78-year-old Man Charged in 1980 Murder After DNA Evidence Links Him to Crime

78-year-old Man Charged in 1980 Murder After Dna Evidence Links Him to Crime
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A 78-year-old man has been charged with a murder committed over 40 years ago after genetic genealogy led detectives to identify him as a suspect.

Deck Brewer Jr., who is already in jail in Massachusetts, has been charged with the 1980 murder of 25-year-old Susan Leigh Wolfe, according to the Austin, Texas, Police Department.

Wolfe had recently started as a nursing student at the University of Texas at Austin when she was kidnapped, sexually raped, and murdered on January 9, 1980, according to police.

Wolfe was taken one block away from her home while walking to a friend’s house at about 10 p.m. According to authorities, a witness saw a car come to a stop before the driver exited and grabbed Wolfe in a “bear hug,” put a coat over her head, and pushed her into the back seat.

Wolfe’s body was discovered the following morning in an alley in Austin. According to authorities, her corpse showed signs of ligature strangulation, and she died from a gunshot wound to the head.

During an autopsy, a pathologist discovered indications of a sexual assault by one of the two unknown suspects seen in the car, police said.

For a year following the murder, authorities pursued dozens of leads and located dozens of vehicles that matched the witness’ description. Over the years, police said they had over 40 persons of interest and interviewed at least six suspects.

Detectives submitted evidence connected to Wolfe’s sexual assault to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory in April 2023, where forensic experts examined it and concluded it was eligible for testing, according to police.

Austin police obtained the test results in February, which created a male profile for the culprit, and removed the six suspects who were not a genetic match with the evidence, according to authorities.

authorities then submitted the profile to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which manages local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unresolved crime scene evidence, and missing people, according to authorities.
Austin police said they received a notification in March about a probable match in Massachusetts, where Brewer is presently incarcerated on unrelated charges.

Detectives had a brief interview with Brewer, who stated that he was in Austin and San Antonio, Texas, at the time of the murder. Brewer requested his right to a lawyer after learning that DNA had been discovered at the scene of a homicide, according to authorities.

Following the DNA match, an Austin judge established probable cause to prosecute Brewer with Wolfe’s murder, according to authorities.

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With more than two years of expertise in news and analysis, Eileen Stewart is a seasoned reporter. Eileen is a respected voice in this field, well-known for her sharp reporting and insightful analysis. Her writing covers a wide range of subjects, from politics to culture and more.