Paul Park, the man accused of ambushing a total stranger as she exercised on a popular Nashville, Tennessee, trail and shooting her to death, was due to make his first court appearance on Thursday.
Park, 29, of Brentwood, was arrested less than 24 hours after Vanderbilt graduate Alyssa Lokits, 34, was found dead on the Mill Creek Greenway trail.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has not revealed a motive in the killing that has left nearby residents terrified.
Park was charged with criminal homicide in connection to Lokits' death.
According to Williamson County court records obtained by Fox News Digital, Park had a criminal background with two prior offenses.
In 2017, Park was sentenced to probation as part of judicial diversion after a domestic assault arrest.
Then in 2018, Park was sentenced to ten days in jail and supervised probation for violating his original probation sentence following his arrest for possession of drugs, with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell. One of the three drug charges was eventually dismissed as part of a plea deal and Park pleaded guilty to the other two drug charges.
Lokits' family released a statement to local station WSMV 4, describing her as "a force to be reckoned with."
"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 in a statement.
"Her boundless support for her large family and numerous loved ones was evident in every aspect of her life. 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," the statement continued.
The family is requesting privacy as they deal with and navigate their "unimaginable grief."
"We are deeply disturbed by the heinous acts of assault and murder against our beloved daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, niece, and friend," the family said.
The community is also rallying around Lokits' death and calling on law enforcement and the city to implement more safety measures.
Councilman John Rutherford said the area needs more gates, more lighting and increased patrols. He added that there is a need for license plate readers (LPRs), which would need to be approved by the mayor, who has withheld funding, according to Fox 17.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Nashville Police Chief John Drake echoed Rutherford and acknowledged the need for LPRs.
"LPRs would have made a difference. LPRs make us safer," Drake said.
Drake added that Park and Lokits did not know each other and that this was a random attack in which he tried to sexually assault her before fatally shooting her.
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Paula Parker, a member of the church Lokits attended, said she was shocked when she heard the news of Lokits' murder.
"Alyssa was part of the church we attended. We haven't seen her in a few years, but we watched Alyssa grow from a child to a teenager. She was a godly, kind, loving, fun, confident, and intelligent young woman with dreams of becoming a neuroscientist in order to help others," Parker wrote in a post on Facebook. "I'm thankful the police arrested her killer. Please pray for the Lokits family."
One of Lokits' neighbors, Guy Gilchrist, told Fox 17 that he was "absolutely devastated and shocked" to hear about her murder. He added that she worked from home and was always helpful.
"She was just incredibly kind to me and the neighbors adored her," Gilchrist said.
According to Vanderbilt University, Lokits graduated from the school in 2017. She worked in the Hamm Lab as a graduate student in neuroscience.
Investigators determined that Lokits was out exercising in the area of the greenway path on Monday evening when Park stepped out from between two parked cars and began following her at a "brisk pace."
Some witnesses claimed to have heard a woman screaming, "Help! He’s trying to rape me," followed by gunfire.
Witnesses also told police that they saw a man, possibly Asian, on top of Lokits before shots were fired.
Police said Lotkits and Park then walked out of view of the park's surveillance camera. However, video captured Park returning to his gray car with "scratches on his arms and blood on his clothing."
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Park then fled the parking area in a dark-colored four-door sedan towards Old Hickory Boulevard, according to police.
Later in the evening, a major break in the case happened when a witness who was local to the area provided police with more video footage recorded on his car's dashcam that was parked at the greenway trailhead.
Police said the dashcam recorded clear images of Park as well as his car, while another witness was able to provide a portion of Park's license plate number.
Police said another major break in the case happened when MNPD Homicide Detective Shannon Forsyth reviewed the photo of the suspect taken from the witness's dashcam and recognized the suspect as being the identical twin brother of a suicide case that she had worked on in December 2021.
Detectives set up surveillance at Park’s Brentwood home, followed him after he left and stopped him in Davidson County after the homicide arrest warrant was issued.
"We sincerely appreciate the swift and diligent efforts of the Nashville Metro Police Department, investigators, and witnesses/bystanders in their aid to Alyssa and their apprehension of the individual responsible. 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," the Lotkits family said.
