Mitch Roberts: Where is the Fast Food Killer’s Alleged Survivor Now?

The Shoney’s restaurant located near the Nashville International Airport was arguably one of the busiest back in 1997, and Mitchell “Mitch” Lynn Roberts was its proud General Manager. He was thus well aware of the murder-robberies happening at different fast food stores across North-Central Tennessee at the time, as chronicled in A&E’s ‘I Survived a Serial Killer: The Fast Food Killer.’ However, he never even thought the assailant could be his recent former employee, Paul Dennis Reid, until it was too late, or that he himself would allegedly one day be attacked in his home.

Mitch Roberts Became Friendly With Local Officials During Their Investigations Into The Fast Food Killer

At the age of 46 in late spring-early summer 1997, Mitch Roberts was not only the operational leader at the Shoney’s at 546 Donelson Pike but also a well-respected member of the community. Therefore, a lot of people seemed to look up to him after it came to light that three separate fast food restaurants were hit and 7 of their employees were murdered between February and April. “I had some of my customers who would ask me questions…,” he candidly revealed in the episode. “A lot of policemen came and ate with me, so we kind of kept current on what was going on.”

Mitch essentially indicated he had some sense of how the inquiries into the matter were going due to his amicable bond with law enforcement, yet his primary focus was serving his customers. Hence, even with the media dubbing the assailant The Fast Food Killer for their choice of targets and news reports about their vehicle likely being a red four-door Ford Escort, he minded his business. “We were such a high-traffic area, it never occurred to me that we could be a target,” the General Manager admitted. Yet, it was reportedly a call from him that blew the case wide open on June 1, 1997.

Mitch Roberts Was Allegedly Ambushed at His Home By The Serial Killer

Mitch has long claimed that he was enjoying some quality downtime with his family late on the evening of Sunday, June 1, when there was suddenly a knock at the front door of his rural home. According to his accounts, he lived 25 miles outside Nashville, in an area so secluded that no one could reach his house until they knew precisely where they were going, so he was shocked to see Paul Reid. He later told officials the latter was a former cook for him at Shoney’s, whom he had fired in the middle of a shift mere weeks prior, after he’d lost his cool and “frisbeed a plate” that hit a fellow employee.

Mitch reportedly let Paul into the foyer despite it being quite late, following which the latter almost immediately asked whether they could discuss the possibility of his getting his job back. Before the 46-year-old could reply, though, he claimed his wife came up to interrupt, excused them to speak in private, and told him he needed to get rid of Paul because she had a weird feeling. He thus went back only to tell the cook it would be best if he returned the next morning to talk about the issue at hand, since it was well into the evening, and he didn’t want his family disturbed. “I kind of led him towards the door, and he walked out,” the manager said on the show. “When we got out on the porch, he told me he could prove to me someone was stealing from the restaurant.”

Mitch alleged that Paul doubled down as they walked to his parked car in the driveway – roughly 75 to 100 feet from the home – which is when he noticed it was a red four-door Ford Escort. That’s when he claimed he put two and two together, but still kept his composure, reiterated that the former cook should come back the next morning, and turned around to start walking away. However, as per records, Paul had different plans as he suddenly ran in front of the retreating figure, pulled out a gun as well as handcuffs, and ordered the 46-year-old to cuff himself to the vehicle. The elder male was resolute in the fact that he would never let anyone enter his home or harm his family, so he allegedly got the upper hand by simply speaking to Paul as if he were still his paid boss.

Mitch Roberts is Likely Currently Enjoying Retirement While Surrounded By Loved Ones

Mitch can still recall the terror he felt on that fateful night when he believed Paul’s intention was to cuff him to the car, kill his family, drive him to Shoney’s, rob the place, and then murder him. Nevertheless, he claimed he didn’t let it show. Instead, he said he walked to his front porch while talking assertively, knowing the alleged assailant would follow before turning to face him and then turning back around. “He expected me to pull open (the front door),” the manager stated in the episode. “But he didn’t expect me to pull it open, turn, and hit him.” He claimed he punched Paul in the face, stepped over the threshold, and held the door closed before loudly asking his wife to hand him the gun that was “lying right there.” He revealed there was no gun, but Paul fled the scene.

According to records, Mitch immediately contacted the police to relay the events that transpired and his suspicion that Paul was the Fast Food Killer, resulting in officers quickly arriving at his home. It was while they were there that the former cook reportedly called his previous employer to apologize, prompting the then-46-year-old to ask him to return so they could discuss what happened. As soon as Paul pulled in, 6 officers stepped out of the bushes to apprehend him, resulting in his eventual indictment, trial, and conviction on 7 counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree attempted murder.

Paul was never charged in connection with the alleged ambush on Mitch, something the latter came to appreciate, as it meant he didn’t necessarily have to be involved in the serial killer’s trial. He did give a statement to the press once, but he then preferred to remain well away from the limelight so as to focus on his own family, growth, and healing, all the while still being a provider. Since then, though, it appears as if the now 75-year-old is retired and still leading a good, quiet life on the rural outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, where he is likely surrounded by his wife, his daughter, his son, and their respective families.

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