Paula Tilley Floyd was killed March 6 inside a home near Hillsborough, authorities said.
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Paula Tilley Floyd was remembered as a wife, mother and joyful presence in her community after authorities said the longtime housekeeper was stabbed to death inside a Hillsborough-area home where she worked.
Floyd, 54, died March 6 at a residence on Running Pine Court, southeast of downtown Hillsborough. Matthew Jared Vukmer, 53, the homeowner for whom investigators said Floyd had long worked, is charged with first-degree murder. He was arrested the same day in Virginia, returned to Orange County and is being held without bond.
The public record of the case begins with a household relationship that investigators say had lasted for years. Floyd was not described by authorities as a stranger in the home. Vukmer’s wife, who called 911, told the dispatcher that Floyd was their cleaning lady and a friend. That detail has shaped the shock around the case for people who knew Floyd and for officials who have spoken about her death. Sheriff Charles Blackwood said Floyd’s killing had a profound impact on her family and friends. Former Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews, who attended church with Floyd, told Blackwood she was “a wonderful person,” and Blackwood later said Floyd “certainly leaves behind a legacy of goodness.”
Floyd’s obituary described her as a lifelong member of the community she loved and a bright presence in the lives of those around her. The family tribute said family, to Floyd, was never limited to blood and included anyone lucky enough to cross her path. It remembered her love of dancing, board games and shared moments that brought people together. Friends and relatives have said her kindness stood out, even in ordinary routines. The contrast between that memory and the violent way she died has become one of the central facts of the case as it moves from the first emergency response into the courts.
Deputies were called to the Running Pine Court home on the morning of March 6. Vukmer’s wife said in a 911 call that she had been working at her desk when she heard Floyd fall. She told the dispatcher that her husband had been upstairs, heard someone and came down. She said he attacked Floyd because he thought she was someone else. The wife also said she did not know who he thought Floyd was. A male voice could be heard in the background referring to Vladimir Putin, according to reports describing the call. The wife later told the dispatcher Vukmer had gotten into his truck and left.
When deputies arrived, they found Floyd dead from stab wounds. Investigators obtained a first-degree murder charge and began searching for Vukmer. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said he drove away in a dark Ford Super Duty truck and warned the public that he should be considered dangerous and might still have a weapon. Authorities released his physical description and truck information during the search. The home sits in the Wyngate community outside Hillsborough, about 35 miles northwest of Raleigh. The sheriff’s office asked people not to approach Vukmer if they saw him and to contact 911 instead.
The search ended the same day in Grayson County, Virginia, about 145 miles from the Hillsborough area. An Orange County investigator working with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Capital Area Regional Task Force took Vukmer into custody at about 5:15 p.m. Sheriff’s officials said Vukmer declined to speak with investigators and requested an attorney. Blackwood praised investigators and federal partners after the arrest. He said Floyd’s family and friends had experienced a “life-shattering event” and that he hoped they could take some measure of comfort from the arrest, though the grief remained.
Vukmer was held in Virginia before waiving extradition April 6 in a Grayson County courtroom. He was then transferred to North Carolina and booked into the Orange County Detention Center. Authorities formally served him with the first-degree murder charge issued the day Floyd died. A magistrate ordered that he be held without bond. On April 21, District Attorney Jeff Nieman said prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. The decision leaves the first-degree murder charge in place but means capital punishment is no longer part of the case. Future hearings are expected to address evidence, scheduling and other pretrial matters.
The motive remains publicly unknown. Investigators have not said what they believe caused the alleged attack, whether the statement in the 911 call about mistaken identity is part of their theory, or what evidence was recovered from the home and truck. The truck was expected to be taken to the Orange County impound lot for processing after the arrest. No public statement from Vukmer has been reported beyond the sheriff’s office saying he declined to speak with investigators and asked for an attorney. Public reports also have not shown that he has denied the charge or entered a plea.
For Floyd’s family, the court case is unfolding beside a memorial to her life. Her obituary and the statements from people who knew her have kept attention on the person killed, not only on the accusation against Vukmer. Friends described a woman who brought energy to social gatherings and stayed rooted in the community. Officials described the loss as devastating. The legal system will now determine the facts of the charge, but the people close to Floyd have already described the damage as permanent.
Vukmer remains in custody in Orange County as of April 28, and prosecutors are moving forward with the murder case without seeking a death sentence. The next public milestones are expected through court hearings and filings.
Author note: Last updated April 28, 2026.