Twenty-one years ago, a woman died in Altamonte Springs while trying to escape from an armed kidnapper, and detectives are seeking any information from the public that can help bring her family some closure.
Back 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.” The suspect ordered Perkins and her friend into a red Ford Focus that belonged to Perkins.
According to police, 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.
At the bank, the suspect proceeded to order 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, 2025, the Altamonte Springs Police Department stated that it has been 21 years since this incident occurred, and detectives are hoping that someone in the community has information regarding this case that can help Perkins’ 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).