Arrest Made in 1980 Murder Case

In a significant development in a decades-old cold case, Austin police have arrested a 78-year-old man, Deck Brewer Jr., in connection with the murder of nursing student Susan Leigh Wolfe. Wolfe, who enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin on January 9, 1980, was kidnapped just a block from her home later that night. Her body was discovered the following morning, and the case remained unsolved for over 40 years. Witnesses reported seeing a car, identified as a 1970 Dodge Polara, stop near Wolfe. The driver exited the vehicle, forcibly grabbed her, and drove away. Investigators collected DNA evidence from the crime scene, which remained dormant until recent advancements in forensic technology allowed for a match with Brewer's DNA. At the time of his arrest, Brewer was already in custody in Massachusetts on unrelated charges. Following the DNA match, police informed Brewer of the evidence linking him to the homicide, at which point he invoked his right to counsel. On August 14, 2024, the Austin Municipal Court issued an arrest warrant for Brewer, citing probable cause based on the investigation's findings. Experts in cold cases have noted that modern DNA technology has been instrumental in solving many long-standing cases, including Wolfe's. Tragically, Wolfe's parents and her former roommate have since passed away, leaving the case unresolved for decades until this recent breakthrough.