INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 33-year-old man traveled on a Greyhound bus from Arizona down to Orlando, where he took an Uber to his ex-girlfriend’s residence near Vero Beach and shot her in the street, Sheriff Eric Flowers said Thursday. Flowers said the man, identified as Matthew Allen Waggle, shot the woman in “cold blood” in front of her home in a mobile home lot.
Matthew Waggle PHOTO PROVIDED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Flowers said Waggle was at the mobile home lot for 10-to-15 minutes. Deputies previously described the homicide as a domestic violence case.
“Mr. Waggle came here to Indian River County fully intent on shooting and killing Dawn (Kriskewic),” Flowers said during a news conference Thursday at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. “That’s why he got on the Greyhound bus. He’s going to face justice in this case.”
U.S. Marshals located Waggle at a Super 8 Motel late Wednesday in West Virginia following a four-day nationwide manhunt. Waggle will face a first-degree murder charge for the killing once he is extradited back to Indian River County.
Sheriff’s officials released surveillance footage Thursday of Waggle walking around the mobile home lot after the shooting about 8 a.m. Sunday, August 16. Waggle then traveled back to Orlando in an Uber and took a Greyhound bus to North Carolina.
“He was dropped off around the corner and made his way in (to the mobile home lot),” Flowers said. “He walked to the residence. They had a brief interaction. He shot her and fled the area.”
Video provided by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
Deputies on Tuesday identified the woman killed as 52-year-old Dawn Kriskewic. Flowers said Kriskewic was a local hairdresser.
Kriskewic, also a published author, had a book signing last month in Melbourne for her romance novel “Knew You Were Waiting,” her social media shows.
Kriskewic had ended the relationship with Waggle, and he moved away. Kriskewic knew there was a possibility that Waggle could return to the area, according to the sheriff.
Flowers said Kriskewic told her co-workers at the hair salon “if he calls or shows up, I want nothing to do with him. Tell him I’m not here.”
Sheriff’s officials previously released 911 audio capturing the aftermath of the shooting.
Audio provided by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
What happened
Flowers said Waggle took a Greyhound bus from Arizona and traveled south to Orlando early Sunday morning. Waggle then rode an Uber to the Vero Beach area.
Deputies responded to reports of a woman found lying in the roadway about 8:41 a.m. Sunday in the 500 block of First Street, west of U.S. 1 and south of the Vero Beach city limits. Deputies tried to revive Kriskewic.
Kriskewic was taken by ambulance to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, where doctors pronounced her dead. The number of times Kriskewic was shot was not immediately available.
Detectives spoke with witnesses at the scene, including one who saw the shooting.
“We really appreciate the people who have come forward, brave people who have stepped up to make this case,” Flowers said.
Search ends in West Virginia
Deputies put out an alert Sunday notifying the public to be on the lookout for Waggle. Flowers said Waggle left behind the 9mm Ruger pistol used in the shooting at the crime scene.
Waggle’s last known address was in Sebastian. Flowers said Waggle previously had a security guard job in Indian River County.
Deputies believe Waggle previously lived with Kriskewic, but the timeline was unclear, officials said.
“He’s a very transient guy,” Flowers said.
Detectives and the Real Time Crime Center used the Flock Safety license plate reader system to locate the Uber that Waggle used to travel back to Orlando, said Lt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson for the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Flowers said Waggle then took a Greyhound bus from Orlando and headed to North Carolina.
“We spoke with the Uber drivers who took him from Orlando to here, and from here back to Orlando,” Flowers said. “Nobody was traveling with him. He had a singular bus ticket.”
U.S. Marshals eventually found Waggle at the Super 8 by Wyndham Motel Dunbar/Charleston Area in West Virginia.
Flowers said the pistol used in the shooting belonged to Waggle’s ex-wife. Deputies learned the ex-wife was helping Waggle and making calls to the Super 8 Motel.
“We have two detectives in West Virginia trying to speak with Waggle and the ex-wife,” Flowers said.
U.S. Marshals took the ex-wife into custody at the Super 8 Motel. The woman, whose name was not released, then led law enforcement officials to Waggle who was hiding in the hotel room, Flowers said.
U.S. Marshals took Waggle into custody.
It was not immediately clear if the ex-wife knew about Waggle’s plan to gun down Kriskewic.
“We know the ex-wife was communicating with Waggle,” Flowers said. “We don’t know if she knew his plans.”
The sheriff praised the Flock Safety license plate reader system, noting that it played an important part in locating Waggle.
“Without Flock, I’m not standing here four days later telling you about (Waggle) being in custody in West Virginia,” Flowers said. “We got a murderer off the streets because of the Flock system.”
Waggle’s connection to West Virginia was not immediately known.
Flowers said deputies worked relentlessly to track down Waggle.
“Our team has worked nonstop for the last couple of days,” Flowers said. “I’m incredibly proud of our entire team for pulling together and making this case.”
Photos by Joshua Kodis
