Austin, TX

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

Published

1 year ago

August 23, 2024

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

Brother of cold case victim speaks out

Charles Wolfe, brother of 25-year-old murder victim Susan Wolfe, spoke to FOX 7 Austin after finding out that law enforcement have finally identified his sister’s alleged killer after more than 40 years. FOX 7 Austin’s Angela Shen spoke with Wolfe in this “Missing in Texas”.

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

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.

Suspect identified in 1980 homicide in Austin

The Austin Police Department has identified a suspect in connection to the 1980 murder of 25-year-old Susan Leigh Wolfe.

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.

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.

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.

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The trial of a San Antonio man charged with the 2019 murder of his wife is scheduled for next week, but the victim’s remains have not been found.

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

“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.

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.”

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.

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

High school volleyball: Three Austin area schools make state finals

Published

12 hours ago

November 16, 2025

Press Room

High school volleyball: Three Austin area schools make state finals

UIL STATE VOLLEYBALL FINALS

When/where: Thursday-Saturday in Garland.

Thursday — Class A, Blum vs. Water Valley, 3 p.m.; Class 2A DI, Jewett Leon vs. Nocona, 5 p.m.; Class 2A DII, Iola vs. Crawford, 7 p.m. Friday — Class 3A DI, Goliad vs. Bushland, 11 a.m.; Class 3A DII, Clifton vs. Boyd, 1 p.m.; Class 4A DI, La Vernia vs. Decatur, 4 p.m.; Class 4A DII, Wimberley vs. Eagle Mountain, 6 p.m. Saturday — Class 5A DI, A&M Consolidated vs. Highland Park, 11 a.m.; Class 5A DII, Cedar Park vs. Argyle, 1 p.m.; Class 6A DI, Pearland Dawson vs. Northwest Nelson, 4 p.m.; Class 6A DII, Austin High vs. Southlake Carroll, 6 p.m.

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Austin, TX

Texas Longhorns: 4 takeaways from critical 35-10 SEC loss to Georgia

Published

1 day ago

November 16, 2025

Press Room

Texas Longhorns: 4 takeaways from critical 35-10 SEC loss to Georgia

Texas Longhorns receiver Ryan Niblett (21) is tackled during the game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

In the end, it wasn’t a dramatic ending or a big play or even a big mistake that decided No. 10 Texas football’s 35-10 loss Saturday night to No. 5 Georgia. Simply put, the Bulldogs outplayed the Longhorns, had Texas’ offensive line playing on its heels, won all three phases of the game and Georgia coach Kirby Smart outcoached Steve Sarkisian.

Put all those together and you’ve got Georgia’s big win and Texas’ big loss — the Longhorns’ third loss takes them out of the SEC championship game conversation and virtually dooms their College Football Playoff hopes. Blame that Oct. 4 loss in Gainesville. The best Texas can do from here out is win out, play spoiler to Texas A&M, win on early National Signing Day next month and win its non-CFP bowl game.

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Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (1) drops a pass during the game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Texas quarterback Arch Manning was sacked three times, but he was hit and hurried all night long. The Longhorns were just 2 of 12 on third-down conversions finished with only 274 yards of total offense, ran for only 23 yards and committed nine penalties to Georgia’s one. Texas cut the lead to 14-10 on a Ryan Wingo touchdown catch late in the third quarter, but two fourth-down conversions, one touchdown and one surprise onside kick later, Georgia got the win.

WHAT CED SAID: So far, the Texas Longhorns sure do have a Georgia Bulldogs puzzle in the SEC

MORE: Does Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have a big game problem? Let’s look at the numbers.

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Here’s what we saw from Saturday’s loss:

Kirby Smart outsmarts Steve Sarkisian once again

It’s hard to argue against the facts: In three meetings between Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia’s Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs boss has coached circles around Sarkisian. To be fair to the fifth-year Texas coach, Smart has coached circles around almost everyone in his decade with Georgia, but it’s especially obvious in his matchups with Texas. Smart is a defensive-minded coach while Sarkisian’s coaching roots extend deep on the offensive side of the ball; in three meetings over the past two years, Texas has scored a total of 44 points. Oh, and Smart’s sassy onside kick Saturday in the fourth quarter was an added dash of spice that came after a touchdown drive fueled by two gutsy calls to go for it on fourth down.

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Georgia pummeled Texas through the air

The return of Michael Taaffe and Jelani McDonald from injury did not resolve Texas’ difficulties defending the pass. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 24 of his 29 attempts for 229 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the third straight signal-caller to shred the Longhorns’ secondary. Mississippi State’s Blake Shapen threw for 382 yards and five TDs in Texas’ victory Oct. 25, then Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia blitzed Texas for 365 yards and three TDs a week later.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) snaps the ball during the game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.

Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman

Non-existent running game did Arch Manning no favors

Yes, Texas quarterback Arch Manning got sacked three times for 16 yards. But take away those sacks and Texas still ran for only 36 yards on 11 carries. The Longhorns’ offense is completely reliant on Manning at this point of the season, and that imbalance shows in a matchup against an elite squad like Georgia. Manning played well with 251 yards on 27-of-43 passing, but he can’t carry the Texas offense — at least in his first season as a starter.

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Texas fails on special teams against Georgia (again)

The Longhorns did not learn from the special teams mistakes they made the last time they met these Bulldogs. Kirby Smart’s team guzumped Texas on special teams once again Saturday night, attempting and recovering a surprise onside kick in the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead. The Bulldogs used their positive field position to score a touchdown that extended the lead to 18. Texas fans will remember last year’s SEC championship game when a fourth-quarter fake punt changed the dynamic of the contest, along with a pair of missed field goals by the Longhorns.

Up next for Texas: Arkansas

Next Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium. Kickoff will be either at 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.

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At least the Longhorns won’t have to recover from Saturday’s disappointment by traveling to Fayetteville. It’s the first of two home games to close the regular season, with No. 3 Texas A&M on tap the day after Thanksgiving.

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Austin, TX

Texas high school football playoffs: Scores from Austin area games

Published

2 days ago

November 15, 2025

Press Room

Texas high school football playoffs: Scores from Austin area games

Anderson wide receiver Jay Fullmer (21) hurdles McCallum defensive lineman Tucker Satterfield (53) as the McCallum defense attempt to bring him down in the first half of the Shoal Creek Showdown as the McCallum Knights and Anderson Trojans open their football season at House Park in Austin, Aug. 28, 2025. The Trojans won the game 37-2.

Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman

Twenty Central Texas high school football teams won their opening bi-district matchups of the 2025 state playoffs, and the Anderson Trojans, who host Friendswood Saturday, hope to make it 21.

These are the first-round playoff scores involving Austin-area teams that were played Thursday and Friday.

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MORE: Our staff breaks down the Austin area’s prospects for the 2025 playoffs

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