Man accused of killing Raleigh UPS driver found not guilty by reason of insanity

The man accused of killing a Raleigh UPS delivery driver in 2021 has been declared “legally insane,” according to the Wake County District Attorney’s Office.

Stephen Bynem has been committed to Central Regional Hospital, a state psychiatric hospital, ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, has learned.

Bynem was charged with shooting and killing 23-year-old Dylan Wall in cold blood. Evidence from multiple forensic experts reviewed in superior court caused a judge to declare Bynem not guilty by reason of insanity.

Wall’s widow told ABC11 that this development did not feel like justice to her.

“Don’t know how to put it in words; does not feel like proper justice,” Jocelyn Wall said. “It’s been a long few years. It does not feel like justice has been done.”

Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said Bynem will spend a “substantial amount of time” at Central Regional Hospital.

“Probably the rest of his life,” Freeman said. “I think a lot of times for families it feels very hollow like there’s no justice that has been delivered here. ... It is something that happens in really exceptional cases where the defendant has such severe mental illness that there really is no way to move forward in a prosecution where the intent that is needed to convict somebody of murder can’t be determined to have existed.”

The tragic crime happened along South East Street on Feb. 10, 2021. Wall was on the clock, delivering packages for UPS.

He was a couple of houses down from where Bynem lived. Investigators and witnesses said Bynem came outside his home and fired six to eight shots, killing Wall.

Wall was survived by his mother, his wife and their young son.

This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 5:30 AM.