Authorities report that a Ukrainian refugee and her soldier partner were tragically shot to death on Valentine’s Day in their bed, allegedly by the woman’s envious former boyfriend.
Kateryna Tovmash, 21, and Matthew Wade, a 28-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, were found dead on Saturday morning in Tovmash’s residence in Woodlake, North Carolina, near Raleigh.
Caleb Fosnaugh, 25, Tovmash’s previous boyfriend, was apprehended and is facing charges for the couple’s murder. He allegedly traveled approximately 500 miles from Ohio, where he had been in a relationship with Tovmash.
“Katerina’s ex-boyfriend drove seven hours from Ohio to North Carolina, where he broke into her home while she was taking care of her younger siblings,” Megan Wade, Matthew’s sister, shared on Facebook.
“He forced one of her siblings to wake her, then shot her and my brother, who was asleep beside her.”
After the fatal incident, Fosnaugh reportedly fled the scene in a white 2018 Ford Mustang. The sheriff’s office had alerted the public, describing him as “armed and dangerous” prior to his arrest.
He was later arrested by the Coshocton County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio and charged with two counts of murder as well as breaking and entering. He will likely be returned to North Carolina to face the charges.
“This is a tragic and senseless loss of life,” Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims during this difficult time. We are grateful for the swift coordination and assistance from our law enforcement partners in bringing this individual into custody.”
One of Wade’s other sisters, Courtney Miller, said Tovmash’s family had fled the war in Ukraine and urged people to donate to a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs.
“Matt was in the army so his funeral costs will be covered but his girlfriend’s family will be in need of help for Kate’s funeral costs,” Miller wrote on Facebook, using Tovmash’s nickname.
“Please, even if you can’t donate, please share!”
Tovmash’s killing comes months after another young Ukrainian refugee, 23-year-old Iryana Zarutska, was horrifically stabbed to death by a homeless ex-convict while riding a bus in Charlotte in August, 2025.
The alleged killer, Decarlos Brown Jr., had multiple arrests dating back to 2011, including larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats, according to court records obtained by The Post.
Zarutska’s death, which was caught on camera, sparked national outrage — and President Trump has called for Brown to face the death penalty.
