Terry Loden, a 70-year-old grandpa, and his pet dog, Jesse, were tragically shot dead at Simpson Park in Atlanta after Jesse got into a fight with another canine.
The incident took place on Sunday, December 21, around 3:30 PM local time, when Terry and his wife, Cheryle Loden, were walking their dog in the park. During the stroll, the couple crossed paths with another man, who was also walking his dog.
According to Atlanta News First, the pets allegedly got into a fight when Terry attempted to pull his dog away from the other canine. However, before Terry could remove Jesse, the fellow pet owner allegedly shot the couple’s dog.
A heartbreaking incident took place on December 21, 2025, at Simpson Park in Hall County, Georgia. During a routine walk with his wife, 70-year-old Terry Loden and his dog Jesse encountered another person walking their dog. A brief scuffle between the animals led to an… pic.twitter.com/s1yQHdOIKd
— The scoop stateside (@ScoopStateside) December 27, 2025
When a shocked Terry asked the man, “What are you doing?” he immediately opened fire and shot the 70-year-old. “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,” Cheryle recalled while speaking to the outlet about the incident.
She also remembered the moments right after the shooting. “When he fell, I just said, ‘I gotta call 911. I gotta call 911.’ And [the shooter] just said, ‘Yeah, you do that,’” the woman shared.
Cheryle mentioned that her husband was shot through the right side and shared that she put pressure on his wound until first responders arrived at the scene.
“The guy shot him. He just looked up at me and said, ‘I love you.’ He said, ‘I’m going.’ I said, ‘No, you’re not,’ and I just sat there talking to 911 the whole time,” she remembered.
Cheryle also revealed that the shooter walked around the area of the incident for some time before driving away. The grandpa was reportedly on the phone with granddaughter when the incident took place.
The suspect was later identified as 52-year-old Todd Alexander Stalcup by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). The department took to Facebook to share the news of the arrest.
🚨 GEORGIA NEWS: A 70-year-old grandfather and his dog were shot and killed in front of his wife during a Sunday walk at a Georgia park.
• Victim: Terry Loden, 70
• Suspect: Todd Stalcup, 52
• Location: Simpson Park
• Time: ~3:30 p.m.
Police say the suspect opened fire… pic.twitter.com/kSmxvBKG2E
— Steven Latham (@wienerdogwifi) December 26, 2025
HCSO also revealed that despite having been rushed into a hospital after the shooting, Terry failed to survive and died at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
Meanwhile, the grandpa’s dog, Jesse, also succumbed to the injuries. Although Todd left the scene in his SUV, he was taken into custody nearly 15 minutes after the incident.
Officials also revealed that Terry and Todd did not know each other before, and shared that they believe the encounter stemmed from the fight between their dogs.
Todd Stalcup is currently being held without bond in the Hall County Jail on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, per authorities.
Terry’s family has condemned the fatal shooting as “senseless and unprovoked,” per Atlanta News First. Remembering her husband, Cheryle said, “He was awesome. He’d give his last penny and do anything for anybody. He was an awesome person.”
