Man kills former boss with hatchet at strip mall; suspect sought

NASHVILLE -- (WZTV) -- Metro Police have identified the victim of a deadly hatchet attack at a Belle Meade strip mall.

Joel Paavola, 46, who owns The Balance Training location where the murder happened Monday morning, was identified as the victim.

Police say Paavola fired the suspect, Domenic Micheli, 14 months ago.

Police say the suspect used a hatchet and another cutting object to hack Paavola to death. The suspect was seen pacing back and forth in the parking garage before the attack.

Micheli was last seen driving a silver, older model Toyota Yaris. He's believed to be dangerous and should not be approached. If seen, call 615-862-8600 immediately.

Police believe Micheli went to the West Coast for a while after being fired, but it's not clear how long the suspect has been back in the area.