Matthew Jared Vukmer, a North Carolina man, is set to be extradited from Virginia back to North Carolina, where he faces a first‑degree murder charge in the fatal stabbing of his 54‑year‑old housekeeper, Paula Tilley Floyd, on March 6, 2026.
What happened in the home
The killing occurred at Vukmer’s residence just outside Hillsborough, North Carolina, in Orange County. Floyd, described as his long‑term housekeeper, was stabbed in the home while his wife was inside.
In a 911 call recorded by local media, Vukmer’s wife said she was at her desk when she heard Floyd fall, then ran in and saw her husband allegedly stabbing the housekeeper. She told the dispatcher:
“My husband was upstairs and he said he heard someone and came down. He attacked our cleaning lady because he thought she was someone else.”
In the background, Vukmer is reportedly heard saying something like “We got Vladimir Putin,” before his wife cuts him off. As she tried to help Floyd, she told the dispatcher he “just got in the truck” and she believed he was going for help, when in fact he was fleeing the scene.
Authorities quickly issued a first‑degree murder warrant and launched a search; Vukmer was later arrested in Grayson County, Virginia, the same day.
How he is being handled legally
Vukmer has been held in Virginia under a fugitive‑from‑justice charge tied to the North Carolina murder case. On Monday, April 6, he waived extradition in a Grayson County courtroom, clearing the way for him to be returned to Orange County, North Carolina, where he will face the first‑degree murder charge. It is not yet publicly known whether he has formally denied the allegations or secured an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Who Paula Tilley Floyd was
Friends and family remember Floyd, often called “Paula”, as a vibrant woman with a contagious love of life who made everyone feel like family. Her obituary says she was always on the dance floor or at the board‑game table and had a remarkable ability to keep joy alive even during hard times.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help her family with expenses as they grieve her sudden, violent death. The case has drawn attention to how quickly an argument or mistaken identity inside a private home can spiral into homicide, especially when a caregiver is involved and a suspect flees across state lines.
