As we start this episode, it is day seven of our 12 Nightmares Before Christmas. On Sunday, February 16, 1997, around 9:45 to 10:00 a.m., an employee arrived at Captain D’s restaurant on Lebanon Road in Donelson, Tennessee, ready to start another routine day. But as he approached the establishment, an unsettling sight greeted him: the doors were firmly locked, which should not have been the case since two other employees were scheduled to open earlier.  He went to a neighboring restaurant to call Captain D’s, and when he received a busy signal, he felt relief. After a few minutes, he tried again, but the phone continued to ring this time. He knew something was wrong. Concerned for his colleagues, he contacted another employee whose father served as a Metro police officer. When the employee’s father arrived at the scene, they entered the restaurant between 11 a.m. and noon. What they found was shocking.  In an instant, the routine of a Sunday morning was replaced by an unspeakable tragedy, and the community would soon grapple with the aftermath of this horrific crime. Sadly, this was just the beginning. 

Join Cam and Jen of Our True Crime Podcast on the episode “The Fast Food Murders: Paul Reid.”

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

All music is by our editor and executive producer @theinkypawprint

Sources:
https://law.justia.com/cases/tennessee/court-of-criminal-appeals/2001/m1999-00803-cca-r3-dd.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/paul-dennis-reid-never-confessed-230942209.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/serialkillers/comments/s8rviv/does_anyone_on_here_know_about_paul_dennis_reid/

https://www.tba.org/journal/the-murders-of-paul-dennis-reid-jr

https://web.archive.org/web/20060616222357/http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3867

https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/nashville-serial-killer-paul-dennis-reid

https://web.archive.org/web/20070127141638/http://chattanoogan.com/articles/article_98859.asp

https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/convicted-mass-murderer-paul-dennis-reid-pronounced-dead/article_782aac80-7223-594f-b2ac-be4105f56968.html

https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/320079/s02-e05-the-fast-food-killer

https://web.archive.org/web/20110527105333/http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/4809806.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY22n_y5Msg

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/tennessee-mass-murderer-paul-dennis-reid-dead/51-95431900