Topline: A 45-year-old Texas murder case has taken a dramatic turn after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can pointed them to a suspect.
Published: September 2, 2026 10:04 pm ET
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UNIVERSAL CITY, TX — A man has been arrested in the 1981 killing of 23-year-old Yolanda Herrera after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can helped identify him more than four decades after her death.
According to an arrest affidavit detailed by KARE 11 and KENS 5, Kelly Lee Brower, 68, was charged with capital murder in the cold case after modern DNA testing and forensic genealogy tied him to evidence collected in the investigation.
Herrera was last seen in the early morning hours of April 11, 1981, after leaving Johnny’s Inn in Schertz, and investigators believed she was walking home to Universal City. Two days later, her nude body was found in a field near East Aviation Boulevard. Authorities said an autopsy found multiple blunt-force injuries and indicated she may have been sexually assaulted.
Investigators said the case stayed open for decades as technology improved. Reporting on the affidavit said a male DNA profile was developed years later, and genealogy work eventually pointed detectives toward the Brower surname. Authorities said Brower had lived in Universal City at the time of the killing and later moved to Cottonwood, Arizona.
The affidavit said investigators collected a discarded Coors Light can from Brower’s Arizona residence in 2025 and found that DNA from the can matched DNA recovered from under Herrera’s fingernails, with a reported random-match probability of at least 1 in 31 billion. The same reporting said Brower’s DNA could not be excluded from the sexual-assault-kit sample and that investigators found no evidence he and Herrera knew each other before the killing.
Brower was arrested on Aug. 29, 2026, and later extradited to the Bexar County Jail, where he was being held on a $1 million bond, according to the affidavit-based reports.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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DNA From Coors Light Can Leads to Arrest in 1981 Texas Murder, Affidavit Says
A 45-year-old Texas murder case has taken a dramatic turn after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can pointed them to a suspect.
By Silvia Torres
Published: September 2, 2026 10:04 pm ET
UNIVERSAL CITY, TX — A man has been arrested in the 1981 killing of 23-year-old Yolanda Herrera after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can helped identify him more than four decades after her death.
According to an arrest affidavit detailed by KARE 11 and KENS 5, Kelly Lee Brower, 68, was charged with capital murder in the cold case after modern DNA testing and forensic genealogy tied him to evidence collected in the investigation.
Herrera was last seen in the early morning hours of April 11, 1981, after leaving Johnny’s Inn in Schertz, and investigators believed she was walking home to Universal City. Two days later, her nude body was found in a field near East Aviation Boulevard. Authorities said an autopsy found multiple blunt-force injuries and indicated she may have been sexually assaulted.
Investigators said the case stayed open for decades as technology improved. Reporting on the affidavit said a male DNA profile was developed years later, and genealogy work eventually pointed detectives toward the Brower surname. Authorities said Brower had lived in Universal City at the time of the killing and later moved to Cottonwood, Arizona.
The affidavit said investigators collected a discarded Coors Light can from Brower’s Arizona residence in 2025 and found that DNA from the can matched DNA recovered from under Herrera’s fingernails, with a reported random-match probability of at least 1 in 31 billion. The same reporting said Brower’s DNA could not be excluded from the sexual-assault-kit sample and that investigators found no evidence he and Herrera knew each other before the killing.
Brower was arrested on Aug. 29, 2026, and later extradited to the Bexar County Jail, where he was being held on a $1 million bond, according to the affidavit-based reports.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
DNA From Coors Light Can Leads to Arrest in 1981 Texas Murder, Affidavit Says
A 45-year-old Texas murder case has taken a dramatic turn after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can pointed them to a suspect.
By Silvia Torres
Published: September 2, 2026 10:04 pm ET
UNIVERSAL CITY, TX — A man has been arrested in the 1981 killing of 23-year-old Yolanda Herrera after investigators said DNA from a discarded Coors Light can helped identify him more than four decades after her death.
According to an arrest affidavit detailed by KARE 11 and KENS 5, Kelly Lee Brower, 68, was charged with capital murder in the cold case after modern DNA testing and forensic genealogy tied him to evidence collected in the investigation.
Herrera was last seen in the early morning hours of April 11, 1981, after leaving Johnny’s Inn in Schertz, and investigators believed she was walking home to Universal City. Two days later, her nude body was found in a field near East Aviation Boulevard. Authorities said an autopsy found multiple blunt-force injuries and indicated she may have been sexually assaulted.
Investigators said the case stayed open for decades as technology improved. Reporting on the affidavit said a male DNA profile was developed years later, and genealogy work eventually pointed detectives toward the Brower surname. Authorities said Brower had lived in Universal City at the time of the killing and later moved to Cottonwood, Arizona.
The affidavit said investigators collected a discarded Coors Light can from Brower’s Arizona residence in 2025 and found that DNA from the can matched DNA recovered from under Herrera’s fingernails, with a reported random-match probability of at least 1 in 31 billion. The same reporting said Brower’s DNA could not be excluded from the sexual-assault-kit sample and that investigators found no evidence he and Herrera knew each other before the killing.
Brower was arrested on Aug. 29, 2026, and later extradited to the Bexar County Jail, where he was being held on a $1 million bond, according to the affidavit-based reports.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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