Florida father of six on loose after allegedly killing wife, neighbor and local pastor: cops

Andres (Andy) Avalos was last seen near the Bayshore Baptist Church in Bradenton, where pastor James Battle was found dead. The suspect's vehicle, a gold SUV, was found at a nearby Walmart on Thursday night, but Avalos remains at large.

BY
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Friday, December 5, 2014, 10:24 AM
Updated: Friday, December 5, 2014, 5:05 PM
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Andres (Andy) Avalos with his wife Amber in Facebook photo. Facebook
Andres (Andy) Avalos with his wife Amber in Facebook photo.
Police on the scene where Amber Avalos and Denise Potter were found dead. WTSP
Police on the scene where Amber Avalos and Denise Potter were found dead.
Cops at Bayshore Baptist Church, where the body of James Battle was found. WTSP
Cops at Bayshore Baptist Church, where the body of James Battle was found.
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  • Police in Bradenton, Florida are searching for 33-year-old (r.) Andrews "Andy" Avalos in the death of three people including his wife (l.) 33-year-old Amber Avalos, her friend 46-year-old Denise Potter and 31-year-old Pastor James "Tripp" Battle.
  • Police in Bradenton, Florida are searching for 33-year-old Andrews "Andy" Avalos in the death of three people including his wife 33-year-old Amber Avalos, her friend 46-year-old Denise Potter and 31-year-old Pastor James "Tripp" Battle. Pictured: Scene where Amber Avalos and Denise Potter were found.
  • Police in Bradenton, Florida are searching for 33-year-old Andrews "Andy" Avalos in the death of three people including his wife 33-year-old Amber Avalos, her friend 46-year-old Denise Potter and 31-year-old Pastor James "Tripp" Battle. Pictured: Bayshore Baptist Church where the body of Pastor James Battle was found.
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A Florida father of six is on the loose after allegedly killing his wife, a neighbor and a local pastor on Thursday, authorities say.

Andres (Andy) Avalos was last seen near the Bayshore Baptist Church in Bradenton, where pastor James Battle was found dead.

Avalos met face to face with the pastor before allegedly killing him. HANDOUT/Reuters
Avalos met face to face with the pastor before allegedly killing him.
Amber Avalos was just 33 years old. Facebook
Amber Avalos was just 33 years old.
Avalos was last seen near the church where the pastor was found dead. Manatee County Sheriff's Office
Avalos was last seen near the church where the pastor was found dead.
Avalos in an undated photo. Manatee County Sheriff's Office
Avalos in an undated photo.
Denise Potter, 45, was one of the three people allegedly killed by Avalos.
Denise Potter, 45, was one of the three people allegedly killed by Avalos.
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  • Andres “Andy” Avalos, 33, is seen in an undated picture released by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in Bradenton, Florida. Authorities were searching for Avalos as a suspect in a Florida triple homicide after a man was shot dead at a church on Thursday afternoon and two women were found dead at a nearby home, said Dave Bristow, a spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. REUTERS/Manatee County Sheriff's Office/Handout via Reuters (UNITED STATES - Tags: CRIME LAW) THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
  • Police in Bradenton, Florida are searching for 33-year-old Andrews "Andy" Avalos in the death of three people including his wife (pictured) 33-year-old Amber Avalos, her friend 46-year-old Denise Potter and 31-year-old Pastor James "Tripp" Battle.
  • Andres “Andy” Avalos, 33, is seen in an undated picture released by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in Bradenton, Florida. Authorities were searching for Avalos as a suspect in a Florida triple homicide after a man was shot dead at a church on Thursday afternoon and two women were found dead at a nearby home, said Dave Bristow, a spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
  • Andres “Andy” Avalos, 33, is seen in an undated picture released by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in Bradenton, Florida. Authorities were searching for Avalos as a suspect in a Florida triple homicide after a man was shot dead at a church on Thursday afternoon and two women were found dead at a nearby home, said Dave Bristow, a spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
  • Police in Bradenton, Florida are searching for 33-year-old Andrews "Andy" Avalos in the death of three people including his wife 33-year-old Amber Avalos, her friend (pictured) 46-year-old Denise Potter and 31-year-old Pastor James "Tripp" Battle.
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The suspect's vehicle, a gold SUV, was found at a nearby Walmart on Thursday night, Dave Bristow of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office told the Daily News, but the suspect remains at large.

Four schools were on lockdown Thursday just in case Avalos tried to pick up any of his six kids, Bristow said, but there were no plans to lock down the schools on Friday.

"Those children. That's the tragedy," said Elwin "Karp" Carpenter, a church deacon.

The bodies of Avalos' wife Amber, 33, and neighbor Denise Potter, 45, were found in the same Bradenton home on Thursday afternoon.

Battle had met with Andy Avalos face-to-face in the church courtyard moments before the pastor was killed, Sheriff Brad Steube said.

"The pastor saw this coming," he told the Bradenton Herald.

The pastor's wife Joy is the church's secretary, and the couple have two young children.

"He was a big man, and his heart almost encompassed his entire body," said Carpenter.

A church member said his final sermon on Sunday was prophetic.

"It was about how we had to have an armor and be prepared for anything," said Judy Smith,

Pastor James Battle was found dead at the Bayshore Baptist Church on Thursday. Bayshore Baptist Church Pastor James Battle was found dead at the Bayshore Baptist Church on Thursday.

Neighbor Jane Riley said it is "like the sweetest little community," but indicated someone who lived in the Avalos family's home was killed during a home invasion in 2008.

"Now I'm scared," Riley said. "I have an alarm system, but is that enough? I hope the cops hang around for a while."

With News Wire Services

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dboroff@nydailynews.com

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