Former Duke Player Charged with Murder of Real Estate Agent

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Brandon Braxton, a former Duke University football player, has been charged with the murder of Whitney Hurd, a 32-year-old real estate agent, following an alleged confession, according to a police affidavit.

Hurd was found dead in her SouthPark townhouse on July 14, 2024, after police received a call for medical assistance. Investigators ruled her death a homicide, noting multiple stab wounds. Braxton, 33, allegedly confessed to the killing in a grievance submitted to Mecklenburg County jail officials on March 3, writing, ‘I killed Whitney Hurd.’

The disappearance of Hurd led to a thorough investigation. Witnesses reported seeing a man driving her white BMW away from her residence on July 4, days before her body was discovered. Both her vehicle and phone were missing at the time police found her.

Search warrants executed on Hurd’s phone led detectives to locate her BMW, which was processed for evidence, but her phone remains missing. Fingerprints collected from the vehicle placed Braxton at both the scene and inside Hurd’s home.

Friends and family of Hurd revealed that she and Braxton had been friends during high school but had lost contact for years. Recently, however, Braxton had started appearing at her home uninvited, raising concerns. One incident involved him falling asleep in her driveway after she denied him entry.

Hurd had previously called police regarding Braxton’s attempts to break into her home, highlighting an escalating pattern of troubling behavior. Following her death, Braxton was arrested on a separate larceny charge in Pineville, a neighboring town.

Detectives interviewed him about Hurd’s murder while he was in custody, where he indicated knowledge of her fate, remarking, ‘Last time I saw Whitney, she looked petrified.’

Although Braxton was arrested multiple times since Hurd’s death, he was only formally charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon on March 20. After his confession, officials reviewed surveillance footage from the jail corroborating his use of a kiosk to submit the grievance.

Hurd’s obituary describes her as beloved, with an infectious smile and laugh. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2014, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. Hurd was remembered fondly by her friends and family, and her death has left a profound impact on her community.