ICYMI: Travis County District Attorney’s Office Secures Conviction in 45-Year-Old Murder Cold Case
Travis County, TX — In case you missed it, on Monday, November 10, 2025, Deck Brewer Jr.,79, pleaded guilty to Murder for the death of Susan Wolfe that took place on January 9, 1980. On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the judge sentenced Mr. Brewer to serve eight years at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
As part of the plea and after receiving his sentence, Brewer testified at the witness stand, described how the murder happened, and identified the previously unknown person with whom he committed the murder.
In August 2024, the Austin Police Department used DNA evidence to identify and charge Mr. Brewer as the suspect in the 1980 cold case homicide of University of Texas nursing student Susan Leigh Wolfe. In December 2024, a Travis County grand jury indicted Mr. Brewer for the offenses of Murder and Capital Murder.
When Mr. Brewer was identified, he was incarcerated in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections for an unrelated crime. APD placed a detainer on him to keep him in custody after he completed his sentence on August 24, 2024, and he was then extradited to the Travis County Jail.
“Our office is grateful to our dedicated staff and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold the defendant accountable and seek justice for the victim and her family,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “We hope this outcome helps the victim’s family on their healing journey.”
###