Bystander says suspect in suburban jogger’s slaying smiled at her after killing

A woman who was walking down a Nashville road when 34-year-old Alyssa Locketts was shot and killed told Fox News Digital that the alleged killer talked about her moments. after the murder – even stay and observe the work of the police at the scene.

Shannon Howard, a native of Nashville and a frequent visitor to the Mill Creek Greenway, described being on the trail on Oct. 14, the day Lockits, a Vanderbilt graduate, was killed and her encounter with alleged killer Paul Park.

“So I usually go for a walk in the evenings along the green road. There are usually many people riding bicycles, walking, running, taking children and pets with them. And on that particular day, I delayed my walk by about 15 minutes, but still pushed myself to get out the door,” Howard said.

While she was on the tracks, Howard said she came across Lockits, who she said was “lying on the ground like he was in the fetal position.”

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Shannon Howard, a Nashville native, claims she had a terrifying encounter with the alleged killer of Alice Locketts. (Metro Nashville Police Department)

Howard said chaos ensued as people around the Lockites frantically called 911 and called for emergency responders to get to the scene as soon as possible. She said that she kept her distance and did not notice that Lokic was shot.

Howard said she then went back to her car because it was late and her fiance, now husband, didn’t like her walking alone at night.

When she got to her car, Howard said he was several police cars with the lights on, filming the crime scene, but she knew the way back from the park.

“So I turned and went up to an area I wasn’t entirely familiar with, but I knew there was an outlet at the very end of the area that turned onto the greenway. When I did, a gray car pulled up Next to me, you know, rolled down the window, going a little slow, and I looked and he said, “You know what happened?” And I said, ‘I’m not entirely sure that anybody was really hurt,'” Howard said.

“And here he seems to be coming up to me, smiling, and he’s still like riding next to me. I got a really good look at him and he was trying to talk to me and I thought, “You know what? I’m just going to go home. So I said, “Well, you know, I hope it’s going to be okay.” And I put the headphones back on and he went with me for a little bit,” Howard continued.

Howard said the man, who she thought was Puck, kept trying to talk to her and ask what was going on, even smiling, but she felt uncomfortable and hung up, and he abruptly left.

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Nashville police have announced that a suspect has been arrested less than 24 hours after the murder of Alyssa Lockits. (Nashville Metropolitan Police/Vanderbilt University)

It wasn’t until she returned home that the scale of what had happened on the trail hit her.

“Well, later, when I saw them take him out of the police car after they arrested him, he was wearing sunglasses. So I thought, wow, this guy really looks like the guy who stopped me. And then when I saw his picture, I dropped the phone because I know I was like, ‘Oh my God, that was him,'” Howard said.

“He tried to talk to me. He wanted to know what happened. And when he spoke to me, there was almost a light in his eyes. And it made me sick, to be honest.”

Howard said she had a feeling and an instinct that something was wrong with Park.

“I knew he was talking to me, trying to figure out, you know, everything that I knew, and that instinct of, ‘Okay, I’ll just go home,’ kind of kicked in. And this is what I did. But it was totally him,” Howard said.

“When I saw his picture and I saw the darkness in his eyes … I dropped my phone, I literally dropped it on the couch.”

— Shannon Howard

Howard continued and said looking back at the fact that Puck was supposedly standing around to watch the whole scene unfold, even smiling about it, pissed her off.

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Paul Park was booked into the Davidson County Jail. (Nashville Metropolitan Police Department)

“There was no feeling here. It was almost like he was proud because he wanted to stick around and see all the police cars,” Howard said. “In the last moments of her life, all she knew was fear. And it pissed me off that he had the audacity to do that and then smile about it and try to talk to me or get someone to get more details. And he was proud of me.”

Howard said she grew angry over time that someone could do this in their area and in broad daylight with children and families around.

“He took a very beautiful girl who I’m sure had a great future. And he had no right to it. you have to shoot her. He shouldn’t have done any of that. And the anger still resonates with me.”

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A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman who was killed while walking along a popular Nashville hiking trail on October 14, 2024. (X/@MNPDNashville)

Howard said the Mill Creek Greenway is a quiet, roughly three-mile stretch of trail that people enjoy and is usually busy with parents, kids and many events.

However, according to her, the second half of the trail is very overgrown with trees, there are no surveillance cameras and no lights. She mentioned that there is even a sign that says the greenway closes at dusk.

“He will not prevent us from going for walks. He will not prevent us from being on the green carpet. He won’t be able to win this one. And I think everybody around, all the families, we’re not going to let him or anybody like him scare us,” Howard said.

“It’s a monster. I mean, it’s just a monster. And that’s what he is. He is a coward. Her alleged killer. I don’t want to be, you know, judge and jury, but he’s a coward and he And nobody should feel safe on a beautiful road like that,” Howard said.

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Howard added that Lockitts’ killing has caused many women on the greenway to be more aware of their surroundings and to be more careful when wearing headphones while traveling.

“Nashville is a great place with great people. As a Nashville native, I’ve seen a lot of change, but we don’t want that to happen in our city. Surrendering to fear, monsters win. I won’t let them win. Every time I walk, I’m going to wear my ‘Walk for Alyssa’ shirt and I’m going to do it for her,” Howard said.

Park, 29, of Brentwood, was arrested less than 24 hours after Lockits was found dead on the Mill Creek Greenway Trail.

Park has been charged with murder in connection with Lockits’ death, but officials have not released a motive. His attorney could not be reached for comment.