Twenty years ago, a woman died in Altamonte Springs while trying to escape from an armed kidnapper who forced her into the trunk of a car, and detectives are still searching for the suspect.
On August 31, 2004, at around 8:30 p.m., Susan Perkins and a friend were tinting windows at a salon located on Maitland Avenue when a masked Black man entered the building, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
ASPD stated on social media that the masked suspect was armed with an “unknown type of rifle.” He then ordered Perkins and her friend into a red Ford Focus that belonged to Perkins.
The suspect then ordered both victims to drive to the Washington Mutual Bank located at 500 E Altamonte Drive, where he made Perkins withdraw money from her bank account via the drive-through ATM, according to police.
At the bank, the suspect then ordered both victims into the trunk of the vehicle. ASPD stated that when the suspect began driving away from the bank, the victims managed to use an emergency release handle to open the trunk.
The victims then leaped out of the trunk. Unfortunately, Perkins’ head struck the pavement during the escape, causing fatal injuries.
According to ASPD, the suspect in this case is a Black man of medium build. At the time of the incident, he wore a mask and long-sleeve military-style jacket, and he “possibly smelled of motor oil.”
In a social media post on August 31, 2024, the Altamonte Springs Police Department stated, “It has been 20 years since this incident occurred, and we are asking if anyone has any information regarding this case to please contact (us) and help Susan’s family find some closure.”
Altamonte police are encouraging anyone with information related to this case to call 407-339-2441. Anonymous tips can also be provided by calling 1-800-423-TIPS(8477).