News and Investigations

Bartow man with extensive criminal history charged with the murder of Tammy Butler

On Thursday, March 22, 2018, Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered the body of 58-year-old Tammy Butler at her home at 607 1^st Avenue in Mulberry during a well-being check. A friend of Butler's had called the Sheriff's Office to say she had not been seen for several days. Deputies began a death investigation and determined that she had been murdered and had been deceased for some time.

Last night, April 4, 2018, deputies arrested 53-year-old Marvin Brewer of Bartow for the brutal first-degree murder of Ms. Butler.

"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, Sheriff

Brewer has an extensive arrest/criminal history including:

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

The following information is based on interviews, evidence, and other details collected by investigators:

• Tammy Butler was located in the bathroom of her home, deceased, partially nude, with a large laceration on her neck.
• An autopsy performed by Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Nelson indicated that Ms. Butler was murdered and the cause of death was multiple incised wounds to her neck.
• During the autopsy, evidentiary samples were collected, including samples that would indicate if the killer had sex with the victim. Evidentiary swabs were delivered to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for DNA comparison and analysis.
• During the investigation, Ms. Butler's cellular telephone was collected as evidence. A forensic examination was completed on the device and a list of calls and contacts was developed. The last outgoing phone call from the victim's phone was on March 18, 2018 (Sunday) at approximately 1631. There were then four missed phone calls from the same person later on Sunday March 18, 2018. All calls after this point were incoming missed calls. This indicated the victim was likely murdered between 1631 hours and 2033 hours on Sunday March 18, 2018.
• The person from Ms. Butler's last phone call was located and interviewed during the investigation. The person spoke to Ms. Butler about her EBT card, and agreed to come to the victim's house at approximately 2030 hours. When the witness arrived at the victim's residence, there was no answer at the door and all the lights were off.
• On March 29, 2018, detectives received an anonymous tip from Crime Stoppers. The tipster stated he or she overheard that the victim had been stabbed in the throat by a black male. When detectives received this information, the way in which the victim was murdered had not been released to the general public. The tipster was re-contacted for more information by Crime Stoppers. On March 30, 2018, the tipster provided the description of the black male as being approximately 50 years old, 6'3" tall and heavy set and called "Marv."
• On March 30, 2018, FDLE analysists determined from Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), that the DNA profile of Marvin Brewer (B/M DOB 03/03/1965) was present within the victim's vagina, and confirmed the DNA was from semen. Only two profiles were present: Tammy Butler and Marvin Brewer.
• Through analysis of Ms. Butler's phone, a phone number with a 786 area code called the victim's phone on March 18, 2018 at 1122 hours. Through a records search, this number was determined to belong to Marvin Brewer.
• On April 4, 2018, detectives located Brewer in Bartow, Florida and the following information was obtained during the interview:
• Brewer knew the victim, Tammy Butler, and he used to live with her at her residence.
• Brewer admitted he was at the residence at the approximated time and date she was murdered.
• He admitted to being at the residence at the time of her last known phone call (the phone call that mentioned the victim's EBT card).
• Brewer said he had sex with Ms. Butler and told several inconsistent stories about details that were known to be untrue by detectives based on evidence at the scene.
• Detectives collected video surveillance in the area that confirmed Brewer was in the area where Ms. Butler lived driving a gray Saturn around the time of the murder. Brewer confirmed the vehicle from the surveillance video was the vehicle he was driving, and confirmed that it was the direction he traveled after he left the victim's residence.

Based on the information and evidence collected during the investigation, Brewer was charged with the act of First Degree Murder.