Wisconsin Woman's Killer Had Sex With Her Before Stabbing: Report

POLK COUNTY, FL — Investigators say they have arrested the man responsible for stabbing and killing a Wisconsin native who was living in Florida.

According to investigators with the Polk County Sheriff's office, 58-year-old Tammy L. Butler was stabbed and murdered by 53-year-old Marvin Brewer of Bartow. Brewer has been charged with first-degree murder.

"Our detectives did an outstanding job investigating this brutal murder. They started with very few clues and worked hard to uncover the information and evidence necessary to make an arrest. Marvin Brewer may have thought he got away with murder. Thanks to our homicide investigative team, he didn't," Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff, said.

Butler was born in Milwaukee in 1959 and was raised in the Dousman and lived in Sullivan until she moved to Mulberry, Florida in 2005. Tammy’s son Shawn was born in April of 1983 he is her only child, he is current resident of Richfield.

Around 6:15 p.m. Thursday, March 22, deputies responded the home of Tammy L. Butler to conduct a well-being check on her. Police went to her house at the request of friends, who had not spoken with her in several days. That's when deputies reported finding Butler was found in the bathroom of her home, deceased, partially nude with a laceration on her neck.

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Authorities said an autopsy performed on Butler determined that her cause of death was murder based on multiple incised wounds to her neck. During the autopsy, investigators also determined that Butler's killer had sex with her prior to her death. A DNA analysis performed during the course of the autopsy revealed that is was Brewer's DNA.

Sheriff's deputies located Brewer on April 4 in Bartow, Florida. Authorities say he was arrested as the prime suspect in Butler's murder.

According to sheriff's reports, Brewer told investigators that he had sex with Butler - yet told several inconsistent stories about details of the incident leading up to her death. Surveillance footage in the area confirmed that Brewer was in the area at the time of the Butler's death.

According to court records, Brewer has a lengthy criminal record that includes drug possession, burglary, multiple sex offenses, armed robbery of a post office and carrying a concealed weapon.

Date Agency Charge(s)
03/10/18 Bartow PD Poss. of Cocaine, Poss. of Drug Para, Traffic Viol
08/12/17 Bartow PD Poss. of Cocaine, Poss. of Drug Para, Traffic Viol
02/26/17 PCSO Burglary, Larceny
02/18/17 Bartow PD Battery, Agg Battery
09/28/15 Miami-Dade PD Contempt
12/08/14 Miami-Dade PD Contempt
2008-2010 Federal Prison Violated probation, sent to 2 years federal prison
07/22/08 Miami-Dade PD Burglary, Larceny
07/18/08 Miami-Dade PD Cocaine, Poss. of Cocaine, Destroy Evidence
01/30/08 US Probation VOP
11/14/07 N. Miami PD Sex Offense (x10)
04/30/07 US Probation VOP
02/97-05/06 Federal Prison Sentenced 11 years armed robbery of a post office
05/96-01/97 FDOC Florida State Prison
01/23/96 PCSO Burglary, Larceny, Damage Property, Poss. of Cocaine
09/08/87 Miami PD Robbery, Weapon Offense
01/88-07/91 FDOC Florida State Prison
05/19/86 Miami-Dade PD Concealed Weapon
02/12/86 Miami-Dade PD Loitering
01/06/84 Miami-Dade PD Robbery, Concealed Weapon, Weapon Offense

Image Via Crimestoppers