Twin Brothers Found Shot to Death in Georgia After Missing Flight—Family Seeks Justice
Authorities are investigating after 19-year-old twin brothers from Lawrenceville, Georgia, were found dead from gunshot wounds atop Bell Mountain just a day after they were supposed to board a flight to Boston.
Hikers discovered the bodies of Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis on March 8 and alerted the Towns County Sheriff’s Office, which requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). GBI later revealed that the Lawrenceville brothers had suffered gunshot wounds.
While investigators are considering the possibility of a murder-suicide autopsy, results remain pending, but family members of the victims aren’t convinced. Relatives told Georgia NBC affiliate WXIA, that the brothers had booked a 7 a.m. flight to Boston on March 7, planning to visit friends. Their plane tickets were later found in their wallets.
Their aunt, Samira Brawner, told reporters “We want answers, we want to know exactly what happened to the twins.”
Family members also questioned how the brothers ended up at Bell Mountain, which is nearly 90 miles from their home. “They don’t hike out there, they’ve never been out there,” Samira said. “They don’t know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia.”
Their uncle, Rahim Brawner, also cast doubt on the murder-suicide theory. “They’re very protective of each other. They love each other,” he said. “They’re like inseparable. I couldn’t imagine them hurting each other because I’ve never seen them get into a fistfight before.”
A GBI spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE on March 16 that autopsies have been completed, but further forensic testing is ongoing.
The twins’ aunt, Yasmine Brawner, has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral and memorial expenses.
In the fundraiser description, she wrote, “They wouldn’t do this,” adding that the brothers had plans for the future, including starting a clothing line. “Something happened at Bell Mountain that ended the lives of 19-year-old Qaadir and Naazir, which needs to be further investigated,” she wrote.
Authorities continue to investigate the case as the family awaits more information.
