A North Carolina judge has sentenced the man who killed 27-year-old Brianye’ Copeland to 25 to 31 years in prison, more than a year and a half after she was shot outside a community resource center in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County.
Kristopher Anthony Sinclair, 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Sept. 8, 2026, in Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Prosecutors said Sinclair became obsessed with Copeland after the two met while on vacation and placed a tracking device on her vehicle days before killing her. WSOC reported that Copeland’s family submitted 52 victim impact statements before Sinclair was sentenced.
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Sinclair Tracked Brianye Before Her Murder
Copeland and Sinclair met while on vacation and remained in contact afterward. According to details from the case reported by Law&Crime, investigators determined that the two exchanged approximately 15,000 text messages over nearly a year.
Sinclair lived in Mableton, Georgia, roughly 250 miles from Charlotte. Prosecutors said that in the days before Copeland’s death, he secretly placed a tracking device on her vehicle.
Sentencing records reviewed by WEHT found that Sinclair took advantage of a position of trust in a domestic relationship. The court also found that he committed the offense knowing a person under 18 could witness it.
Shortly before 10 a.m. on Feb. 7, 2025, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police were called to the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center in the 400 block of Stitt Road after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said officers found Copeland in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound. MEDIC pronounced her dead at the scene.
Staff members at the resource center told investigators they had seen Sinclair and Copeland arguing before the encounter became physical, according to an arrest affidavit reviewed by People. Witnesses said Sinclair was standing over Copeland and striking her during the attack.
Sinclair left the area, but investigators used information about his vehicle to track him to a nearby apartment complex. Witnesses reported seeing him walk into a wooded area before returning to his car.
A police K-9 searching the woods found a backpack containing Sinclair’s driver’s license and a handwritten five-page note, according to WSOC. Investigators also recovered the gun used in the killing from his vehicle.
Police arrested Sinclair the same day.
According to Law&Crime, investigators also learned that a separate letter had been mailed to Copeland’s family along with a flash drive directing them to additional material.
Sinclair was initially charged with murder and held without bond. His case ultimately ended with the 2026 plea to second-degree murder.
Brianye Was An Athlete And Mentor
Long before her name became attached to a murder case, Brianye was known to family and friends simply as “Bri.” She developed into a standout athlete at Harrison High School. By the time she graduated in 2015, Brianye was the school’s all-time leader in assists and its fifth-leading career scorer with 1,179 points. She also competed in track.
Her basketball career continued at Central State University in Ohio, where she studied biology and also earned a place on the track and field team. After moving to Charlotte with her family, she continued playing basketball in the Queen City Pro-Am league and pursued additional education.
Brianye also had entrepreneurial plans. Her obituary described her as the founder of BC Luxury Candle Co. and Wealthy Lifestyle. She had completed real estate coursework and held a North Carolina life and health insurance license.
Her younger sister, A’Bria Copeland, told 14 News that Brianye was the person she confided in and someone who consistently looked out for her.
“That was my protector,” A’Bria said.
Their mother, Tiffany Matthews, said Brianye wanted to help people and make others happy. Her father, Brian Copeland, remembered the years the family spent supporting her basketball career and the close relationship they shared.
Her Family Created The BriWay Foundation
Within weeks of Brianye’s death, her family began turning plans she had for helping others into work carried out in her name.
The BriWay Foundation was established in March 2025 with a mission of raising awareness about violence against women and connecting people experiencing abuse with resources and support.
The organization has since held fundraisers and community events in Brianye’s honor. In July 2026, family and supporters gathered for the foundation’s second annual gala near what would have been her 29th birthday.
Her family has also worked to preserve the parts of Brianye’s life that existed well beyond the circumstances of her death: the basketball player whose relatives filled the stands, the older sister who protected A’Bria, and the young woman making plans for businesses of her own.
She is our sister, and her life matters.
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