DNA from Coors Light Can Leads to Arrest in 1981 Cold Case Murder

POLICY WIRE — Universal City, Texas — Authorities in Texas have apprehended a suspect linked to a 1981 cold case murder, thanks to advanced forensic techniques and genetic genealogy. Kelly Lee Brower...

Editorial Desk

September 1, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Universal City, Texas — Authorities in Texas have apprehended a suspect linked to a 1981 cold case murder, thanks to advanced forensic techniques and genetic genealogy. Kelly Lee Brower now faces a capital murder charge for the death of 23-year-old Yolanda Herrera.

Herrera vanished after leaving a local bar in Universal City on April 11, 1981. Her nude body was found in a field by two children heading to school just two days later. An autopsy confirmed her death was due to multiple blunt force injuries, and evidence indicated she was sexually assaulted prior to her murder.

The investigation hit a dead end for decades until 2021, when genetic testing constructed a male DNA profile pointing to Brower. Further testing in 2025 matched this profile to entries in the FamilyTreeDNA database. Police surveillance in Arizona led to the recovery of a Coors Light can from Brower’s trash, the DNA from which matched samples taken from under Herrera’s fingernails.

Initially denying any knowledge of Herrera, Brower confessed to the crime during a subsequent interview, expressing remorse for his actions. He has been extradited to Texas to face charges. Lieutenant Stephen Rios of the Universal City Police Department praised the dedication that led to the arrest 45 years after the murder.

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Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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