A Hall County grandfather and his dog were shot and killed around 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Simpson Park off Ga. 53/Dawsonville Highway after an encounter with another man walking a dog, authorities said. The victim, identified as 70-year-old Terry Wayne Loden, was with his wife when the shooting happened. Deputies arrested 52-year-old Todd Alexander Stalcup as he drove away and booked him on murder charges, according to the sheriff’s office.
The case is drawing wide attention because investigators describe it as a sudden, unprovoked escalation that began with a brief scuffle between pets and ended with lethal gunfire in a family park. Hall County Sheriff’s Office officials said the men did not know each other. Stalcup had an initial appearance Monday and is being held without bond while detectives finalize interviews, collect video and complete ballistic analysis. Relatives say Loden, a Gainesville resident and grandfather, was the “glue” of his family; his wife, Cheryle, is a firsthand witness whose account is now central to the timeline. Authorities said the dog, named Jesse, also died at the scene or shortly after.
According to sheriff’s investigators, both men were walking dogs on the lakeside trail at Simpson Park when the animals began fighting. “He was on top of her pulling her off and about that time, the man just shot my dog, and Terry stood up and said, ‘Man what are you doing?’ And he just shot him,” Loden’s wife, Cheryle, said in an interview. She said the violence unfolded in seconds, with no argument beforehand. A granddaughter who was on the phone with Loden during the walk heard the shots and notified other family members, relatives said. Deputies and medics were dispatched just after 3:30 p.m. and found Loden critically wounded. He was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where he died soon after, the sheriff’s office said. Witnesses told deputies the shooter briefly paced in the area, then returned to his vehicle and drove off as sirens approached.
Investigators identified the suspect as Todd Alexander Stalcup, 52, and broadcast a description of his SUV. A patrol unit intercepted the vehicle on Simpson Park Road within the hour and detained Stalcup without incident, authorities said. Detectives recovered a handgun believed to be the weapon used. Stalcup remained in the Hall County Jail as of Tuesday on counts that include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Officials have not released a motive and have not detailed whether the gun was licensed or how many rounds were fired. No additional injuries to bystanders were reported.
Cheryle Loden, who said she was steps away when the shots were fired, described kneeling to apply pressure to a wound on her husband’s right side while speaking with a 911 operator. “He just looked up at me and said, ‘I love you.’ He said, ‘I’m going.’ I said, ‘No, you’re not,’” she recalled. The sheriff’s office confirmed Loden’s dog died from a gunshot moments before the fatal shot struck Loden. Detectives took statements from multiple park visitors and began canvassing for cell phone video, dashcam footage from vehicles in the lot and any fixed cameras nearby. The park, a wooded green space along the north side of Lake Lanier, reopened after evidence technicians finished documenting the trail and parking area on Sunday evening.
Simpson Park sits along Dawsonville Highway in an area frequented by walkers and families from Gainesville and surrounding neighborhoods. Visitors said weekend afternoons often bring steady foot traffic, with dogs on leashes along the loop and picnic tables near the water. On Sunday, deputies marked a cluster of evidence tags beside a short section of trail and taped off an area near the lot. Neighbors described hearing a single sharp report and then a second shot seconds later. “You don’t expect this on a Sunday walk,” said a man who arrived just after the shooting and saw patrol cars blocking the entrance. A woman who visits the park weekly with her children said she watched investigators talk to several dog owners who had been on the path earlier in the afternoon.
Records released by the sheriff’s office outline a timeline that begins with the initial dog fight and ends with Stalcup’s arrest as deputies converged on the surrounding streets. Officials said both men were strangers and emphasized that Loden and his wife were walking away from the other dog when the suspect fired. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death for Loden and will document wound paths, range and trajectory — information that typically helps confirm distances and sequencing in firearm cases. Investigators did not immediately specify the handgun caliber or how many shell casings were recovered. Authorities also did not state whether alcohol was a factor; toxicology would be part of standard post-incident testing if warranted.
Legal proceedings began Monday with Stalcup’s first appearance before a magistrate. He was ordered held without bond, and a preliminary hearing date will be set to determine probable cause for the charges. If the case is bound over, prosecutors could present it to a Hall County grand jury. Charging documents list malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and firearm possession during a felony; additional counts are possible depending on forensic results and review of witness statements. Prosecutors may also evaluate any animal-cruelty or reckless conduct counts tied to the dog’s death. Defense counsel for Stalcup had not been named in court records as of Tuesday afternoon.
Relatives portrayed Loden as a devoted husband and grandfather who walked at Simpson Park regularly. The family said he was private and, at least for now, they do not plan a public funeral. “He’d give his last penny and do anything for anybody,” Cheryle said. Friends began placing flowers near an entrance sign, and dog owners who frequent the park left notes and small toys in an impromptu memorial. By dusk Monday, the trail was quiet, with only a few walkers passing along the shoreline as deputies made a second pass to speak with anyone who had been in the area at the time of the shooting.
As the investigation continues, deputies are assembling a full timeline using 911 records, CAD timestamps and interviews. Detectives are reviewing whether any park or nearby business cameras captured the men arriving or leaving. The sheriff’s office said its next update will address the final set of charges forwarded to the district attorney and any scheduling for a preliminary hearing. Officials did not release a booking photo timeline but said standard practice is to post it after initial processing. Authorities encouraged anyone who was on the trail between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday and has not already spoken with investigators to contact the sheriff’s office directly.
As of Tuesday night, Stalcup remained jailed without bond, and Loden’s family was making private arrangements. Simpson Park was open to the public. The next milestone is the scheduling of a probable cause hearing, expected after the Christmas holiday week, where investigators will summarize their findings to date.
Author note: Last updated December 24, 2025.