NASHVILLE, TN - Authorities with the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department (NMPD) announced the arrest of the man wanted for allegedly fatally shooting a woman who was hiking on a popular walking trail in.
According to NBC News, 29-year-old Paul Park of Brentwood, Tennessee, was arrested on Tuesday, October 15th, in connection with the death of 34-year-old Alyssa Lokits. Park was arrested within 24-hours of the alleged incident, which took place on Monday, October 14th. Lokits was found around 5:30 p.m. on the Mill Creek Greenway off Old Hickory Boulevard with a gunshot wound.
Police said that Lokits, a Vanderbilt University graduate, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in an overgrown part of the Mill Creek Greenway. She had reportedly been walking on the popular trail when a stranger, later identified as Park, stepped out from between two parked cars and started to quickly follow her.
Police said that witnesses in the area heard her screaming, "Help! He's trying to rape me," right before they heard gunfire. Park was identified as the suspect after witnesses saw the killer run with "scratches on his arms and blood on his clothing" to a BMW sedan, which was caught on a local resident's dashcam. The footage showed a partial plate as well as clear images of the suspect.
A homicide detective immediately recognized who the suspect was, having worked a suicide case involving his twin brother in December 2021. Park was arrested after officers set up surveillance at his home in Brentwood. CBS News reported that Park was booked on a homicide charge and is currently being held in the Davidson County Jail. His first court appearance was scheduled for Thursday, October 17th.
Lokits lived near the greenway and worked in IT and cybersecurity. WTVF reported that she was shot once in the head. She was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died. In a press conference, Chief John Drake said, "We also had a south officer that responded to the victim and as she was laying on the ground with a head wound, he put his hand over her head, with a head compression trying to press the wound, and trying to comfort her and tell her help is on the way. And he has to live with that."
A greenway is one of the last places someone would expect a crime of this nature. People who use Mill Creek Greenway said that they expect it to be quiet and trouble-free. One individual who frequents the area, Timothy Reynolds, said, "You hear all the wildlife noises. You hear the squirrels and chipmunks. There's always some sort of cracking in the brush, but I got to be even more cognizant of my surroundings."
Park has a criminal history. He was charged with domestic assault in December 2017 and he was charged with a probation violation the following year. In at statement released to WSMV, the victim's family said, "Dr. Alyssa Lokits, Ph.D. was a force to be reckoned with — driven, successful, smart, and immensely talented. Her fearless spirit and unwavering love inspired all who had the privilege to know her. She was a friend to everyone, always offering her generosity, joy, and light to those around her."
The family said that they want the suspect to be punished to the full extent of the law, writing, "For a grave crime there should be grave consequences, and we will continue to support the authorities in seeking justice for Alyssa to the fullest extent of the law. We would also like to thank the community for their support and compassing during this incredibly difficult time."
According to NBC News, 29-year-old Paul Park of Brentwood, Tennessee, was arrested on Tuesday, October 15th, in connection with the death of 34-year-old Alyssa Lokits. Park was arrested within 24-hours of the alleged incident, which took place on Monday, October 14th. Lokits was found around 5:30 p.m. on the Mill Creek Greenway off Old Hickory Boulevard with a gunshot wound.
Police said that Lokits, a Vanderbilt University graduate, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in an overgrown part of the Mill Creek Greenway. She had reportedly been walking on the popular trail when a stranger, later identified as Park, stepped out from between two parked cars and started to quickly follow her.
Police said that witnesses in the area heard her screaming, "Help! He's trying to rape me," right before they heard gunfire. Park was identified as the suspect after witnesses saw the killer run with "scratches on his arms and blood on his clothing" to a BMW sedan, which was caught on a local resident's dashcam. The footage showed a partial plate as well as clear images of the suspect.
A homicide detective immediately recognized who the suspect was, having worked a suicide case involving his twin brother in December 2021. Park was arrested after officers set up surveillance at his home in Brentwood. CBS News reported that Park was booked on a homicide charge and is currently being held in the Davidson County Jail. His first court appearance was scheduled for Thursday, October 17th.
Lokits lived near the greenway and worked in IT and cybersecurity. WTVF reported that she was shot once in the head. She was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died. In a press conference, Chief John Drake said, "We also had a south officer that responded to the victim and as she was laying on the ground with a head wound, he put his hand over her head, with a head compression trying to press the wound, and trying to comfort her and tell her help is on the way. And he has to live with that."
A greenway is one of the last places someone would expect a crime of this nature. People who use Mill Creek Greenway said that they expect it to be quiet and trouble-free. One individual who frequents the area, Timothy Reynolds, said, "You hear all the wildlife noises. You hear the squirrels and chipmunks. There's always some sort of cracking in the brush, but I got to be even more cognizant of my surroundings."
Park has a criminal history. He was charged with domestic assault in December 2017 and he was charged with a probation violation the following year. In at statement released to WSMV, the victim's family said, "Dr. Alyssa Lokits, Ph.D. was a force to be reckoned with — driven, successful, smart, and immensely talented. Her fearless spirit and unwavering love inspired all who had the privilege to know her. She was a friend to everyone, always offering her generosity, joy, and light to those around her."
The family said that they want the suspect to be punished to the full extent of the law, writing, "For a grave crime there should be grave consequences, and we will continue to support the authorities in seeking justice for Alyssa to the fullest extent of the law. We would also like to thank the community for their support and compassing during this incredibly difficult time."
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