Grandfather, dog shot to death in front of wife while walking at park: ‘Senseless and unprovoked’

HALL COUNTY, Ga. (ANF/Gray News) — A grandfather and his dog were shot and killed while walking at a park in Georgia in a tragedy his wife is calling senseless and unprovoked.

Cheryle Loden said she and her husband, Terry Loden, were walking their dogs together at Simpson Park like they do every Sunday afternoon. She was right by his side when he was shot.

“When he fell, I just said, ‘I gotta call 911. I gotta call 911.’ And [the shooter] just said, ‘Yeah, you do that,’” Cheryle Loden said.

The two were walking their dogs in the park when they came across another man with a dog. Cheryle Loden said right away her husband was pulling their dog Jesse back.

“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 Loden said.

Cheryle Loden said there wasn’t even a fight, and that it all happened very quickly.

Their granddaughter was on the phone with Terry Loden as it happened, so she heard her grandfather get shot in real time.

Cheryle Loden said her husband was shot through his right side, so she put pressure on the wound until the ambulance arrived.

“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 said.

Terry Loden made it into the ambulance but died shortly after. Sadly, his dog also died.

After the shooting, Cheryle Loden said the shooter was initially pacing around, then left.

“The other man walked toward his car, he drove off,” she said.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office identified the shooter as Todd Stalcup, 52. He was arrested as he was leaving the park.

Stalcup is charged with murder and had his first court appearance Monday afternoon. He is being held without bond.

Terry Loden’s family called his killing “senseless and unprovoked,” and they are left grieving the loss of the man they said was the glue that held their family together.

“He was awesome. He’d give his last penny and do anything for anybody. He was an awesome person,” Cheryle Loden said.

Terry Loden’s family said he was a very private person, so they do not plan to have a funeral. They said they hope his shooter is punished to the fullest extent of the law.