In a major break in a decades-old unsolved case, the Austin Police Department (APD) has identified a suspect in the 1980 cold case homicide of Susan Leigh Wolfe. The APD announced on Friday that an arrest warrant has been issued for Deck Brewer Jr., 78, in connection with Wolfe's death.

According to the APD, Wolfe was a 25-year-old University of Texas student at the time of her abduction on the night of January 9, 1980. Witnesses reported seeing a car stop, and a driver forcefully grabbing Wolfe and placing a coat over her head before forcing her into the car. The witness also noted that the car's passenger door opened, although they did not see what the passenger did.

Tragically, Wolfe's body was discovered the next morning in an alley near 2000 East 17th Street. The pathologist determined that she had been subjected to ligature strangulation and suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The autopsy further revealed evidence of sexual assault perpetrated by one of the suspects, which has been retained by the APD and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Crime Laboratory all these years.

The APD made significant efforts during the initial investigation, following numerous leads, tracking down multiple cars matching the witness's description, and interviewing several suspects across the country. However, it wasn't until April 2023 that the APD's Cold Case Unit submitted evidence related to the sexual assault to the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory for evaluation.

In February 2024, test results produced a male Short Tandem Repeat (STR) profile, which eliminated six known suspects. The profile was then entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), leading to a notification from the Texas DPS in March that a potential match had been found in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts State Police Forensic Services Division report identified Deck Brewer Jr., a 78-year-old currently incarcerated in a Massachusetts prison on unrelated charges, as the possible contributor to the STR profile. Following the issuance of a DNA search warrant, APD detectives obtained a DNA sample from Brewer Jr. and conducted an interview on July 13, during which he invoked his right to counsel.

On July 23, the APD received the results of the comparison between Brewer Jr.'s DNA and the evidence found during Wolfe's autopsy. The analysis determined that Brewer Jr. could not be excluded as the contributor of a partial major component in the DNA profile. The probability of selecting an unrelated person at random who could be the contributor of this component is astoundingly low, approximately 1 in 550.5 quintillion.

On August 14, the Austin Municipal Court found probable cause and issued an arrest warrant charging Deck Brewer Jr. with the murder of Susan Leigh Wolfe. As the investigation continues, the APD is actively pursuing leads to identify the passenger who was present in the car during Wolfe's abduction.

Anyone with information relevant to this case is urged to contact the APD Cold Case unit at 512-974-5250. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program via austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477.

The arrest warrant for Deck Brewer Jr. is being sought, and more updates will be provided as information becomes available.