A Florida woman has been charged with second-degree homicide after police said she fatally shot both of her ex-husbands at their homes, using a stolen Panera Bread to pose as a delivery driver in order to access one of the residences.
Authorities with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed during a press conference on Thursday, December 18, that Susan Avalon was arrested in connection to the deaths of her two ex-husbands.
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells explained that deputies arrived at Avalon’s home and waited for Citrus County police to also get to the scene. Avalon, 51, later exited her home with “bleach and cleaning rags” before she got inside her silver Honda Odyssey parked in her driveway and started to “wipe down the car.”
The detectives told Avalon they were there to talk about her ex-husband, to which she responded, “Which one?”
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into the matter when deputies responded to calls of a shooting at a Bradenton, Florida, home on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 17. Police discovered a 54-year-old man had been shot twice, though he was still alert and able to talk. When deputies asked who could have shot him, the man said it was “possibly my ex-wife.”
The man’s 15-year-old daughter, whom he shared with Avalon, was in the home at the time of the shooting. While she told authorities she didn’t see the shooting take place, she heard three shots fired before she saw a silver Honda Odyssey drive away. Wells added that the teenager reported seeing the alleged shooter wearing a gray sweatshirt and a surgical mask.
The man was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries on December 17.
As detectives investigated the scene, they discovered that the suspect brought a bag of food from Panera Bread to the house. Wells said that the suspect “start[ed] to fire immediately” when the victim opened the door.
Investigators then went to a Panera Bread location about a mile and a half away, where they obtained surveillance video that showed the suspect walking over to the food delivery stand to pick up a bag where the DoorDash and Uber Eats orders are placed.
Investigators were able to confirm that Avalon was previously married to the victim. Wells explained that they divorced 11 years ago and she allegedly owed him “about $4,000” in child support. Additionally, police were able to confirm that Avalon drove a silver Honda Odyssey.
After Avalon told deputies she had more than one ex-husband, Wells claimed she started making comments about one of her ex-husband’s being a “molester” and “child abuser.”
Investigators then looked into tracking down Avalon’s second ex-husband, who lived in Tampa. Tampa Police Department officers responded to the second ex-husband’s home, where they found damage to the property’s back door before they discovered the man’s body with gunshot wounds.
Detectives spoke to Avalon’s current boyfriend, who confirmed she came home wearing the same gray sweatshirt that the suspect was wearing in the Panera Bread video.
Avalon was then arrested and was charged with second-degree homicide. Wells added that detectives are working with the state attorney to upgrade the charge to first-degree murder and pursue the death penalty.
She is currently in custody in Citrus County, according to jail records reviewed by Luxury Handbag Shopping.
