Susan Marie “Suzi” Wolf, a 21-year-old white female originally from Bay City, Michigan, had recently relocated to Houston, Texas, when she was tragically murdered on September 13, 1981. She had just moved into her apartment and was reportedly carrying groceries from her car when she was attacked and fatally stabbed outside her residence. Her body was discovered near her apartment complex in Houston.
The murder of Susan Wolf was later linked to Coral Eugene Watts, a confessed serial
killer who admitted to killing or attacking numerous women across Texas and Michigan during the early 1980s. Watts, a 28-year-old male described by authorities as a psychotic woman-hater, confessed in 1982 to murdering 13 women, including Susan Wolf. His victims were predominantly young women, and many of the attacks occurred in the Houston area.
Susan Wolf's death occurred just one day after another victim, 25-year-old white female Elizabeth Montgomery, was stabbed while walking her dog near her apartment, less than two miles from where Wolf was killed. The proximity and timing of the two murders suggested a pattern, which was later confirmed by Watts' confession.
Watts was arrested in May 1982 after a failed attempt to murder two other women. Following his arrest, he led authorities to several burial sites and confessed to multiple killings, including that of Susan Wolf. His confessions helped resolve numerous unsolved cases, although in many instances, he was granted immunity in exchange for information. However, Susan Wolf's case was among those for which Watts did not receive immunity, allowing prosecutors to pursue charges.
The brutal nature of Susan Wolf's murder and the broader scope of Watts' crimes shocked the community and law enforcement alike. Her death remains one of the many tragic losses attributed to Watts' violent spree, and her story is often cited in discussions of his confessions and the investigation that ultimately brought him to justice.
