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Florida man accused of killing wife arrested in West Virginia, deputies say

By FOX 35 News Staff
Published  March 29, 2024 11:21am EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Brevard County man whose truck was found engulfed in flames following his wife's disappearance in January has been arrested in West Virginia in connection to her death, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. 

Brian Estep was arrested on Thursday at his home in Bluefield, Virginia, a small town near the West Virginia-Virginia state line, Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a pre-recorded video posted to his Facebook page late Thursday. He was booked into jail on charges of first degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence and is being held without bond, he said.

Estep is awaiting extradition to Florida to face charges in his 39-year-old wife's death, Amber Estep, Ivey said.

Amber Estep was reported missing by her mother on Jan. 19, 2024, after she had not been heard from in several days and had missed a couple of shifts at work. Her body was found the next day by a property owner along the side of State Road 46 and Pit Bill Lane in Mims, Florida, Sheriff Ivey said.

Sheriff Ivey, citing the medical examiner's report, said Amber Estep had been shot multiple times and suffered head trauma.

Florida woman found dead, husband's truck torched

Brevard County deputies located a missing woman's body a day after her husband's pickup truck was found engulfed in flames, according to new information released by the sheriff's office Thursday afternoon.

Amber Estep's disappearance was initially investigated as a missing person's report. At the time, her husband told deputies that he and Amber had gotten into an argument on Jan. 16 following a doctor's appointment in Merritt Island, Florida. He accused Amber of having extramarital affairs with multiple men, Sheriff Ivey said.

Brian reportedly told deputies that as they were driving from that appointment, Amber asked to be let out of the truck. He told deputies that Amber had been dropped off on I-95, north of State Route 50, and that he drove off. He did not call her or check on her for three days, claiming to give her space, Sheriff Ivey said in the video.

Since Estep's disappearance and death, Brian moved from Titusville, Florida to West Virginia, Sheriff Ivey said.

Brevard County detectives are working with West Virginia detectives to execute a search warrant at the West Virginia home and to extradite him back to Florida.