27 Years Ago
Personal Crimes Detectives officially closed the cold case and brought justice to the deceased 43-year-old woman and her family, 27 years after the investigation. The department released a statement detailing the homicide and how they ended up where they are today.
On November 7, 1998, around 7:40 a.m., the Lexington Fire Department was called to a structure fire at the Nixon Hearing Aid Center. When crews arrived at the 100 block of Malibu Drive, they found heavy smoke coming from the business. They proceeded to enter and extinguished the fire quickly. However, they unexpectedly found Rutledge dead in the back hallway. The Fayette County Coroner’s Office confirmed her cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
Breakthrough in The Case
For the last 27 years, detectives and investigators continued to work on the case and review notes from previous years. They reentered evidence, followed up on leads, and researched new technologies that could assist them in solving the case. It was not until July 2025 that Lexington police reported they made a breakthrough.
The Austin Police Department contacted the detectives on Rutledge’s case, informing them they received a match from the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network about a .380 shell casing they recovered from the Nixon Hearing Aid Center. According to police, the shell casing matched the one located in Austin after the “Yogurt Shop Murders” in December 1991.
The Kentucky State Police Forensics Lab examined the shell casings from both scenes, and initial comparisons revealed they came from the same firearm. In addition to ballistic evidence, police confirmed a DNA match from a sexual assault kit from Rutledge that was tested in September 2025, and it matched the profile in Austin.
Suspect Identified
Police identified the suspect in Rutledge’s murder as Robert Eugene Brashers, who has been dead since January 1999. “If he were alive today, he would be arrested and charged with Rutledge’s murder,” the department’s release read. This case brings Brasher’s criminal history to light and raises questions about what all he did during his reign of terror that authorities have yet to uncover.
Margaret Brown directed an HBO series about the ‘Yogurt Shop Murders’ and described the impact of his actions. “Just the ripple effect on so many people is so immense,” Brown said. “The film, the series that I made, it was really just about how the trauma sort of extended outward, starting with, of course, the families and the people who were wrongfully accused, the cops who worked on it, people who were making other films about it. It was just, you would see these ripples of so many people affected by this one man’s actions.”
Brown also expressed that having answers may provide clarity and peace for Rutledge’s family. “I think that knowing versus not knowing is always, is always a good thing,” she said. “I think it seems like it just, talking to the families that I know that that’s a, it’s just something that can stop spinning in your head.”
Authorities Release Statement
The Lexington Police Department thanked the agencies that had a hand in solving this decades-old cold case. They also ask to respect Rutledge’s family when they ask for privacy while they process this news. “The Lexington Police Department wants to honor Linda. Her life was cut short at just 43 years old, and her family has had to live with the pain of losing her and not knowing who took her life. While her case may be solved, it does not bring Linda back, but we hope that by knowing who killed her, her loved ones can begin to heal,” the department stated.
