Matthew Jared Vukmer remains charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Paula Floyd.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against Matthew Jared Vukmer, the North Carolina man charged with first-degree murder in the March 6 stabbing death of longtime housekeeper Paula Tilley Floyd at his Orange County home.

The decision narrows the possible punishment but leaves the murder charge intact as the case moves through Orange County court. Vukmer, 53, is accused of killing Floyd, 54, inside a home on Running Pine Court, southeast of downtown Hillsborough, before leaving in a dark Ford Super Duty truck and being arrested hours later in Virginia.

Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman announced April 21 that he would not pursue capital punishment in the case, according to local reports of the court proceedings. The decision means prosecutors can still seek a first-degree murder conviction, but a death sentence is no longer an option. Court records list one count of first-degree murder. Vukmer is being held at the Orange County Detention Center after being returned from Virginia, where he had been held as a fugitive from justice following his arrest. Prosecutors have described Floyd’s death as an unprovoked attack. Investigators have not publicly given a motive, and Sheriff Charles Blackwood has said the case has left Floyd’s family and friends with deep grief and unanswered questions.

The case began on the morning of March 6, when Orange County deputies were called to Vukmer’s home in the Wyngate community outside Hillsborough. Investigators said Floyd had worked for Vukmer as a longtime housekeeper and was inside the residence along with Vukmer and his wife. Deputies found Floyd dead from stab wounds. Vukmer’s wife called 911 after hearing a commotion and discovering Floyd on the floor. In the call, she said her husband had come downstairs from an upper floor and attacked Floyd because he thought she was someone else. “He attacked our cleaning lady,” she told a dispatcher, according to call audio described by local media.

The 911 call became a central public account of the moments after the stabbing. Vukmer’s wife told the dispatcher she had been working at her desk when she heard Floyd fall. She said she ran to check and saw Floyd had been stabbed. She also told the dispatcher that Floyd was a friend of the family. At one point, a male voice could be heard in the background saying, “We got Vladimir Putin,” before Vukmer’s wife cut him off, according to reports describing the audio. The wife said Vukmer then got into his truck. She initially believed he might have been leaving to get help, but investigators said he left the area.

Sheriff’s officials obtained a first-degree murder charge the same day and released information about Vukmer and his truck while searching for him. Authorities described him as a 53-year-old white man, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, with no facial hair. They said he had been last seen wearing a dark T-shirt and green shorts and was driving a dark Ford Super Duty with a North Carolina license plate. The sheriff’s office warned at the time that he should be considered dangerous and could still have a knife or another weapon. Investigators also said the truck would be taken to the Orange County impound lot for processing after Vukmer’s arrest.

Within about five hours, investigators tracked Vukmer to Grayson County, Virginia. An Orange County investigator serving with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force worked with the Capital Area Regional Task Force in Virginia to take him into custody at about 5:15 p.m. Sheriff’s officials said Vukmer declined to speak with investigators and requested an attorney. Blackwood praised the task force work after the arrest, saying the partnership with federal authorities had served as a “force multiplier.” He also said Floyd’s family and friends had suffered a “life-shattering event” and that he hoped they could take some comfort in knowing the suspect was in custody.

Vukmer later waived extradition during a hearing in Grayson County, clearing the way for his return to North Carolina. After the transfer, authorities formally served him with the March 6 murder charge, and a magistrate ordered him held without bond. The case now shifts to pretrial proceedings in Orange County, where prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to address evidence, discovery, future hearings and any motions that could shape a trial. It was not publicly clear from available court reports whether Vukmer has entered a plea or whether a defense attorney has made a public statement about the allegations.

Floyd’s death brought a public response from people who knew her in Orange and Durham counties. Blackwood said former Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews, who attended church with Floyd, contacted him after her death and described her as a wonderful person. “She was someone who touched many lives,” Blackwood said in a later interview. Floyd’s family obituary remembered her as a lifelong member of the community and a bright presence to those who knew her. The tribute said she treated family as more than blood and brought joy to gatherings, games and dance floors.

With the death penalty ruled out, the case remains an active first-degree murder prosecution in Orange County. Vukmer is in custody, Floyd’s family is awaiting the next court milestones, and investigators have not publicly identified a motive as of April 28.

Author note: Last updated April 28, 2026.