A joint law enforcement investigation in Wilkes County, North Carolina, has led to the arrest of a man accused of kidnapping and murdering a local postal worker.
On June 26, 2026, at approximately 4:16 p.m., the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office responded to a request for assistance at 304 Monteith Acres in the community of Hays, North Carolina. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered United States Postal Service (USPS) employee Brandi Reynolds deceased.
Following an initial investigation, authorities arrested William Craig Durham in connection with the incident. Online court records and statements from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirm that Durham has been charged with kidnapping and murder.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by the Charlotte Observer, investigators allege that Reynolds was restrained before she was killed. The warrant states that Durham is accused of “removing the victim from one place to another without the consent of the victim.”
Reynolds was a rural mail carrier for the USPS and was actively working her route when the killing occurred. In addition to her career, she was a mother of two young children.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. It is being conducted as a joint effort by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
At this time, investigators have not announced a potential motive for the crimes, nor have they stated whether Reynolds and Durham knew each other.
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