The Orange County Sheriff’s Office recently provided updates on two ongoing investigations — including a murder case that caught the attention of the Hillsborough community last month.

On Monday, Apr. 6, the sheriff’s office shared Matthew Vukmer waived his extradition in Grayson County, Virginia, where he has been in custody since authorities arrested him on Mar. 6. Doing so will expedite the 53-year-old’s transport back to Orange County, where he will face a first-degree murder charge over the stabbing of Paula Floyd.

Vukmer drove to Virginia after attacking Floyd when she entered his residence on Mar. 6, according to the authorities. Vukmer’s wife called 911 to aid Floyd after the incident, telling the dispatcher her husband had left their Wyngate home just southeast of Hillsborough. A U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force tracked down and arrested Vukmer later that night in Grayson County. Following her death, multiple local media outlets reported Floyd had a regular housecleaning job with the Vukmer family.

“We will confer with the District Attorney and make plans for Vukmer’s transport back to Orange County where we will serve him with the North Carolina murder warrant,” Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in a release on Monday. “At that point, the case formally transfers to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

“Although that transition is an important step forward in the pursuit of justice,” the sheriff added, “we are aware that no legal proceeding can undo the profound loss experienced by the victim’s loved ones. We continue to offer them our deepest condolences.”

In a separate case, the sheriff’s office announced Tuesday its arrest of 39-year-old Hillsborough resident Rudy Free on charges of second degree sexual offense. The office’s post on social media described it as the result of an “extensive investigation” that began after a person disclosed the crimes to a third party and law enforcement was alerted.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Free faces nine felony warrants for the forcible sexual offense charges, as well as three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. North Carolina law defines second degree forcible sexual offenses as engaging in a sexual act with another person by force and against their will, or knowingly engaging in a sexual act with someone who is deemed “physically helpless” from a mental disability or incapacitation. Per its policy, the sheriff’s office did not reveal any information that could potentially identify the victim or victims in the case.

The local magistrate ordered that Free be held in the Orange County Detention Center without bond over the felony charges, while adding a $20,000 secured bond on the misdemeanors he faces.

Featured photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Orange County Veterans Memorial Holds Ceremony, Continues Construction – But Without Longtime Supporter
The Orange County Veterans Memorial’s leadership held its customary Veterans Day ceremony to honor the holiday and local veterans.
Here's How the Orange County Governments, Community Are Recognizing Veterans Day
Monday marks Veterans Day across the country, and there are several ways the Orange County community is recognizing the holiday.
UNC Joins Orange County for Annual Veterans Day Ceremony, Memorial Reflection
Orange County held its annual Veterans Day ceremony near the site of the county Veterans Memorial on Friday morning, with much of the traditional program. There was a recognition of all armed forces, a prominent guest speaker and an update on the ongoing construction phases of the memorial outside the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill. […]
Orange County Veterans Memorial Hosts First Event with New Phase of Construction
Veterans and their family, as well as local elected officials and community members, gathered at the Orange County Veterans Memorial Monday morning for a special Memorial Day program. The event at the memorial site, located near the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill, is the first held at the space since Phase 2 of […]
Orange County Community Members Gather for Veteran's Day; Memorial Project Progresses
Community members gathered at the Orange County Veterans Memorial on Wednesday for a Veterans Day recognition ceremony and updates on the project.
Orange County Will Not Recite Pledge of Allegiance at Meetings; Adopts Juneteenth as Holiday
The Orange County Board of Commissioners voted against a resolution to open their meetings by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States. During its first meeting back from a summer break, the board voted 5-2 against a resolution proposed by Commissioner Earl McKee on Tuesday. The county commissioners have not made saying the […]
Photo Gallery: Orange County Celebrates Memorial Day Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Rep. David Price, Local Officials Honor Orange County Veterans with Ceremony
One hundred years after President Woodrow Wilson first declared Armistice Day, local representatives and the Orange County veterans community gathered to celebrate and recognize the efforts of those who served. The Veterans Day Ceremony was held at the site of the Orange County Veterans Memorial, located by the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill. […]
Organizers Attempting to Raise $75,000 by End of May for Orange County Veterans Memorial
A lofty fundraising goal has been set for the Orange County Veterans Memorial. A campaign is now underway seeking to raise $75,000 by the end of May to go toward the memorial, which is set to be built adjacent to the Southern Human Services Center on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. Officials say the memorial […]
Orange County Sheriff Details Extradition of Murder Suspect, Arrests Hillsborough Resident Over Sex Offenses
The Orange County Sheriff's Office recently provided updates on two ongoing investigations — including a murder case that caught the attention of the Hillsborough community last month.
›