Second killing of Ukrainian refugee in US in half a year. What Is known about deceased Kateryna Tovmash
“There are people where you feel that they lack emotions of envy, anger and negativity. That was Katya,” late Kateryna Tovmash’s classmate Iryna Roshchyna recalls.
The 21-year-old refugee from Ukraine and her boyfriend, 28-year-old Matthew Wade, were shot by the girl’s former partner. American law enforcement suspects 25-year-old Caleb Hayden Fosnaugh in the murder.
Kateryna was from a large family from the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast, her friends said. After the start of the full-scale war, the Tovmashes left abroad.
We looked in what is known about the circumstances of the murder and about Kateryna herself.
"She loved taking photos and arranged photo shoots for me"
Iryna Roshchyna studied with Kateryna at the Bila Tserkva Academic Lyceum “Collegium.”
“She was always active, smiled, never complained, was generous, supportive, let me copy on tests, loved to take photos, and arranged photo shoots for me,” the girl says about her classmate in a comment to hromadske.
Kateryna had two sisters and three brothers. In the family there was “pleasant chaos,” where everyone loves and supports each other.
“Her family in my memories is strong, always positive and active. Katya’s mom always came into the class, and we all said: ‘Katya, what a cool and beautiful mom you have,’ and she always replied: ‘I know,’ with a smile and delight,” adds Iryna Roshchyna.
The principal of the Bila Tserkva lyceum, Halyna Skliarova, said that Katya studied there until 9th grade, then entered college.
“It hurts us very much. Katya participated in events, was a host and helped organize them. She was a pleasant, responsible and open girl. Her smile was a reflection of her sincerity,” added the principal.
"Kateryna woke up and he shot her"
One of Kateryna’s best friends, Kiril Pryshchepchuk, wrote on Instagram that their families were friends, went together to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ukraine.
Kiril also said that after the start of the full-scale war, in the spring of 2022, the family left Ukraine and lived in Germany for about a year and a half.
Later, Kateryna was the first to move to the US, where she lived for some time in Alaska, and later, with the support of the church community, her parents, brothers, sisters, and grandmother moved to her new place in the state of Utah.
According to Kiril, Kateryna moved about a year ago to live with her then-boyfriend in Ohio. Problems in the relationship began after Caleb brought up marriage. The girl was not ready for marriage and asked for a pause in the relationship. After that, Caleb became angry and took all her money. Kateryna moved in with her mother in North Carolina (her father lives separately in Utah).
Over the next two weeks, Caleb constantly wrote to her and tried to convince her to return.
Recently, Kateryna met Matthew Wade, and on the evening of February 13, they were together in a restaurant, after which the 28-year-old stayed overnight at her home.
The day before the murder, as Kiril recounts, Caleb called Kateryna and said that he wanted to take his own life.
In a comment to hromadske, Kiril clarified that, according to relatives' accounts, Caleb tried to drive onto the property where the house where the Tovmashes lived is located, but security refused to let him in.
So the man reparked the car and then climbed over the fence. First, he went into the mother’s room, but she was not home. Then Caleb saw the six-year-old brother and asked where Katya was. The boy led him to his sister’s room.
Her new boyfriend, Matthew Wade, slept in bed with her. Caleb first shot him, then Kateryna.
At the sound of the shots, the grandmother and the children ran over. The sister tried to perform CPR, but Kateryna was already dead. Afterward, the family called the police.
The sister of the deceased Matthew Wade, Megan, wrote on Facebook that the man served in the army, and before that worked in the police. He loved to travel. This year, he was supposed to go to Italy:
“He has a mom who loved him so much and couldn’t wait to see him live out his dreams. He has a father who was his best friend, who wanted nothing more than to see him travel the world. He has four sisters who loved their only brother, who grew up with him, who thought of him as a best friend.”
Another sister of Matthew, Courtney Wade Miller, urged people to donate funds for Kateryna’s funeral. Kiril Pryshchepchuk told hromadske that transporting the girl’s body from North Carolina to Utah will cost more than $15,000.
“Matt was in the army, so his funeral costs will be covered, but his girlfriend’s family will be in need of help for Kate’s funeral costs,” she wrote on Facebook.
American law enforcement detained Caleb that same day and took him into custody.
The brother of the deceased, Mykhailo, wrote on Instagram:
“Thankfully, she was in my life from my very birth. No matter how angry, upset, and mad at God I am for what happened, I am grateful that the killer did not touch my younger brothers and sisters who were home at that moment. I know that I will see her again.”
Last year in August, Iryna Zarutska was killed in the subway of the American city of Charlotte (North Carolina). She was a Ukrainian refugee who had fled the war and sought safety in the United States.
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