Postal Service worker kidnapped, murdered on her route, officials say

A United States Postal Service worker was kidnapped and murdered while on her letter carrier route in North Carolina, according to authorities.

Brandi Reynolds, who worked as a rural letter carrier for USPS, was found dead on June 26 in Hays, North Carolina, a rural community of about 1,500 in Wilkes County, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said in a statement. The Wilkes County Sheriff's responded to the scene at about 4:16 p.m. on June 26, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said. Reynolds had been shot, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Reynolds was on her USPS route when the incident happened, Postal Inspector Jessica Adams told USA TODAY.

William Craig Durham, 56, was arrested and is charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree murder in her death, according to court records. Durham was accused in court filings of restraining Reynolds and moving her from one location to another without her consent, "for the purpose of terrorizing" her.

Brendan Edge, an attorney representing Durham, declined to comment on the charges when reached on July 1.

A motive in the alleged kidnapping and murder wasn't revealed by authorities, and it was not clear whether Durham knew Reynolds. Durham's criminal history included previous convictions for firearms offenses and kidnapping, records show.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are jointly carrying out an investigation into her murder, officials said. USA TODAY has reached out to the agencies for more information.

Reynolds was 35 years old, according to an online obituary. Reynolds' obituary said she was survived by two daughters who were "her whole world." Her husband, Brent Andrew Reynolds, also died at 35 just a few months before, his obituary said.