Insets: Kristopher Sinclair (Mecklenburg County Jail) and Brianye’ Copeland (Mason Brothers Funeral Services). Background: The Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center in Charlotte, N.C. (WSOC).
The man who gunned down a woman outside a North Carolina resource center after he became obsessed with her when he met her on vacation and placed a tracker on her car is headed to prison.
Kristopher Sinclair, 40, was sentenced Tuesday to 25 to 31 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Brianye’ Copeland.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded on Feb. 7, 2025, to the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center for a shooting. Officers found Copeland suffering from a gunshot wound. She was dead.
A probable cause arrest affidavit said resource center employees saw a man and woman arguing in the parking lot. Staff called security after the spat became physical. Then, Sinclair shot Copeland as he stood over her before driving away. Cops tracked him to a nearby apartment complex and saw him walking back from a wooded area to his car.
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Cops noted the car had blood on it. In the woods, they spotted a backpack with his license and a five-page handwritten note. It said, in part, that “she drove me to madness” and “when cops show up I’m going to join her in hell.” Officers also located the murder weapon in the car.
In addition, authorities discovered another letter that was mailed to Copeland’s family along with a flash drive that said “see flash drive for more details.”
The two apparently met on vacation. Sinclair lived in Mableton, Georgia, which is about 250 miles from Charlotte. They sent about 15,000 text messages to each other over a nearly yearlong period.
Authorities said Sinclair became obsessed with the victim and placed a tracker on her car in the days leading up to the homicide.
A large group of Sinclair’s family members attended the sentencing hearing and submitted about 50 victim impact statements.
“We wanted to show them what he has done to our family,” her mother Tiffany Matthews told local ABC affiliate WSOC.
Matthews said she wishes Sinclair got more prison time.
“We don’t think it’s fair, only because he still has an opportunity to be set free and has an opportunity to pursue things while he’s incarcerated,” Matthews said.
Copeland grew up in Evansville, Indiana, where she was a standout high school basketball player. She moved to Charlotte with her family after graduation and was attending college.
“Bri had an adventurous spirit, and we will forever cherish our family vacations and outings with her, where her love for food led us to new restaurants and exploring all types of adventures,” her obituary reads. “Bri’s infectious smile will always be remembered. We will miss her and that gorgeous smile dearly.”
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