On a quiet Sunday morning in Vero Beach, Florida, the life of 52-year-old Dawn Kriskewic was tragically cut short. On August 16, 2026, she was found lying in the roadway in front of her home with a gunshot wound. First responders rushed to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, transporting her to a nearby trauma center, but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
The Indian River County Sheriff's Office immediately launched a homicide investigation, which they soon classified as a case of domestic violence.
Investigators quickly identified a person of interest: 33-year-old Matthew Allen Waggle, Kriskewic's ex-boyfriend. The relationship between Kriskewic and Waggle had been an on-again, off-again affair that Kriskewic had recently ended. Friends and colleagues of Kriskewic revealed that she had expressed fear of Waggle and had instructed them to turn him away if he tried to contact her. It soon became clear that Waggle had meticulously planned the attack. He traveled by Greyhound bus to Orlando and then took an Uber to Vero Beach, arriving at Kriskewic's neighborhood on that fateful Sunday morning. Surveillance footage captured him at the scene for only a brief period, just long enough to commit the murder before fleeing.
Following the shooting, Waggle began a multi-state flight to evade capture. He took another Uber back to Orlando, boarded a Greyhound bus to North Carolina, and eventually made his way to a motel in West Virginia. A nationwide manhunt was initiated, and law enforcement utilized license plate reader technology to track his movements. The investigation also led them to Waggle's ex-wife in West Virginia, who had been in contact with him. The gun used in the murder was registered to her, and she was taken into custody for questioning, though no charges have been announced against her. On August 20, 2026, just four days after the murder, U.S. Marshals located and arrested Waggle without incident at a motel in Dunbar, West Virginia. He was charged with first-degree murder and is currently awaiting extradition back to Florida to face trial. The case, which is a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence, now moves to the judicial system for prosecution.
