In a major breakthrough in a cold case that has haunted Austin for over four decades, police have made an arrest in the 1980 murder of nursing student Susan Leigh Wolfe. The suspect, 78-year-old Deck Brewer Jr., was taken into custody by authorities after his DNA sample matched evidence found during the autopsy, according to a press release by the Austin Police Department.

On the fateful evening of January 9, 1980, Wolfe, a 25-year-old nursing student, was walking to a friend's house when she was abducted just a block away from her home. A witness reported seeing a car pull up, and the driver forcibly grabbed Wolfe, covered her head with a coat, and forced her into the vehicle. The witness described the car as a 1970 Dodge Polara.

Tragically, Wolfe's lifeless body was discovered the following morning in an alley in Austin. An autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and shot. Investigators collected DNA evidence from the crime scene, which would prove crucial in finally solving the case.

During the initial phase of the investigation, Austin Police diligently followed up on numerous leads, interviewed suspects, and examined several vehicles matching the witness's description. However, progress in the case went cold over the years. It was only in April 2023 that the case took a significant turn when evidence from the sexual assault was submitted to the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory.

This year, authorities received information suggesting a potential match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database, which compares DNA samples from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scenes, and missing persons. Subsequently, a DNA sample was obtained from Deck Brewer Jr., who claimed to have been in Austin at the time of the murder. However, upon being informed that his DNA was discovered at the homicide scene, Brewer invoked his right to counsel.

After a thorough investigation, the Austin Municipal Court found probable cause to issue an arrest warrant for the murder of Susan Leigh Wolfe against Deck Brewer Jr. on August 14, 2024. He was already in custody in Massachusetts on unrelated charges, being held by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections.

Details regarding Brewer's arraignment and his legal representation have not been immediately released. The case has raised questions about the advancements in DNA technology and its impact on solving cold cases. Cold case expert Michael Arntfield of Western University in Ontario, Canada, highlighted that the availability of sufficient DNA samples and improvements in DNA technology have played a crucial role in revisiting and solving such cases.

Sadly, Wolfe's parents and her former roommate have passed away in the years following her tragic murder. The arrest of Deck Brewer Jr. brings hope for justice and closure to the family and loved ones of Susan Leigh Wolfe, as well as the Austin community, after enduring the pain and uncertainty of her unsolved case for over four decades.