Death penalty on the table for mom who asked police ‘Which one?’ after allegedly killing both ex-husbands on same day
Prosecutors in Florida are moving to seek the death penalty against a woman accused of killing both of her former husbands within hours of each other — a second death that only came to light after an unusual remark during questioning.
Authorities say 51-year-old Susan Erica Avalon is charged in connection with the shootings of David Scott, 54, and Timothy Fletcher, 55, in December. Both men were fathers of her children.
Police first responded to Scott’s home in Bradenton, where he had been shot in the chest near his front door. Before dying, he told officers that the shooter was “possibly my ex-wife, Susan.” The couple’s 15-year-old daughter, who was inside the home at the time, also indicated her mother may have been involved.
Investigators tracked Avalon to her residence in Citrus County the following day, where she was reportedly seen cleaning the interior of her car with bleach. When officers told her they wanted to speak about her ex-husband, she allegedly asked, “Which one?” — prompting concern that another victim might exist.
Officers then went to Fletcher’s home in Tampa, where they discovered him dead from gunshot wounds.
According to investigators, Fletcher was killed first around midday on Dec. 17. Authorities believe Avalon then drove to Scott’s home later that afternoon and fatally shot him as well.
A clear motive has not been established, though officials say Avalon had ongoing and contentious custody disputes with both men. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
She faces a first-degree premeditated murder charge in Fletcher’s death, along with two counts of second-degree murder tied to Scott’s killing.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed this week that prosecutors intend to pursue capital punishment. Avalon is scheduled to return to court on July 9.
If convicted of first-degree murder, prosecutors would ask a jury to recommend a death sentence. That recommendation would require at least an 8–4 vote and would likely be followed by a lengthy appeals process. Florida has carried out very few executions of women since reinstating the death penalty in the 1970s, and only one woman is currently on the state’s death row.
About Post Author
