A family wants the investigation into the deaths of twin brothers Qaadir Malik and Naazir Rahim Lewis to continue. Hikers found the 19-year-old men deceased in the mountains with plane tickets on their bodies. The initial theory was a murder-suicide. But their loved ones say that doesn’t add up for the twin brothers they knew.
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Details About The Georgia Twin Brothers’ Deaths
Qaadir Malik and Naazir Rahim Lewis had flights booked from Georgia to Boston for March 7. They had intended to visit friends, but instead, the twin brothers never boarded their flights. It’s unclear if they visited the airport, but the physical tickets were reportedly in their wallets, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Their bodies were discovered a day after missing their flights on March 8 at about 11:05 a.m. The location was Bell Mountain in Hiawassee. That’s about 90 miles from where they reportedly lived in Lawrenceville. Investigators have put the theory of murder-suicide on the forefront. The twin brothers died of gunshot wounds. Autopsies for the 19-year-olds are reportedly complete, but the medical examiner hasn’t disclosed an official cause of death. Additional testing is still pending. A statement from the GBI says, “The death investigation is active & ongoing.”
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Family Wants Investigators To Dig Deeper
As mentioned, the loved ones of Qaadir Malik and Naazir Rahim Lewis aren’t buying the murder-suicide plot. Their uncle, Rahim Brawner, told WXIA that Bell Mountain and Hiawassee weren’t Georgia areas they were familiar with. “How did they end up out in the mountains,” Brawner told the outlet. Additionally, regarding the murder-suicide theory, the uncle said they “knew right away that wasn’t true.”
“They’re very protective of each other. They love each other,” Rahim Brawner said. “They’re inseparable. I couldn’t imagine them hurting each other because I’ve never seen them get into a fistfight before.”
Their aunts, Yasmine and Samira Brawner agree. In addition to their support system, Yas firmly believes the twin brothers “wouldn’t do anything like this.” They had aspirations of owning their own clothing line.
“To say they did this to each other? No. Something happened in those mountains, and we want answers,” Yasmine added.
On March 16, their sister, Kai’ree Powell, shared a touching tribute about the memories and experiences she shared growing up with her twin brothers. “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,” Powell reportedly wrote, per E! News.
Firefighter Arrested After Taking Photos Of Twin Brothers’ Bodies
On Tuesday (March 18), the police arrested 42-year-old Scott Kerlin for misdemeanor obstruction of the final resting place of the twin brothers. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations is accusing Kerlin, who works as a volunteer firefighter for Towns County, of taking photos of Qaadir Malik and Naazir Rahim Lewis’ bodies at the death scene. Additionally, Kerlin allegedly publicly shared the photos on social media, per the GBI.
