Florida Woman Allegedly Shot Both Ex-Husbands on the Same Day
A Florida woman is facing the death penalty after prosecutors say she shot and killed both of her ex-husbands on the same day in December, traveling between two counties to carry out the attacks. When detectives questioned Susan Avalon about her ex-husband, she allegedly replied, "Which one?"
What Happened on December 17
According to investigators, Avalon, 54, of Citrus County, first shot Timothy Fletcher, 55, at his home in Tampa. Witnesses told detectives they saw Avalon and her vehicle in a nearby driveway around the time of the shooting. When officers arrived to conduct a welfare check, they found the back door's glass shattered and Fletcher dead from a gunshot wound inside. Detectives say multiple pieces of evidence at the scene linked Avalon to the killing.
After the shooting in Tampa, investigators say Avalon drove south to Bradenton, in Manatee County, where she shot her other ex-husband, David Scott. Scott was still alive when officers arrived and told them the shooter may have been his ex-wife. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing shots and seeing a vehicle flee the area. Investigators used her cellphone data and vehicle information to track her movements.
Authorities located Avalon in Citrus County later that evening and brought her in for questioning. When detectives asked about her ex-husband, she allegedly responded, "Which one?" That response prompted investigators to request a welfare check on Fletcher in Tampa, where he was found dead. The "which one" remark is expected to be central to prosecutors' argument that Avalon was aware both men had been targeted.
Evidence of Premeditation
Prosecutors say the killings were not impulsive. Investigators allege Avalon wore surgical gloves before carrying out the shootings, a detail they say demonstrates advance planning. The deliberate sequence of events, carrying out one shooting in Tampa, driving across county lines, and carrying out a second shooting in Bradenton, in a single day, supports the murder charges of premeditated first-degree murder filed against her in Hillsborough County.
In Manatee County, Avalon faces additional violent crimes charges in connection with the shooting of Scott, who survived. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges. No weapon has been publicly identified by investigators, and no motive has been officially stated, though both relationships ended in divorce prior to the December attacks.
Death Penalty Announced
In April, the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office formally announced it will seek the death penalty in the case tied to Fletcher's death in Tampa. Florida law permits capital punishment in cases of premeditated first-degree murder, and the alleged combination of surgical gloves, deliberate travel between targets, and the nature of both attacks made this case a candidate for that designation. The announcement places Avalon among a relatively small group of defendants facing execution in Florida's court system.
The Manatee County case involving Scott's shooting is being handled separately and is at an earlier stage. Parallel criminal proceedings in both counties are expected as the cases develop on independent timelines. The Hillsborough prosecution, where Fletcher was killed and where the death penalty has been filed, is likely to move first given its more advanced status.
What Comes Next
No trial date has been set as of late April. Avalon remains jailed in Hillsborough County. The case will be followed closely in Florida legal circles, given that it involves capital charges tied to what prosecutors describe as a carefully coordinated double homicide carried out in a single day across two counties. Cases involving the death penalty in Florida typically involve lengthy pretrial proceedings, including mental competency evaluations and extensive discovery, before reaching a jury.
David Scott's survival has given investigators a living witness who was present at one of the alleged crime scenes and was able to identify his ex-wife as a potential suspect almost immediately after the shooting. His account, along with the physical and electronic evidence gathered at both scenes, forms the core of what authorities have described as a well-documented criminal case against Avalon. Her attorneys have not publicly commented on the evidence or announced a defense strategy.
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