He loved Atlanta and his Poncey-Highland community. Thomas Arnold loved the outdoors and was often seen walking or biking when he wasn’t helping the Trees Atlanta organization.
“He liked planting in neighborhoods and areas that he would go through a lot. ... I think Tom really enjoyed seeing the trees he planted,” Greg Levine, the co-executive director of Trees Atlanta, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
On Feb. 26, Arnold, 60, was found shot to death in the area of Elizabeth Street and Bernina Avenue. In March, Brandon Williams, 28, and Demetrice Ross, 26, were charged with murder.
Williams and Ross both face a multi-count indictment alleging they were trying to rob Arnold when he was shot. No other details about what led up to the incident have been released by police.
Arnold’s family and friends called his death a “profound loss” for the community and everyone who knew him. His “legendary” love for dogs earned him the nickname “the dog whisperer,” according to his obituary. He had a few of his own and often volunteered to board and train friends’ and neighbors’ dogs.
“Dogs have lost a sweet and gentle human friend,” his obituary read. “Of the many qualities Tom possessed, none was more meaningful than his friendship. Tom was a true and loyal friend to so many who were fortunate to have crossed his path. ... His zest for life, optimism, intelligence, wit, and personal ethics contribute to cherished memories that will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of his family and friends.”
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