A 39-year-old woman reported missing in Brevard County was found dead earlier this week, according to the sheriff.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced the investigation Thursday in a pre-recorded video posted to Facebook. Media was not invited.
According to the sheriff, Amber Renee Estep was originally reported missing on Jan. 19 by her mother when she didn’t show up for work for several shifts.
Investigators learned she was last seen by her husband on Jan. 16, and she was later found dead off State Road 46 near Pit Bull Lane on Saturday, Jan. 20.
According to Ivey, Brian Estep, her husband, said he and Amber got into an argument after a medical appointment on Jan. 16 and he dropped her off along I-95, just north of State Road 50, after “she requested to be let out of the vehicle.”
“Now, as many of you have seen on social media and some of you have even shared with our agency, within several hours after our agents interviewed Estep, his pickup truck was found in Port St. John completely engulfed in flames. Various witnesses saw the truck and reported it to law enforcement and our team is currently working with the fire marshal’s office to determine exactly what took place and the cause of the blaze,” Ivey said in the video.
The Esteps’ neighbors in Port St. John, Jessica Cody and Noah Castillo, couldn’t believe what the sheriff said happened.
“That’s pretty shocking,” Cody said. “Very suspicious, that would explain why we haven’t seen the truck, lately.”
The sheriff said Brian Estep is cooperating with the investigation.
“About a week ago, there was all night long, just police on the street,” Castillo said.
Estep was seen Friday at his home. His neighbors said they don’t plan on asking him what happened to his wife.
“We could probably ask, but I don’t think he would give us an answer,” Cody said.
I don’t think he’d be very thrilled with that,” Castillo added.
The neighbors said they never saw any issues between the couple across the street.
“I usually always see the brown truck carrying a big ol’ ATV behind it,” Castillo said. “Seemed like everything was going good, having fun. Wouldn’t expect this at all.”
Ivey said agents from the office’s homicide and crime scene units are currently conducting interviews and examining evidence “to bring Amber’s killer to justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 321-633-8413 or Crimeline.
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