Inset: Susan Michelle Perry. Background: Home in the 8500 block of New Oak Lane in Huntersville, North Carolina, where Perry allegedly murdered her husband (Google Maps).
A North Carolina woman who initially claimed her husband died by suicide is behind bars after her Google searches suggested she murdered him in cold blood, authorities in the Tar Heel State say.
Susan “Michelle” Perry, 54, is facing a charge of first-degree murder in the death of her 58-year-old husband Robert “Joe” Perry in Huntersville, a Charlotte suburb. Cops responded shortly before 1 p.m. Nov. 10 to a home in the 8500 block of New Oak Lane, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. Officers say that when they arrived, they found Susan Perry kneeling on the floor. A further search of the home revealed Robert Perry lying on the floor in his office suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.
A firearm was on a nearby table with blood droplets surrounding a stool.
Susan Perry reportedly told investigators she heard a “thud” as if her husband had fallen. She stated she ran to his office and saw him lying on his side in a pool of blood. She called 911.
As part of the investigation, detectives downloaded the data on the couple”s phones. Her alleged Google searches were incriminating.
“Michelle’s phone had several searches regarding how much her husband’s wedding ring is worth, what to do if your husband wants divorce and you have no money, and Google searched ‘center mass shots,'” cops wrote.
Armed with this information, cops reinterviewed her on Feb. 6, when she allegedly changed her story. She claimed the night prior to the shooting, she spoke with her husband about a possible divorce.
She said that on the day in question, they had an argument that spilled into his office. She said her husband grabbed a gun and was sitting on a stool. He was not pointing it at her but she feared he may shoot her so she grabbed it and a struggle ensued, the affidavit stated.
“She advised while she was holding the firearm, it went off, striking Joe in the chest,” cops wrote.
Detectives noted the defendant made several “inconsistent statements” about how long she waited to call 911 and where she put the gun after he was shot. A medical examiner determined the victim was shot at “close” range.
Susan Perry was arrested and placed in the Mecklenburg County Jail where she remains on $150,000 bond. She’s next slated to appear in court on Feb. 27.
