A United States Postal Service mail carrier was allegedly kidnapped and killed while on her route in rural North Carolina on Friday, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The incident occurred just months after the carrier, Brandi Reynolds, lost her husband in a fatal car crash.
Deputies from the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office discovered Reynolds' body after responding to a request for law enforcement assistance at an address in Hays. According to a warrant obtained by the Charlotte Observer, investigators allege that Reynolds was restrained before she was killed.
William Craig Durham has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder. He is accused of "removing the victim from one place to another without the consent of the victim," according to the warrant. Durham appeared before a judge on Monday and was ordered held without bond. Online court records did not indicate if Durham has an attorney or has entered a plea.
Officials have not stated whether Durham knew Reynolds or have identified a motive for the slaying. Reynolds was a mother of two daughters, according to social media posts. In February, she wrote about her children, stating, "They are what makes life worth living."
Reynolds' husband, Brent, died in a car crash on December 24, 2025. According to reports, he was driving on Mathis Mill Road in Wilkes County when his vehicle crossed the center line, left the roadway, struck a tree, and overturned. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol indicated he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Reynolds' mother shared a tribute on Facebook, writing, "I love you baby girl! This has forever put a hole in my heart."
The United States Postal Inspection Service confirmed the incident, stating in a comment to the Daily Mail, "Brandi Reynolds was delivering mail on her route when the incident occurred. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to her family and co-workers. No further information can be provided at this time, as the investigation is ongoing."