Tennessee Woman Goes on a Hike. True Crime Documentaries May Have Saved Her Life: ‘He Had a Flip Phone’

True crime isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Death, missing persons, and unsolved cases often don’t make the best conversation starters at parties. But a woman from Nashville, Tennessee, told TikTok about an experience that left her shaking. She believes that being a true crime fan may have saved her from strange men at a park trail.

On Saturday, Leticia posted about the odd encounter on TikTok. She went for a walk at the Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Leticia wanted to stop by a local coffee shop at the park, so she, her dogs, and her mother decided to go.

After getting coffee, they decided to walk on a trail that’s relatively secluded. There were people passing by, but not a lot. It led them to an enclosed area where they could look out and admire nature. There’s nothing better than a cup of coffee and sprawling green after a long walk. Leticia was just giving her dogs water until she heard footsteps.

A strange man with a flip phone came close

It was a man, and he wasn’t just passing by. He struck up a conversation with her, saying that he didn’t want to scare her. The man then asked if Leticia’s dogs were friendly, and Leticia cautiously said that the dogs were “learning” to be.

This was a lie, as her sister’s dog is extremely friendly. One of the dogs went up to the man to sniff him and was wagging her tail. Leticia’s dog, on the other hand, was wary of the man. He started barking the moment the man came closer.

Leticia noted the man’s strange attire. He was wearing shades, a white t-shirt, basketball shorts, and dress shoes. The man was bald, and Leticia guessed he was in his late forties.

“He had a flip phone,” Leticia said. She initially assumed it was a taser, but it was not. Dress shoes while hiking and a flip phone—neither was a common sight.

Her suspicions would only flare up when the man said, “Sorry, I just had to come over here and talk to you guys because I’m being followed by these guys.”

Leticia noticed that there were two other men standing at each entrance of the enclosure. These men were also suspiciously dressed—each wore a blue t-shirt, sunglasses, a hat, and jeans. Like the first man, the other ones also had flip phones on their person. She got up and signaled her mother to leave.

She bid the stranger goodbye, but the man said he had to go back to his car to “get some protection.”

Safely fleeing from the trail because of true crime

“From watching true crime, I did not say, ‘Well, let me call the cops,'” Leticia said. She further explained, “As we know, the police—or signaling that you feel threatened—that’s when they start doing whatever they’re going to do.”

As soon as she passed one of the men, she overheard him say, “Cut the cell towers. This won’t take too long.”

Leticia wasn’t sure if this was intimidation, but she felt her blood pressure drop. She and her mother took a detour, but the men began following them. Whenever they moved faster, so would the men. Clearly, the hike has turned into a full-blown pursuit.

Leticia started dropping items—perhaps in an attempt to throw the men off. She dropped her coffee cup, her hair tie, and even her own hair. At one point, she contemplated leaving her shoes behind.

Thankfully, Leticia, her mother, and her dogs all safely made it out of the trail. But as soon as they did, the three men were behind them at the end of the trail. The men end their pursuit—but what makes the scenario unsettling is that the first man who chatted with Leticia was standing with the other strange men. He was not being followed—it appears that he was working with the other men. She later called the cops, and it’s unclear if the authorities were able to locate the strange men.

Leticia doesn’t know why the men were following her. Despite her precautions, such as bringing dogs and her mother, as well as keeping a safe distance, these men persistently followed her anyway. But did true crime really save Leticia?

According to a study from Sage Publications, women glean survival tips and strategies from true crime cases. Women often gravitate to true crime because they often fear becoming the victims of said crimes.

“I know true crime isn’t popular because it is scary to think that these things do happen, but at the same time, we need to be aware of how to handle situations,” Leticia commented.

(featured images: Niki Clark, leticiaxrodriguez, Katya Wolf)

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