Dawn Kovach Obituary, Death; – A 37-year-old man from New Haven is currently facing a murder charge related to the shooting death of a homeless woman that occurred last week. Jonathan Mattix has been accused of fatally shooting 54-year-old Dawn Kovach, whose body was discovered in her tent last Thursday, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
According to court documents, Mattix was apprehended by the Allen County Sheriff’s Department Warrant Division last Wednesday after receiving a tip indicating that he was “armed and violent and hiding at his mother’s residence.” This information, provided by the Van Wert Police Department, also suggested that Mattix had confessed to murdering a homeless woman recently.
Following his arrest, an anonymous tipster reported that Mattix had boasted about shooting a woman. Officers from the New Haven Police Department responded to the location mentioned by the caller but found no evidence. However, a sergeant familiar with the victim proceeded to the 2600 block of Wayne Haven Drive, where he checked a wooded area known to be frequented by Kovach and subsequently discovered her body.
During the investigation, authorities learned that an officer had reported hearing a gunshot during a traffic stop approximately half a mile from the site where Kovach was found. They also received information from a witness who contacted the Fort Wayne Police Department, alleging that Mattix had murdered a homeless woman.
The witness stated, “He brought a homeless woman to the residence and later claimed he followed her to her campsite. He told me he murdered her with a .38 revolver he was carrying.”
The witness further detailed how the murder occurred and indicated the location where Mattix allegedly disposed of her body near the train tracks in New Haven. After the alleged confession, the witness expressed a desire for Mattix to leave his home, at which point Mattix reportedly brandished a weapon.
When police interviewed this witness, he recounted that Mattix had brought a homeless woman to their shared residence before departing. A second witness later contacted Mattix, informing him that the woman had been stealing from their home.
The witness reported that he inquired of Mattix whether he had engaged in target shooting, as indicated in court records. Mattix purportedly responded in the negative, asserting that he had “taken care of that girl.”
According to court documents, the witness also informed the police that he overheard Mattix during a phone conversation, where he elaborated on the murder of a woman at the campsite where she was residing. Mattix allegedly stated that he shot the woman in the face.
Over the weekend, law enforcement officials interrogated Mattix at the Allen County Jail, where he has been detained following a tip from the Van Wert Police Department. Court records reveal that Mattix altered his account several times. Initially, he claimed that he had only utilized his firearm for target practice and denied shooting Kovach, asserting that he was incapable of such an act due to his aversion to violence.
Subsequently, Mattix’s narrative shifted to indicate that he confronted Kovach regarding an alleged theft, stating that when he departed from her tent, “she was wide awake and happy as can be.”
Ultimately, Mattix contended that he and Kovach engaged in a struggle over his firearm, during which he purportedly managed to turn the weapon on her and shoot her in self-defense. Mattix is set to appear for an initial hearing on Tuesday.
