BRADENTON, Fla. (TCN) — A Florida woman has been charged with murder in connection with the deaths of her two ex-husbands.
On Dec. 18, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department identified Susan Avalon, 51, as a person of interest in a shooting in Bradenton, Florida, the previous day.
On Dec. 17, deputies arrived at the home of a 54-year-old man, who has not been named. He told them someone shot him in the abdomen when he answered the door and he believed it might have been his ex-wife, Avalon, WTVT reports. They were married for 11 years, and detectives say Avalon owed the victim $4,000 in child support.
The victim was transported to a hospital, where he died that evening.
Avalon had allegedly picked up food from a Panera Bread and brought it with her to the home to entice the owner to answer the door. Detectives learned Avalon allegedly fired at the victim as soon as he opened the door. According to surveillance video from Panera Bread, the to-go order was not Avalon’s and she did not pay for it, WTVT reports.
The victim’s 15-year-old daughter was home at the time and reportedly heard gunfire and saw a masked person in silver Honda Odyssey driving away, according to WTVT. Authorities tracked the Odyssey’s license plate and located Avalon at her home.
When deputies arrived, they saw Avalon wiping down the car with bleach and asked to speak to her about her ex-husband, WTVT reports. She reportedly asked them, “Which one?”
WWSB reports this led them to Hillsborough County to conduct a welfare check on her second ex-husband, who lived in Tampa. When they arrived at his home, the found the door had been being forced open and a man was dead on the floor from gunshot wounds.
On Dec. 18, investigators determined that the cases were related, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department.
WTVT reports the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office believes Avalon allegedly shot her second ex-husband in Tampa, went to Panera Bread, then drove to her first ex-husband’s home in Bradenton to shoot him. The Manatee County Sheriff’s office charged Avalon with first-degree homicide.
They are reportedly working with the state attorney’s office to seek the death penalty, according to WTVT. Avalon will also face charges in Hillsborough County.
