Authorities say Brandi Reynolds was delivering mail when she was kidnapped and killed in Wilkes County.
HAYS, N.C. — A North Carolina postal worker and mother of two was killed while delivering mail last week, and a Wilkes County man has been charged with kidnapping and murder, authorities said.
Brandi Byrd Reynolds, 35, was found dead June 26 on Montieth Acres Road in Hays, a small community in Wilkes County. Investigators arrested William Craig Durham, 56, of Roaring River, and charged him with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service said Reynolds was working as a rural letter carrier when the attack happened. Postal Inspector Michael Martel confirmed that Reynolds was delivering mail on her route at the time of the incident. Authorities have not released a motive or said whether Reynolds and Durham knew each other.
Court records allege Durham unlawfully restrained Reynolds and moved her from one place to another without her consent. Investigators said the case remains active, with local, state and federal agencies involved. Durham was ordered held without bond during a court appearance this week.
Reynolds was remembered by neighbors as a kind and dependable mail carrier who often went beyond her route duties. Community members said she was friendly, helpful and familiar to families across the rural area she served.
The killing came months after Reynolds’ husband, Brent Reynolds, died in a vehicle crash, leaving the couple’s two daughters without both parents. Family members and friends have described the loss as devastating for the children and the wider community.
Authorities also reviewed Durham’s prior criminal record during court proceedings. State records show past convictions that included second-degree kidnapping, assault on a female and possession of a firearm by a felon. Those records are separate from the current charges.
Durham is expected to return to court July 8. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Author note: Last updated July 3, 2026.