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Altamonte Springs police seek tips in 2004 cold case killing

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Published  August 31, 2025 2:04pm EDT
Seminole County News
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Police in Altamonte Springs are renewing their search for answers in the 2004 killing of Susan Perkins, who died while escaping an armed abduction.
    • Perkins and a friend were forced into her car at gunpoint, taken to a bank ATM, and locked in the trunk before managing to escape. 
    • Investigators say the suspect remains unidentified 21 years later and are urging anyone with information to contact Crimeline.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Police are renewing calls for information in the 2004 killing of a woman who died while trying to escape an armed abduction outside a Seminole County bank.

What we know:

On Aug. 31, 2004, Susan Perkins and a friend were working inside a salon on Maitland Avenue when a masked man with a rifle forced them into Perkins’ red Ford Focus, investigators said. The suspect ordered them to drive to the Washington Mutual Bank on East Altamonte Drive, where he made one of the women withdraw money from the drive-through ATM.

Susan Perkins

The gunman then forced the women into the trunk of the car. Both victims managed to pull the emergency release and leap from the moving vehicle as it left the bank. Perkins struck her head on the pavement and later died from her injuries.

The suspect was described as a Black man of medium build wearing a mask and a long-sleeve military-style jacket. Witnesses also recalled he may have smelled of motor oil.

Monday marks 21 years since the crime, and detectives said they are still seeking tips. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Altamonte Springs Police Department or call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

The Source: The information in this article comes from the Altamonte Police Department.

Seminole County NewsAltamonte SpringsCrime and Public Safety