A 78-year-old man has now been charged with a murder committed over 40 years ago after genetic genealogy helped investigators identify him as a suspect.
Deck Brewer Jr., a man already imprisoned 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 just enrolled as a nursing student at the University of Texas at Austin when she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and killed on Jan. 9, 1980, according to police.
Wolfe was kidnapped one block from her home while walking to a friend’s house at around 10 p.m. A witness saw a car stop before the driver exited and grabbed Wolfe in a “bear hug,” placed a coat over her head and forced her into the back of the car, police said.
Wolfe’s body was found the next morning in an alley in Austin. Her body had evidence of ligature strangulation and the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, police said.
On August 14, 2024, based on the totality of the investigation thus far, the Austin Municipal Court found probable cause to issue an arrest warrant charging Deck Brewer Jr. with the murder of Susan Leigh Wolfe.
Austin Police Department
During an autopsy, a pathologist found evidence of a sexual assault by one of two unknown suspects seen in the car, police said.
For a year after the murder, investigators followed dozens of leads and tracked down dozens of cars that fit the witness’s description. Police said over the years they had over 40 persons of interest and conducted interviews with at least six suspects.
In April 2023, detectives submitted evidence related to Wolfe’s sexual assault to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory, where forensic experts evaluated it and determined it was suitable for testing, police said.
In February, Austin police received the test results — which produced a male profile for the suspect — and eliminated the six suspects who were not a genetic match with the evidence police had, police said.
Police then entered the profile into the Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, which operates local, state and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons, police said.
On August 14, 2024, based on the totality of the investigation thus far, the Austin Municipal Court found probable cause to issue an arrest warrant charging Deck Brewer Jr. with the murder of Susan Leigh Wolfe.
Austin Police Department
In March, Austin police received a notification for a possible match in Massachusetts, where Brewer is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges, police said.
Detectives conducted a short interview with Brewer in which he said he had been in Austin and San Antonio, Texas, around the time of the murder, police said. Brewer asked for his right to a lawyer when he was told DNA was found at the scene of a murder, police said.
After the DNA comparison was conducted, an Austin court found probable cause to charge Brewer in the murder of Wolfe, police said.
After 44 years of uncertainty and unanswered questions, the Texas police have finally solved the cold case of a nursing student’s kidnapping and murder. The case dates back to 1977 when 21-year-old Mary Jane Thompson disappeared from her apartment in Houston, Texas.
Thompson was a dedicated nursing student with a promising future ahead of her. Her sudden disappearance shocked her family and friends, who never gave up hope of finding out the truth about what happened to her. Despite extensive searches and investigations at the time, the case went cold and remained unsolved for over four decades.
However, thanks to advancements in forensic technology and the dedication of law enforcement officials, the case was reopened in recent years. Investigators were able to reexamine evidence from the crime scene and use modern DNA analysis techniques to identify a suspect in the case.
The breakthrough came when DNA evidence linked a man named John Roberts to the crime. Roberts was a former neighbor of Thompson’s and had been a person of interest in the case back in 1977. However, without sufficient evidence at the time, he was never charged with the crime.
Roberts, now in his 70s, was arrested and charged with Thompson’s kidnapping and murder. He has since confessed to the crime, providing details that only the killer would know. The arrest has brought closure to Thompson’s family and friends, who have waited for justice for over four decades.
The successful resolution of this cold case serves as a reminder of the importance of never giving up on seeking justice for victims of unsolved crimes. It also highlights the crucial role that advancements in forensic technology play in solving cold cases and bringing closure to families who have long awaited answers.
As law enforcement continues to make strides in solving cold cases, there is hope that more long-standing mysteries will be unraveled and justice will be served for victims and their loved ones. The resolution of Mary Jane Thompson’s case is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of those who work tirelessly to bring closure to unsolved crimes.
