In a tragic and perplexing case, twin brothers from Georgia were discovered shot dead atop a remote mountain, leaving their grieving family searching for answers.
Qaadir and Naazir Lewis, both 19, from Lawrenceville, near Atlanta, were found last weekend at the summit of Bell Mountain in Towns County, Georgia—90 miles from home and hundreds more from Boston, where they were supposed to be.
A hiker made the grim discovery, finding both young men with fatal gunshot wounds.
The shocking deaths of the inseparable brothers have left their family reeling, as they insist the two had no reason to be in the rugged wilderness and were supposed to be on a flight to Boston to visit friends. Their plane tickets, still tucked in their wallets, suggest they never intended to deviate from their plans.
“They were very protective of each other. They loved each other,” their uncle, Rahim Brawner, told 11Alive News. “They were inseparable. I couldn’t imagine them hurting each other because I’ve never seen them get into a fistfight before.”
The twins had excitedly booked a 7 a.m. flight to Boston for Friday, March 7. When they failed to board, their family grew concerned. Just a day later, their bodies were discovered on the isolated peak of Bell Mountain—an area the family says they had never even heard of, let alone visited.
“How did they end up out in the mountains? They don’t hike out there; they’ve never been out there,” said their aunt, Samira Brawner. “They don’t know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia. They never even heard of Bell Mountain. So how did they end up right there?”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has indicated preliminary findings suggest a murder-suicide. The family vehemently rejects this theory, pointing to the deep bond between the brothers and their shared aspirations, including dreams of launching their clothing line.
“We knew right away that wasn’t true,” Samira said. “We want answers. We want to know exactly what happened to the twins.”
Another aunt, Yasmine Brawner, echoed the sentiment. “They had a huge support system. We know them. They wouldn’t do anything like this. To say they did this to each other? No. Something happened in those mountains, and we want answers.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has confirmed that autopsies have been completed, but further forensic tests are still pending, leaving the official cause and manner of death unresolved.
The family is now pleading for anyone who may have seen the twins in the days leading up to their deaths to come forward with information. “Somebody knows something,” said Samira Brawner. “They didn’t just walk up that mountain and die. Something happened to them.”
Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to contact law enforcement as the investigation continues.