Citrus County Woman Arrested in Connection with Double Homicide in Bradenton and Tampa
Citrus County Woman Arrested in Connection with Double Homicide in Bradenton and Tampa
BRADENTON, Fla. – In a shocking turn of events, a Citrus County woman has been arrested following the discovery of two men shot dead in separate incidents in Bradenton and Tampa on Wednesday. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has charged Susan Avalon with first-degree homicide, alleging a calculated attack against her ex-husband.
The grim series of events began shortly before 3 p.m. when deputies responded to a home in the 7000 block of Chatum Light Run in Bradenton. There, they found a 54-year-old man suffering from two gunshot wounds. The victim, who was shot once in the abdomen, revealed to deputies that he believed his ex-wife, Avalon, was the assailant. At the time of the shooting, his 15-year-old daughter was present in the home, hearing the gunfire but not witnessing the attack.
Sheriff Rick Wells described the scene as particularly brazen, noting that the shooting occurred in broad daylight in a busy neighborhood. “This is a very active neighborhood. It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday. Kids are coming home from school,” he said. The victim’s daughter managed to see a silver Honda Odyssey speeding away from the scene, providing crucial information to investigators.
Detectives later uncovered that Avalon had arrived at her ex-husband’s home with food from Panera Bread. Surveillance footage confirmed her presence at the restaurant, where she did not pay for the food she took. “It doesn’t get any more brazen than this,” Wells emphasized.
Further investigation revealed a troubling history between Avalon and her ex-husband, including a significant child support debt of approximately $4,000. As detectives pieced together the timeline, they discovered that Avalon had also been married to another man, who was found dead in Tampa later that day. Authorities believe she may have killed him before targeting her first ex-husband.
After tracking Avalon’s vehicle across the Sunshine Skyway into Citrus County, deputies approached her home, where they observed her attempting to clean her car with bleach and rags. When questioned, Avalon displayed confusion, even asking which ex-husband deputies were referring to.
Her live-in boyfriend reported that Avalon had recently expressed unusual sentiments, indicating she might have been contemplating drastic actions. “She told him yesterday that in case something happens to her, she loves him and she just wanted him to know that,” Wells explained.
As the investigation unfolds, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with the Tampa Police Department, and authorities are considering seeking the death penalty for Avalon. “We believe she knew what she was doing. It was planned. We believe she came here to kill her ex-husband,” Sheriff Wells stated.
Avalon is currently in custody, facing serious charges that could lead to significant legal repercussions as the investigation continues.