A months-old murder mystery in Charlotte, NC, appeared to have been solved when Brandon Braxton recently confessed to the killing in a jail note. Braxton is a former Duke University football player already in custody on separate charges.
Whitney Elizabeth Hurd was found dead and wrapped in bedding in her Charlotte area townhome in July 2024, a few days after her family reported her missing, according to The Charlotte Observer. Hurd, who was 32 when she died, had been stabbed several times in the chest, and her cause of death was ruled homicide. In a police affidavit, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said a neighbor saw Braxton driving Hurd’s car away from her home at around 11:20 pm about a week before her body was found.
Authorities tracked where Hurd’s cell phone last pinged, and they discovered her car and phone case in the Charlotte area. However, her phone was never recovered. At the same time, they found fingerprints inside her vehicle that matched Braxton’s, but North Carolina law enforcement was unable to pin Hurd’s murder on him until now.
“She looked petrified”
Whitney Elizabeth Hurd was found stabbed to death in July in a south Charlotte townhome. Brandon Braxton, 33, of Charlotte, was charged in her killing. https://t.co/BxHmZs7YGq
— Charlotte Observer Sports (@OBSPORTS) March 22, 2025
Braxton, 33, was arrested about two weeks after Hurd was found dead on unrelated charges, and in a police interview about Hurd’s case, he said he and Hurd were high school friends, and he said he had been to her house, but denied he had ever been in her vehicle. When North Carolina investigators asked if he knew what happened to Hurd he didn’t say, but he reportedly nodded his head in the affirmative. However, he did add that the last time he saw her, “She looked petrified.”
Then, in January 2024, Braxton was arrested again, this time for resisting arrest and trespassing in a teen mental health and substance abuse facility, just one of several times he’s been taken into custody since Hurd died. He told police he entered the building to “escape the cold.” But while still in custody, on March 3 this year, Braxton wrote in a note to prison officials, “I killed Whitney Hurd.” He also confessed in a later interview with detectives.
Official charges were filed
Prosecutors also say Hurd called 911 one time after Braxton broke into her home.
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) March 21, 2025
He was arrested after the homicide for another matter by Pineville police and was asked if he knew what happened to Whitney. At that time he didn’t say anything.
Braxton has now been officially charged with Hurd’s murder. Those close to Hurd said that Braxton and Hurd had not been in contact since high school, but Braxton had started showing up at her home shortly before she died. Braxton once allegedly slept on her porch and even broke into Hurd’s home when she wouldn’t let him in. Hurd called the police and told family and friends about the incident.
In addition to Hurd’s murder, Braxton faces a long list of other charges and has been arrested several times since she died, including assault, indecent exposure, and attempted theft. Braxton is expected back in court on April 9.
Published: Mar 24, 2025 01:16 pm