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Suspect in Bradenton triple murder allegedly shot wife, neighbor while 4-year-old son was in home

 
Amber Avalos and Andres Avalos dance during happier days. Andres Avalos is accused of killing Amber, 33; their neighbor, Denise Potter, 46; and Pastor James "Tripp" Battle, 31, of Bayshore Baptist Church. [Facebook]
Amber Avalos and Andres Avalos dance during happier days. Andres Avalos is accused of killing Amber, 33; their neighbor, Denise Potter, 46; and Pastor James "Tripp" Battle, 31, of Bayshore Baptist Church. [Facebook]
Published Dec. 8, 2014

The suspect in three murders last week in Bradenton killed his wife and a neighbor while his 4-year-old son was in the house, then left their bloody bodies behind to go shoot a pastor at his church, according to an arrest affidavit released Monday.

Andres Avalos Jr. allegedly confessed to the crime after he was arrested late Saturday in a mobile home park in Bradenton. The heinous killings shocked the city and initiated a multi-day manhunt for Avalos, who is accused of killing his wife, Amber, 33; their neighbor, Denise Potter, 46; and Pastor James "Tripp" Battle, 31, of Bayshore Baptist Church.

In an affidavit released by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office on Monday, a deputy wrote that authorities first responded to the church on 14th Street W about 1:22 p.m. Thursday. There they found Battle dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

His wife, Joy, the church secretary, said Avalos had come in and talked for several minutes that afternoon, "rambling on about how the world was evil."

Battle called to check on his wife then went to the office. As he was approaching, Avalos apparently rushed outside and shot him.

The deputy wrote that investigators at the church soon learned another family had called dispatchers to report that Avalos had contacted them and said "there were two bodies at his house." When authorities arrived at 1208 67th Street NW, where Avalos lived with Amber and their six kids, they found Denise Potter dead in the hallway from multiple gunshot wounds and Amber battered, shot and hanging in the laundry room, according to the affidavit.

Avalos's 4-year-old son told investigators he was there when the murders happened and his father "was the only other person in the home at the time."