A cherished grandfather from Georgia and his dog were tragically shot by a man in front of his wife while he was on a call with his granddaughter during their weekly park visit.
Terry and Cheryl Rhoden were out walking their dogs at Simpson Park in Hall County, Georgia, on Sunday. It was around 3:30 p.m. when Terry’s dog, Jesse, got into a scuffle with another dog while Terry was chatting on his cell phone.
According to the Hall County sheriff’s office, the other man, identified as Todd Alexander Stalcup, attempted to separate the dogs. He then allegedly fired a gun first at the dog and then at Terry.
“He was trying to pull my dog away when he shot it. Terry stood up and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ and then he shot him,” Cheryl recounted.
Cheryl called for help and applied pressure to her husband’s injuries while their granddaughter listened to the whole horror unfold over the phone.
“I heard him say, ‘Wait a minute, baby, Jesse, don’t touch that dog,’ and then I heard the gunfire,” Cheryl described, clearly shaken by the memory.
It seems there wasn’t even a real fight happening before things escalated so quickly. Things went from calm to catastrophic in mere moments.
In her frantic attempt to save her husband, Terry managed to say his last loving words: “I love you. I’m going.” Cheryl, fighting back tears, told him, ‘No, it’s not.’
Stalcup, the alleged shooter, was observed pacing around the scene before leaving in his SUV. He was apprehended by the police trying to escape shortly after the incident.
Now, he faces multiple charges, including felony murder and aggravated assault. Tragically, Terry later succumbed to his injuries at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. The Rhoden family expressed their devastation over what they called a “senseless and unprovoked” act.
Cheryl remembered her husband fondly, describing him as a “wonderful man.” “He was selfless, always willing to help others,” she shared, mourning the significant loss.
