A Tennessee academic jogging in a Nashville park feared she was about to be raped before her attacker shot her dead and fled from the scene.
Witnesses heard Alyssa Lokits, 34, scream ‘Help! He’s trying to rape me,’ before she was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in Mill Creek Greenway at around 5.30pm on Monday.
Paul Park, 29, was arrested hours later at his home in nearby Brentwood after a neighbor’s dashcam Calibri filmed the suspected killer fleeing from the scene with ‘scratches on his arms and blood on his clothing’.
A homicide detective recognized Park from the footage having worked on an investigation into his twin brother’s suicide in December 2021.
Police said Lokits was unknown to her killer and her heartbroken family called on him to be punished ‘to the fullest extent of the law’.
‘Dr Alyssa Lokits, Ph.D. was a force to be reckoned with—driven, successful, smart, and immensely talented,’ they said in a statement.
‘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.’
She was jogging along the path which is popular with both runners and hikers when her attacker suddenly emerged from two parked cars parallel to the path, Metro Nashville Police said.
The IT worker had graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2017 and lived close to the scene of her murder.
‘Her boundless support for her large family and numerous loved ones was evident in every aspect of her life,’ her family wrote.
‘She always showed up for those she cared about, bringing strength and love with her wherever she went.
‘The loss of such a vibrant, compassionate, and remarkable woman is devastating, and she will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched.
‘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 compassion during this incredibly difficult time.’