1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Crime Alert. I'm John Lemley. We begin with a major 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: breakthrough in a case that has haunted Austin, Texas for 3 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: more than three decades. Austin police say DNA testing has 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: identified a new suspect in the nineteen ninety one killings 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: of four teenage girls at the I can't believe It's 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: yogurt shop, a case that shocked the city and remained 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: unsolved for years. Authorities say DNA evidence now links the 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: killings to Robert Eugene Brasher's, a man who died in 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety nine and who investigators believed was responsible for 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: other violent crimes in several states. Austin police described the 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: development as a significant breakthrough. In nineteen ninety four, fourteens 12 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: were found bound, shot and the buildings set on fire 13 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: after the attack. Two men were once charged and later cleared, 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: and the case remained open as new forensic technology evolved. 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: The latest match came after samples from this were re 16 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: examined using modern DNA methods, producing a profile that investigators 17 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: match to Brashers. Police say the case remains open as 18 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: they continue to review evidence and explore possible connections to 19 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: crimes elsewhere. For the victims' families. The news is bittersweet. 20 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: There will be no prosecution because the suspect is deceased, 21 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: but the identification brings long sought answers. Officials plan to 22 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: release more details in the days to come. 23 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 2: Thanks John for the latest crimestice news. Go to crime 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:36,639 Speaker 2: online dot com and please join us for our daily 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: podcast Crime Stories, more crime and justice news after this 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 2: now with the latest crime and justice breaking news Crime 27 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: Online John Lemley. 28 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: In Illinois, a jury has convicted former Sengaman County Sheriff's 29 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: deputy Sean Grayson of second degree murder in the death 30 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: of Sonia Massey, a Springfield woman who called called nine 31 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: to one one to report a possible prowler. Prosecutor said 32 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: Grayson fired three shots, killing Massey inside her own home 33 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 1: after she pleaded for help. The jury rejected a first 34 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: degree murder charge, instead finding him guilty of the lesser count, 35 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: which carries a possible sentence of up to twenty years 36 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: in prison. Body camera footage showed Massey holding a pot 37 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: of hot water just moments before she was shot. The 38 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: defense argued that Grayson believed he was in danger, but 39 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: jurors concluded the use of deadly force was unjustified. The 40 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: case prompted changes in Illinois law requiring greater transparency in 41 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: the hiring and background checks of law enforcement officers. Sentencing 42 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: is set for early next year, and legal experts expect 43 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: a prison term rather than probation. In Nebraska, a man 44 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: has pleaded guilty to the murder of a parish priest 45 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: and a small town north of Omaha. Williams admitted to 46 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: killing Reverend Stephen Gutzell inside the rectory of Saint John 47 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: the Baptist Church in Fort Calhoun last December. Authorities say 48 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: the priest called nine to one one to report an 49 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: intruder armed with a knife. Deputies arrived within minutes and 50 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: found Gutzell fatally wounded near his kitchen. Investigators later recovered 51 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: a broken knife with a serrated blade at the scene. Williams, 52 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: who had prior felony convictions and was working at a 53 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: meat packing plant in Iowa, faces life in prison without 54 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: parole when he is sentenced later this month. Prosecutors decided 55 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: not to pursue the death penalty. The murder deeply affected 56 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: Fort Calhoun's small community of just over one thousand residents, 57 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: who had already been shaken by another unsolved killing earlier 58 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: that year. In northeast Ohio, a Cleveland woman has been 59 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole 60 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: for the fatal stabbing of a three year year old 61 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: boy outside a grocery store. Thirty four year old Bianca 62 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: Ellis was convicted in October of aggravated murder and several 63 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: related charges in the death of Julian Wood. Prosecutors say 64 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: Ellis stole two knives from a nearby thrift store, then 65 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: followed Julian and his mother, Margot Wood, into the parking 66 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 1: lot of a Giant Eagle supermarket in North Olmstead. There, 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: she attacked without warning, stabbing the child twice as his 68 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: mother tried to shield him. The boy died at the 69 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: hospital and his mother was treated for a shoulder wound. 70 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: Defense attorneys had entered a plea of not guilty by 71 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: reason of insanity, but jurors rejected that argument. Cuyahoga County 72 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: prosecutors described the crime as one of the most disturbing 73 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: acts of violence they have encountered, and the judge imposed 74 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: the maximum penalty allowed by law. 75 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: Thanks John for the latest crime and justice needs go 76 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: to Crime Online dot com and please join us for 77 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best 78 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 2: to find missing people, especially children, and solve unsolved homicides. 79 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 2: With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace