Slain Smyrna store clerk remembered for his kindness, accused murderer caught
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WSMV) - Smyrna Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced the capture of the man and woman who is accused of playing a part in the murder of Nicholas Patterson during a robbery early Tuesday morning at the Twice Daily off Sam Ridley Parkway.
Patterson, 34, was a clerk at the store. He died at the hospital after the shooting.
Police charged 31-year-old Keanthony Williams with Attempted Aggravated Robbery and First Degree Murder of Patterson. Williams was arrested at a residence in the 5000 block of Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch for charges stemming from crimes committed in Brentwood and Smyrna.
Smyrna Police told WSMV4 they also arrested Kathryn Tayor in Smyrna on related charges.
“The majority of our officers live in this community, and we want this community to be safe, so they’re working around the clock,” Smyrna Police Chief Kevin Arnold said. “They’re working to try to apprehend the individuals responsible for this and, for that matter, for Nick’s family to let them know we’re working on his behalf.”
The gas station at the intersection of Sam Ridley Parkway and Stonecrest Parkway is still closed on Wednesday, a day after the shooting, and a few more flowers have been placed at the entrance to the store.
People in the community, many of them who were customers at the Twice Daily store where Patterson worked, shared their condolences and how much Patterson touched many lives.
“It broke my heart. He was the sweetest dude. Out of every convenience store I’ve ever been to, he was one person that stuck with me,” Austin Poteete said. “No one deserves this, especially Nick definitely didn’t deserve this.”
Patterson may be gone, but the store clerk was more than that to many in Smyrna. He was more than just the face behind the counter at the Twice Daily store.
“Ever since I was like 14 years old, I’ve gone into the store. He was a great dude. He was very sweet. He brought his customers Christmas gifts. He built actual relationships with the customers,” Poteete said.
Customers may have left the store with items they bought, but Patterson stuck with them.
“There’s been times where I went there. My father was in the hospital and we just found out he had cancer, and he (Patterson) actually didn’t let me pay for my stuff. He paid for my stuff for me which helped me out a ton,” Poteete said.
“Pretty much all of my night shift people knew Nick,” Arnold said.
The Smyrna police chief said even his department feels the loss of Patterson.
“Most of the would spend 10, 15 minutes with him, have their coffee, visit with him, talk, interact and you develop those relationships,” Arnold said. “A lot of our officers came in on the midnight shift, had a cup of coffee, visited with Nick, and what a work ethic of an individual. I know a lot of people in this community are going to miss him.”
Smyrna Police said it believes the suspect who shot Patterson may have been involved in a robbery in Brentwood and possibly Nashville.
Police said the community is helping with the search for the suspect.
“We’ve received a number of leads. Our detectives are reacting to them as they come in and we’re following up on all of them that we get,” Arnold said. “We’ve been working pretty much all night long on this and hopefully we’ll be making an arrest sometime in the future.”
As investigators work to solve the case, Poteete said this is how people should remember Patterson, the beloved store clerk.
“Be more like Nick. Be Kind. Help people out,” Poteete said. “We need more people like that in this world. This gun violence and all the hatred in this world. Nick was that one person who didn’t have a bit of that in his soul. Be more like Nick.”
The Twice Daily store on Stonecrest Parkway will remain closed until further notice, according to the company.
This is still an active investigation as investigators continue to interview witnesses and gather additional information.
Copyright 2022 WSMV. All rights reserved.
