A tragic mystery is unfolding in Towns County, Georgia after the bodies of 19-year-old twin brothers from Lawrenceville were discovered nearly 90 miles from home at the summit of Bell Mountain. While authorities initially labeled the case as a murder-suicide, the victims’ family is pushing back, insisting that the explanation doesn’t add up.
On March 8, a hiker exploring Bell Mountain, near the North Carolina border, stumbled upon the bodies of Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis. The hiker alerted the Towns County Sheriff’s Office, which later requested assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Investigators confirmed that the brothers had suffered gunshot wounds, though the official cause of death is still under forensic review.
The twins’ family has serious doubts about the murder-suicide theory. According to relatives, the brothers had booked a 7 a.m. flight to Boston on March 7 to visit friends, but they never boarded the plane. Their plane tickets were later found in their wallets, raising further questions about what happened between the time they were supposed to leave and when they were discovered.
Adding to the family’s skepticism is the location of the crime scene. Their aunt, Samira Brawner, told reporters:
“We want answers. We want to know exactly what happened to the twins.”
She further emphasized that Bell Mountain is not a place the twins would visit.
“They don’t hike out there. They’ve never been out there,” she said. “They don’t know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia.”
The GBI confirmed on March 16 that autopsies have been completed, but forensic testing is still ongoing. The agency has not yet released a final ruling on whether the case is indeed a murder-suicide or if another possibility is being considered.
Meanwhile, the family is advocating for a deeper investigation, believing there are still unanswered questions.
For now, the Lewis family continues to mourn while seeking justice for Qaadir and Naazir.
