Overview

• Whitney Hurd, a 32-year-old real estate agent, was found dead in her Charlotte townhome with multiple stab wounds on July 14, 2024, and her death was ruled a homicide.
• Brandon Braxton, a former Duke University football player and high school friend of Hurd, confessed to her murder in a written grievance submitted to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office on March 3, 2025.
• Braxton was arrested on March 20, 2025, and charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon; he is being held without bond.
• Hurd’s stolen car and Braxton’s fingerprints found at the crime scene and in the vehicle were key evidence linking him to the murder.
• Braxton exhibited troubling behavior toward Hurd in the months before her death, including trespassing and breaking into her home; his next court appearance is scheduled for April 9, 2025.