Where is Justin Brewer now? Details analyzed about the key figure in Delvin Mitchell case on The Murder Tapes

Justin Brewer is currently serving an 85 year sentence in an Indiana state prison for his role in the 2019 murder of Delvin Mitchell. Convicted in 2021, Brewer remains incarcerated at a facility under the Indiana Department of Correction, with parole eligibility not until 2083.

This case, which unfolded in Evansville, Indiana, centers on a drug deal that turned deadly. On January 22, 2019, 25 year old Mitchell was found shot multiple times, including twice in the head, inside his vehicle on Frisse Avenue after a midnight 911 call reported gunshots. 

Brewer who arranged to buy marijuana from Mitchell, allegedly pulled the trigger during the transaction with his wife, Amber Brewer, assisting by driving him to the scene and later disposing of the weapon. A key tip in the summer of 2019 revived the stalled investigation, leading to the recovery of the murder weapon from Pigeon Creek and eventual arrests.

The story is featured in the Investigation Discovery series The Murder Tapes, season 10, episode 5 titled The Tipster which aired on December 18, 2025. Viewers can watch it on Investigation Discovery via cable providers, stream on Max, ID GO or Apple TV. 

The Murder Tapes: The night of the murder

On January 22, 2019, around midnight, Delvin Mitchell drove to the 2300 block of Frisse Avenue in Evansville, Indiana to sell marijuana. Justin Brewer, 33, had contacted Mitchell earlier that evening to set up the deal, as phone records later confirmed multiple calls between them.

Brewer's wife, Amber Brewer, 29, drove him to the location in their vehicle. The two joined Mitchell inside his car to complete the transaction. During this exchange, Brewer shot Mitchell several times, including fatal wounds to the right side of his head. 

Mitchell died at the scene before police arrived following a 911 report of shots fired. After the shooting, the Brewers fled the area together. Amber disposed of parts of the gun in nearby Pigeon Creek, while they drove out of Indiana toward Georgia. This quick getaway delayed initial leads as no suspects were identified right away.

The incident stemmed from a routine drug sale that escalated violently leaving Mitchell's family in grief and sparking a multi-agency probe. Electronic data from cell phones would later place the Brewers near the crime scene at the exact time, as per the Courier Press. 

The investigation begins

The Evansville Police Department was quick to respond to the Frisse Avenue location securing the area and verifying that Mitchell was indeed dead from gunshot injuries. While initial investigation entailed witness interviews and security videos, there were no obvious suspects and the investigation seemed stalled.

In June 2019, the FBI dive recovery team found the murder weapon in Pigeon Creek, close to Diamond Avenue. The bullet fragments found in Mitchell's body matched the bullet fragments in the murder weapon.

Another anonymous tip in the summer of 2019 identified Amber Brewer as a suspect of interest based on her past association with Mitchell and her cellular activity that evening. The police analyzed Brewer’s criminal record which prohibited him from owning guns since he was a felon.

Cell tower location information showed the couple was in the area around the shooting. Timelines of evidence gathered through interviews and online evidence came together through the combined task force effort involving the Evansville Police, FBI Violent Crimes Unit, and Indiana State Police, according to Tri State.

Arrests and charges

On September 25, 2019, enough evidence had assembled for the police to arrest Amber Brewer for murder, where she was being held in the Henderson, Kentucky, region. The pair led the authorities to their whereabouts in Atlanta, Georgia where they were arrested by federal authorities for possessing firearms in February 2020.

Justin Brewer pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon while a felon and he received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison. Amber pleaded guilty to delivering a weapon to a banned individual; hence, she received a sentence of time served.

Extradited to Vanderburgh County Jail, Justin Brewer was charged with murder in November 2019 and held in Knox County initially. Prosecutors alleged he fired the shots during the drug deal with Amber aiding the cover-up.

Federal and state cases ran parallel with the weapon recovery and tip providing the foundation. Both faced enhancements for firearm use and habitual offenses due to prior convictions, as reported by the Courier Press. 

Trial, sentencing, and aftermath

In May 2021, after four days of trial at the Vanderburgh Circuit Court, the jury convicted Justin Brewer of murder, with enhancement charges for firearm use and habitual offender. Amber testified against Justin Brewer under an immunity grant, relating to events of that night and disposing of the firearm.

On June 18, 2021, Judge Celia Pauli sentenced Justin Brewer to 85 years in prison: 60 years for murder, 13 years for firearm use, and 12 years for habitual offender. Amber pleaded guilty to the charge of aiding a criminal, with the sentencing being 578 days, of which the credit is for time served.

The 2022 appeal by Brewer regarding the acceptance of cell phone data, as well as the admission of the gun, was rejected by the Court of Appeals in the State of Indiana. The case marked the bringing of justice to Mitchell’s family, whose hard work toward this end occurred over two years. To date, the killer, Justin Brewer, is with the State, with Amber out, as per the Courier Press.

Stay tuned for more news and updates on The Murder Tapes upcoming episodes.