Background: The home in the Wyngate community outside Hillsborough, North Carolina, where the stabbing occurred (WNCN/YouTube). Inset top: Matthew Vukmer (New River Valley Regional Jail). Inset bottom: Paula Floyd (Hudson Funeral Home).
A North Carolina man faces allegations of fatally stabbing his housekeeper while his wife was present in their home, according to authorities. The suspect, Matthew Vukmer, 53, reportedly fled the scene, crossing state lines before being apprehended.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has charged Vukmer with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Paula Floyd, aged 54. In a recent court appearance in Grayson County, Virginia, Vukmer waived his right to contest extradition, paving the way for his return to North Carolina to confront the charges.
The incident unfolded on the morning of March 6 at Vukmer’s residence in the Wyngate community, situated just outside Hillsborough, North Carolina, approximately 35 miles from Raleigh. At the time, Vukmer, his wife, and Floyd were all present in the home.
According to a 911 call obtained by Fox affiliate WGHP, Vukmer’s wife was working at her desk when she heard a commotion and discovered that Floyd had been stabbed. In the emergency call, she described hearing a noise upstairs before witnessing the attack.
“My husband was upstairs and he said he heard someone and came down,” she explained to the dispatcher. “He attacked our cleaning lady because he thought she was someone else!”
During the call, Vukmer’s wife mentioned that Floyd was a friend, expressing confusion over the incident. At one point, Vukmer can be heard in the background making a reference to “Vladimir Putin,” adding to the perplexity of the situation.
As the emergency call continued, Vukmer’s wife stated that she saw her husband get into his truck and drive away, believing he was searching for help.
As it turned out, Vukmer was apparently heading north for the state border.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina that day stated that it had obtained the murder charge against Vukmer and was searching for him after he left his home in a dark Ford Super Duty truck. Investigators reportedly spoke with his wife and, acting with her help, believed he may have traveled to western Virginia, per area CBS affiliate WNCN.
Hours later, at about 5:15 p.m., authorities took Vukmer into custody in Grayson County, Virginia, about 145 miles away. The North Carolina law enforcement agency said he “declined to speak to investigators and requested an attorney.”
“We know the family and friends of Paula Floyd experienced a life-shattering event today, and we continue to extend our condolences,” the sheriff’s office added at the time. “It is our hope that they take some small measure of comfort knowing that her assailant is in custody.”
Floyd is remembered in her obituary as a “lifelong member of the community she loved and a bright presence in the lives of everyone who knew her.”
She “worked as a self-employed housekeeper, but those who knew her best would say her true work in life was caring for people,” the obituary continues. “She had a gift for making others feel welcome, valued, and loved. To Paula, family was never limited to blood—it included anyone lucky enough to cross her path.”
Floyd had a husband and two sons.
