Unpacking the Unanswered Questions From the Apparent Murder-Suicide of Qaadir Lewis, Naazir Lewis
Authorities have classified the deaths of twins Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis—found shot to death in the Georgia mountains March 8—as a murder-suicide, but their family insists that's not possible.
By Sarah Grossbart Mar 18, 2025 1:11 PM| Updated 22 hours ago
Understandably, twin brothers Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis were incredibly close.
"They're very protective of each other," their uncle Rahim Brawner detailed to NBC affiliate WXIA-TV March 14. "They love each other. They're like inseparable. I couldn't imagine them hurting each other because I've never seen them get into a fistfight before."
And so the family is struggling to understand how the 19-year-old siblings were found shot to death in the Georgia mountains March 8, some 90 miles from their home in Lawrenceville. Even tougher to grapple with is the fact that authorities believe one of them turned a gun on the other.
“Both men were found with gunshot wounds,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a March 9 statement. “The preliminary investigation reveals the deaths to be a murder suicide.”
Though the autopsies are complete, the organization noted March 16 that the official medical examiner ruling remains pending as they await "additional forensic tests.”
But that's far from the only questions that remained unanswered.
"How did they end up out in the mountains?" Rahim wondered of the boys, who had booked a flight to visit friends in Boston, the paper tickets for their March 7 trip discovered in their wallets. "They don't hike out there, they've never been out there. They don't know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia. They never even heard of Bell Mountain, so how did they end up right there?"
Their aunt Yasmine Brawner also noted to WXIA-TV that the teens had a slew of resources at their disposal, should they have found themselves in one of life's dicier situations.
They "had a huge support system," she stressed. "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."
With Rahim sharing the family rejected the idea of a murder-suicide "right away," they will continue to fight for the truth. As of now, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said, "The death investigation is active & ongoing."
Here's everything that's been uncovered so far.
Who Are Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis?
Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis were 19-year-old twins from Lawrenceville, Ga., who were found dead at the top of Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Ga., March 8, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.Their aunt Yasmine Brawner shared in a GoFundMe raising money for their funeral costs that Qaadir and Naazir had "dreams of starting their very own clothing line."
Authorities classified their case as a murder-suicide, but their loved ones have expressed their disagreement, with Yasmine emphasizing on the crowdfunding website, "My nephews wouldn't do this! They came from a family of love, and twins wanted so much for their future."
What Led Up To The Day Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis’ Bodies Were Found?
Qaadir and Naazir were believed to have boarded a 7 a.m. flight from Atlanta to Boston March 7 to visit friends, their family told NBC affiliate WXIA-TV. It came as a shock to learn that the brothers, who still had the airline tickets in their wallets, never made it on the flight, their loved ones added.When and How Were Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis Found?
The bodies of Qaadir and Naazir were found by hikers at the summit of Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Ga., on March 8 at about 11 a.m., the Georgia Bureau of Investigation shared in a press release.What Have Authorities Said About Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis’ Case?
The GBI shared in a March 9 press statement that the brothers were both "found with gunshot wounds" and that the "preliminary investigation reveals the deaths to be a murder-suicide."A GBI medical examiner completed their autopsies, the officials announced in a March 16 update, "but the official ME ruling and results are pending additional forensic tests."
What Has Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis’ Family Said About Their Case?
Despite Georgia authorities classifying Qaadir and Naazir's deaths as a murder-suicide, their family doesn't believe that's the case."They're very protective of each other," their uncle Rahim Brawner said of the brothers to WXIA March 14. "They love each other. They're like inseparable. I couldn't imagine them hurting each other because I've never seen them get into a fistfight before."
He revealed that the twins were found dead nearly 90 miles from their home at a place their family said they had never visited.
"How did they end up out in the mountains?" Rahim added. "They don't hike out there. They've never been out there. They don't know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia. They never even heard of Bell Mountain, so how did they end up right there?"
Their family also paid tribute to Qaadir and Naazir with their sister Kairee Powell reflecting on her relationship with the twins.
"I'll never forget all the memories and life experiences we shared growing up together," she wrote on Facebook March 16. "They were a bright light on some of my darkest days and were some of my biggest supporters. They will forever live on in the hearts of mine and our families."
Unpacking the Unanswered Questions From the Apparent Murder-Suicide of Qaadir Lewis, Naazir Lewis - E! Online
Authorities have classified the deaths of twins Qaadir Lewis and Naazir Lewis—found shot to death in the Georgia mountains March 8—as a murder-suicide, but their family insists that's not possible.
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