Belle Meade Murder Victim's Family Issues Statement

BELLE MEADE, TN -- The family of slain Belle Meade gym owner Joel Paavola, a 46-year-old husband and father of five, issued a statement thanking the community for its support in the wake of his brutal murder earlier this week.

"The Paavola family would like to take a moment to give a heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support they have received during this difficult time. Joel Paavola was taken from this world too soon. Whether it be through his always changing hair color, his positive attitude, his unparalleled ability to listen or his witty sense of humor Joel was a memorable man. His warm curiosity, captivating personality and devotion and passion for his life, his work and his family made him well known, and deeply loved, throughout the community. He truly lived a bright and energetic life. Anyone who knew Joel was touched by his heart, and because of this the community has suffered a great loss. At this time, we ask for everyone’s understanding and care as we give the Paavola family time to grieve and spend time with loved ones in private to help them move on from this terrible tragedy. Once again, they thank you for your overwhelming support and concern for their family," the statement says.

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According to detectives, Paavola, who ran the Balance Training in the Belle Meade Galleria on Harding Pike died after being allegedly attacked with a hatchet wielded by 36-year-old Domenic Micheli at 6:55 Monday morning. Micheli had been seen pacing in the Galleria parking deck prior to the attack. There were two other people in the gym at the time of the attack.

Metro Police said Tuesday that Micheli went to a Gallatin urgent care clinic about an hour after the attack with a left leg limp.

He was also captured on surveillance at a drug store about an hour after that.

MORE: GoFundMe Launched For Joel Paavola

Micheli, who police believe may have been on the West Coast some time after he was fired, remained at large for more than 36 hours before his arrest on Interstate 65 outside Bowling Green, Ky.

He had previously been arrested for unlawful entry and failure to obey an officer near the White House late on the night of April 28, according to a Washington, D.C. police report obtained by Patch, after pulling his car to a security checkpoint and refusing to move.

According to his LinkedIn page, Micheli was a personal trainer at the gym. Metro Police said he was fired by Paavola approximately 14 months ago. As Micheli was a fairly well-known member of the fitness community, at least one area gym - Boost Fit Club on Vaughn's Gap - added extra security and closed early Monday.

Police said Micheli was driving the older model Toyota Prius with paper tags spotted on surveillance footage after Monday's attack.

Micheli's Facebook page is full of blank verse poetry, in which he claims to be the "Sun of God" (or occasionally, the "Son of God"). He appears to be out of contact with his family, many of whom placed comments in recent weeks on his posts urging him to come home or call them.

In one chilling post written April 8, Micheli wrote he was visiting a Jewish temple.

"i wont be armed. i have two small knives and a hatchet in my car," he wrote (his syntax preserved).

In another, he makes a reference to "Nurse Mayinga." Mayinga N'Seka was a nurse in what was then Zaire who died from Ebola in 1976. She is often considered, incorrectly, the index case - or "Patient Zero" - of the disease. In that post, Micheli discusses index cases and says he "can kill nine tenths of the world population and be within justice." He mentions "abaddon," the name of both a bottomless pit and a vengeful angel in the Bible.

On May 26, he began by writing "There will not be any mercy doled out after this post."

In his most recent post on June 1, he wrote, among other things, "Truly, no one has been actually honest to God with me yet. In fact, though there are the faithful and faithless, I've opened up a drastic separation even from my own people, the faithful, over the last week."

Photo via GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner