Southern Inhospitality: Paul Dennis Reid and the Fast Food Murders

In September of 1995, Paul moved to Nashville, Tennessee. With the remainder of his money, Paul paid for professional headshots and demo tapes and rebranded himself as Justin Parks.

Paul managed to get a few gigs at some local music bars but the reception to his performances was not what he had hoped for. He had the look but zero talent.

With his settlement money gone and his music career dead on arrival, Paul was forced to get a job as a cook at a local Shoney’s restaurant.

Paul wanted more money than he could make working at Shoney’s. So, he bought a gun from an acquaintance and went back to what he knew best: armed robbery.

On February 16, 1997, in Donelson, Tennessee, Steve Hampton (25) and Sarah Jackson (16) were prepping a Captain D’s for the Sunday morning rush.

Hearing knocking at the front entrance, Steve unlocked the door to a large man with a friendly smile and a job application. Paul Dennis Reid continued to smile as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Steve.

After clearing out the safe, Paul ushered Steve and Sarah into the walk-in cooler and shot both of them to death.

With $7,000 and the surveillance tapes, Paul calmly walked out of the Captain D’s and into the Sunday morning light.

Thanks to several eyewitnesses, police were able to get a sketch of the man generated to the public. But with no solid leads, the investigation stalled.

On February 27, 1997, Paul uncharacteristically lost his temper with another co-worker and threw a plate at her head. Paul was promptly fired and escorted out of the restaurant.

Having already burned through the stolen cash from the Captain D’s incident, Paul set his sights on a new target. He needed fast cash and knew just where to get it.

On March 23, 1997, in Hermitage, Tennessee, four employees were closing up a McDonald’s after a busy Sunday. Ronald Santiago (27), Andrea Brown (17), Robert Sewell (23) and Jose Gonzalez were walking out of the building when they were immediately pushed back inside by a large man with a gun. 

Paul Dennis Reid herded the employees to the back of the restaurant where the safe was. After stuffing his bag with over $2,000, Paul forced everyone to the storage room. He then began shooting.

As everyone lay dead or dying, Paul aimed his gun at Jose and pulled the trigger…but the gun jammed. Jose immediately jumped up and tackled Paul.

Paul managed to grab a knife from the counter and began to stab Jose. Jose was stabbed seventeen times and fell to the floor. Still alive, he played dead.

Paul hustled back to the office to retrieve the surveillance tapes and then ran out of the building not even realizing he had left a living witness.

Jose made a full recovery and was placed in witness protection while he helped police with the investigation. But even with his help, police were still unable to identify the killer.

By this point, police acknowledged the similarities between the McDonald’s murders and Captain D’s just a month before. Nashville officially had a serial killer on the loose.

Dubbed by the media “The Fast Food Killer,” Paul already had his next target in his sights.

On April 23, 1997, in Clarksville, Tennessee, the Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop was prepped and ready to close for the night.

Angie Holmes (21) and Michelle Mace (16) were just about to walk out the door when a man appeared and shoved them both back inside. With a gun pointed at them, Paul directed Angie and Michelle to lead him to the safe.

Retrieving the cash, Paul then did something unusual. He forced the girls into his car and kidnapped them. He drove them to the Dunbar Cave State Park, a few miles from the Baskin-Robbins. After forcing them out of the car, Paul then stabbed both of them to death. Their bodies were found the next morning by a man walking his dog.

Although the crime was a bit different from the others, police believed the Clarksville murders were the work of the Fast Food Killer. Police were able to gather more significant evidence from this crime scene.

And a major break in the case would come just a few weeks later.

On June 1, 1997, in Joelton, Tennessee, Mitch Roberts (45) was spending a relaxing evening with his family. Around 9:00 p.m. there was a knock at the door.

Mitch opened his door to find his former employee, Paul Dennis Reid, on his front porch. Mitch was the manager of the Nashville Shoney’s where Paul had recently been fired.

Paul began pleading for his job back but Mitch refused. Paul suddenly whipped out a gun and handcuffs. He demanded that Mitch put on the handcuffs and get in the car. Mitch turned and ran back into his house, barricading his family inside.

Paul was soon arrested and taken into custody. During questioning, police began to realize that Paul Dennis Reid was the Fast Food Killer.

Paul’s criminal history was discovered and his fingerprints were matched to all three middle Tennessee crime scenes. In addition, Jose Gonzalez, the lone survivor of the McDonald’s massacre, positively identified Paul Dennis Reid as the Fast Food Killer.

In 1999, Paul Dennis Reid was convicted of seven counts of first-degree murder in three separate trials. He received seven death sentences for his convictions.

His execution date had been stayed several times as his family claimed he was mentally challenged. But the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld each and every conviction.

On November 1, 2013, Paul Dennis Reid died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia.