In a remarkable breakthrough that has ended a 46-year mystery, Florida investigators have finally put a name to the man responsible for the brutal kidnapping and murder of Susan Perkins, a case that has haunted Volusia County since 1978.
The Day That Shattered a Family
On September 16, 1978, the Perkins family's world turned upside down when 22-year-old Susan was violently abducted from her Daytona Beach home. The terrifying incident unfolded as an armed intruder burst into the residence, threatening Susan's mother and sister before forcing the young woman into his vehicle.
"He threatened to kill us all," recalled Susan's sister, Debbie Bredemeyer, in a recent interview. "He said he'd come back and murder everyone if we called the police."
Decades of Dead Ends and Heartbreak
For nearly half a century, the case grew colder with each passing year. Susan's remains were discovered months after her disappearance in a wooded area of Ormond Beach, but the identity of her kidnapper remained one of Florida's most frustrating unsolved mysteries.
"We never gave up hope," said Susan's brother, David Perkins. "Every birthday, every holiday, there was always that empty space at the table. We needed answers."
Modern Science Cracks the Case
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit, working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Othram Inc., a private forensic genealogy company, finally achieved what seemed impossible. Using advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy, they identified the perpetrator as William Irving Monroe III.
Monroe, who died in 2006, was a violent criminal with a history of sexual assault and kidnapping convictions. The investigation revealed he was living just miles from the Perkins family home at the time of Susan's abduction.
A Family's Long-Awaited Closure
While the identification brings no possibility of prosecution, it has provided the Perkins family with something equally valuable: closure.
"We can finally put a name to the monster who destroyed our family," David Perkins stated. "After 46 years of wondering, of looking at every stranger's face, we have our answer. Susan can finally rest in peace, and so can we."
The breakthrough serves as a powerful testament to law enforcement's persistence and the revolutionary potential of forensic genealogy in solving cold cases that once seemed beyond resolution.
