European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 04, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Conviction. To new York Timot the reminders of the a sayings of the tour teens Are everywhere from billboards to Lapel buttons. A town mourns a the four Angels gruesome slayings Force Austin residents to face big City realities by Roberto Suro the new York times nearly five months have passed since the night that four teen age girls were bound shot and set on fire in a Yogurt shop and this City still grieves. In Austin Texas Quot we will not forget Quot has become an unofficial slogan emblazoned on buttons to shirts banners and even Coffee mugs. White ribbons adorn clothing Trees and automobile radio antennas symbolizing the innocence of the victims who have come to be known As Quot the Quot four Texas Angels Quot a song has been recorded and memorial funds have been established. Billboards placards and handbills advertise a $25,000 Reward for information leading to arrests. In its mourning Austin is trying to Cope with a newfound fear of crime. The City is blessed with Hills water and the deep Shade of Texas live Oaks. For More than a Century it was a Placid state capital and University town which set its Tempo at country music bars and delighted in the parochial scheming of legislators and lobbyists. But since the mid-1970s Austin has grown office towers and subdivisions As it has become a nucleus for the nation s High technology industries. Quot Quality of life Quot was the mantra recited by City promoters now just As any death in a family brings intimations of mortality to the survivors the murders at the Yogurt shop have reminded Austin that it is on its Way to having big Cit problems. Several people who have come to austins counselling and pastoral care Center with emotional problems have spoken of the crime says the Center s director or. William e. Denham. Quot its not that this is what specifically bothers them its a Little More Distant than that Quot he said. Quot it s something that contributes to their Overall anxiety. Quot because of the Yogurt murders people say they Are scared scared to go out at night scared to be alone scared for their children. It s a kind of underlying fear people were not accustomed to  mayor Bruce Todd said he thought there were several reasons for the continuing outpouring of emotion. We get  and robberies but most of it is limited to the so called bad part of town and so our Community has been apathetic about the real problems of a growing metropolitan area. Daryl o Neal marketing director for Kool 99 Quot first of All Quot he said Quot is the horrible nature of the crime Young defenceless women brutally slain for no apparent reason at a place not perceived As a High risk location. And there a the fact that the crime remains unsolved. Also the girls were special so Well liked so involved in the Community. And you have the parents playing a role  More than any of the other parents Barbara and Frank Suraci the Mother and Stepfather of two of the victims Jennifer and Sarah Harbison have become Public figures in Austin appearing at news conferences and at ceremonies dedicating memorials. Quot we Hope that All the Public attention will make whoever did this fee afraid and exhausted Quot said mrs. Suraci a Bank credit officer Quot knowing that they cannot hide from an entire City that they will be haunted for the rest of their lives and that they might As Well just give themselves  the first Public indication of a possible break in the Case came recently when the police released a sketch of a Man seen by witnesses outside the Yogurt shop about the time of the slayings on dec. 6. Even this Small development showed How the City remains obsessed with the crime. In the first three months of the investigation police said they received nearly 1,000 phone Calls offering leads. In the first three Days after the sketch was released they got another 500. Quot we Are just about overwhelmed by the response but we Are going through All the information we get bit by bit Quot said it. Andrew Waters of the Austin police homicide squad. On the night of the slayings Jennifer Harbison 17, and her close Friend Eliza Thomas also 17, were working at an i can to believe its Yogurt shop on a Busy commercial Street in Northwest Austin a predominantly White and prosperous area of the City. Sarah Harbison 15, and her Friend Amy Ayers 13, had been at a nearby mall and sometime after 10 . They apparently walked to the Yogurt shop police said. Investigators think the killings occurred around 11, As the shop was about to close. At 11 47 ., firefighters responded to a report of a Blaze at the shop. About a half hour later after they had extinguished the flames they advised police that they had found several bodies that apparently had gunshot wounds. Police have said Little More except that there is new Yorito Tiv i Barbara and Frank Suraci the Mother and Stepfather of two victims have become Public figures in Austin campaigning for greater Public awareness of crime issues. Evidence that there was More than one assailant. A month after the crime police released an assessment of the probable personality characteristics of the killers developed with help from the Fri. The assessment speculated that the offenders were in their late teens to mid-20s, abusers of alcohol and drugs High school dropouts and As the Fri put it Quot huggy Quot in appearance. The assessment also concluded that the killers probably live near the Yogurt shop a speculation that has raised anxieties in the area Quot we get murders rapes and robberies but most of it is limited to the so called bad part of town and so our Community has been apathetic about the real problems of a growing metropolitan area Quot said Daryl of Neal marketing director for Kool 99, a radio station that _ helped organize the recording of we will not forget a song performed by 43 local celebrities and dedicated to the girls. Austin with a population of 465,000 people has a relatively Low crime rate for a City its size. According to Fri statistics Austin had 46 homicides in 1990, the last year for which City by City comparisons Are available while new Orleans which is slightly larger had 304 and fort Worth which is a Little smaller had 130. Among cities in this size Range Only Denver with 67 homicides in 1990, came close to austins Low level of bloodshed. There have been other killings to make the people of Austin feel vulnerable. On feb 27, two Brothers Ages 8 and 12, were shot in their Home while their Mother was in the Shower. Police have arrested a Man they say has admitted simply having an urge to kill. And the oct. Because of the Yogurt murders people say they Are scared scared to go out at night scared to be alone scared for their children. Its a kind of underlying fear people were not accustomed to Here. Or. William e. Denham director of counselling and pastoral care Center 16 slaying of 23 people at a cafeteria in Killeen Texas 60 Miles away seems to have had an Impact. Or. Betty Phillips who has helped coordinate counselling programs for students in the Public schools since the Yogurt shop murders said Quot its been very hard on some kids to accept Tho idea that a place like a Yogurt shop or a cafeteria can suddenly become a scene of violence. It makes them aware not just of death but of danger. It produces both grief and anxiety. And in some it can push them to self destructive or violent  Many Young people were reminded of the deaths again at the recent Austin Travis county livestock show and Rodeo. All four girls were Active in the future Farmers of America and would have participated. So they wore being commemorated with a Parade float a plaque and a scholarship fund. More events Are planned at schools through the end of the academic year mrs. Suraci said she is pleased that the schools Are continuing to remind students of her daughters lives. Quot when school ends it will be time for the kids to get on with their a a lives. They can remember the girls with Pride but they have to live in the  As for the adults of Austin she wants them to remember. Quot we want people to think about what happened to our girls so  make sure it does no to happen to theirs Quot she said. Quot it s not about fear. It s a matter of deciding As a Community that Austin can be different. It s about doing something for our children especially those at risk so that every child grows up with enough love and attention that they la never want to Hurt  Page 14 the stars and stripes saturday april 4, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 15