Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty To Ohio Execution-Style Murder
Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 8:45 A.M. ET. 2 Minute By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
CLEVELAND, OH.- A 35-year-old Alexandria, Virginia, woman and former U.S. Coast Guard veteran learned she would be facing up to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty last Tuesday in connection with the March 2021 execution-style shooting death of a 31-year-old Northeast Ohio man in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Chelsea Perkins, 35, of Alexandria, Virginia, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree Murder; and Using or Carrying and Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence on Federal Property.
Perkins Is Scheduled To Be Sentenced In September
Following entering her plea last Tuesday, the Court scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2025. At that time, if the Court accepts the negotiated plea agreement, Perkins faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 25 years in federal prison, to be followed by at least five years of supervised release. At sentencing and upon acceptance of the plea agreement, a U.S. District Court Judge will determine the term of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offense and Perkins’ prior criminal history, if any.
According To Charging Documents Filed With The Court
According to the charging information filed with the District Court, Perkins traveled from Alexandria, Virginia, to Ohio to meet Matthew Dunmire, 31, of Northeast Ohio, whom she had previously known. On March 6, 2021, the two visited the Terra Vista Natural Study Area, a hiking trail located in Valley View, Ohio, within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
While hiking off-trail into a wooded area of the park, Perkins took out a loaded handgun that she had brought with her and shot Mr. Dunmire in the back of the head, killing him instantly.
During the ensuing investigation, Investigators found evidence linking Perkins to the fatal shooting through GPS data, DNA, social media, phone records, and ballistic analysis. After being identified as the suspect, Investigators obtained and executed a federal court-authorized search warrant at her Alexandria, Virginia home, at which time Investigators located and seized three 9mm handguns, including one recovered from a woman’s purse that also contained Perkins’ identification.
