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Brother of 1980 cold case victim speaks out after police identify suspect

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Brother of 1980 cold case victim speaks out after police identify suspect


The brother of a woman murdered in 1980 is speaking out after law enforcement say they have identified her alleged killer.

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Austin police say they have identified a murder suspect in a cold case from 1980. 

On January 9, 1980, 25-year-old Susan Wolfe enrolled at the UT Austin School of Nursing. Her brother, Charles Wolfe, describes her as a great spirit.

“She was working at the state hospital at the time and really cared about people. That was kind of a crossover for her, to get her foot in the door at University of Texas,” he said. 

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Austin Police say that on that same day, around 10 p.m., she was kidnapped about a block from her home while walking to her friend’s house. 

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A witness saw a car, described as a 1970 Dodge Polara, stopping and the driver grabbing her in a bear hug, putting a coat over her head, and forcing her into the car. The witness said the passenger door also opened, but didn’t see what they did. 

Susan’s body was found the next morning in an alley on East 17th Street near Poquito Street. Police say she had been strangled, sexually assaulted, and shot in the head. 

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Charles was a junior in high school at the time. 

“I was in disbelief, denial, thinking that must be some kind of mistake. Things like that just don’t happen,” he said.

MORE MISSING IN TEXAS

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APD had over 40 people of interest, interviewed at least six suspects, some as far away as New York State. 

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“It was really tough on our family. It was like an open wound that would fester,” Charles said. “After, I’d say a decade, our family had given up.”

Last year, police sent DNA for testing. They got the results in February, which eliminated the six known suspects. The results were then entered into CODIS, a DNA database of offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.

In March, a possible match was found in Massachusetts: 78-year-old Deck Brewer, Jr. He’s incarcerated there on unrelated charges.

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He told APD detectives he had been in Austin and San Antonio around the time of Susan’s death. He has been charged with her murder.

“I was shocked, I was dumbfounded. I was just ecstatic. It was, I tell you, one of the best days of my life,” Charles said. “It’s tempered with a little cautious optimism because we want to make sure that it’s justice delayed, but not denied. I want to make sure that we bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice ultimately.”

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Susan was the big sister to two younger brothers. Their parents passed away without ever knowing who was responsible for Susan’s death.

“She’s still alive in the hearts and minds of anyone who ever knew her that was touched by her,” Charles said.

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The case isn’t closed yet. Detectives still want to know who the passenger in the car was.

If you have any information, call the APD Cold Case Unit at 512-974-5250.

“We want to heighten the visibility of this case to let people out there know there’s still someone out there. There’s someone that probably knows this individual or has seen this car, knows the history of this case. I like to encourage them to come forward, to cooperate, to help bring these people to justice. Someone knows something,” Charles said.

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Austin, TX

Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation

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Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation


AUSTIN, Texas — An update to the Austin Police Department’s (APD) procedures outlines that officers are not required to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when a person is found to have an ICE administrative warrant if they have no other arrestable charge.  

The update follows a controversial deportation from January, when a woman’s disturbance call to APD led to her detainment, alongside her 5-year-old child, who is a U.S. citizen.  

The incident led to questions from the community regarding the way APD is supposed to interact with ICE.  

In a March 4 memo, APD Police Chief Lisa Davis said that the directives provided by ICE administrative warrants could be confusing in their wording.

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According to Davis, officers have not historically regularly encountered administrative warrants while using the National Crime Information Center database, which is used to conduct identity checks. However, in 2025, federal agencies began entering a large volume of administrative warrants into the system.

According to the memo, administrative warrants are formatted in a way that looks similar to criminal warrants in the system.

The APD General Orders have been updated to clearly define the difference between criminal warrants and ICE administrative warrants, as well as specific instructions for how ICE administrative warrants should be handled moving forward.

“APD recognizes the sensitivity of this issue, not only within our city but across the nation. These policies were updated to provide clarity to our officers, ensure compliance with state law, and maintain officer discretion guided by supervisory oversight and operational consideration,” Davis said in the memo.

The updated procedures instruct officers to contact their supervisor when a person is found to have only an ICE administrative warrant, but no other arrestable criminal charge. From there, the officer or their supervisor may contact ICE, but is not required to.

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“Austin Police and City of Austin leadership share a paramount goal for Austin to be a safe city for everyone who lives, works, or visits here,” Davis said in the memo. “We particularly want to ensure that anyone who witnesses or is the victim of a crime feels secure in contacting the police for help.”

According to the memo, the entire APD staff will be required to complete new training regarding these updates.  

“In concert with the policy updates, APD is launching a public webpage to help people understand their rights and provide links to resources available from the City of Austin and community organizations, such as Know Your Rights training,” Davis said in the memo. “The webpage will also include information on the option of using APD Victim Services as an alternative to calling 9-1-1, when appropriate, and links to all general orders and policies related to immigration.”



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Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

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Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year


Cedric Ricks spoke in his own defense at his 2013 murder trial, something most defendants accused of a terrible crime do not do. Ricks confessed that he had killed his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, and her 8-year-old son. He admitted he was aggressive and had trouble controlling his anger, stating that he was “sorry about everything.” […]



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Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

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Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?


Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts. 

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average. 

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal. 

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“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.” 

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather. 

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them: 

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  • Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
  • Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication. 
  • Take a shower before going to bed.
  • Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
  • Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
  • Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen. 

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

  • Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
  • Vacuum and sweep regularly. 
  • Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly. 
  • Keep doors and windows closed.
  • Clean out the vents in your home.
  • Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
  • Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air. 
  • Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.



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