Bell Mountain twins' deaths: Family now accepts GBI ruling

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Qaadir and Naazir Lewis (courtesy of family)

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Months after publicly questioning how twin brothers Qaadir and Naazir Lewis died atop Bell Mountain, their family says it now accepts the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's conclusion that the deaths were a murder-suicide.

What we know:

In a Facebook post over the weekend, the twins' aunt, Yasmine Brawner, said the family reviewed the GBI's investigative files, hired two independent homicide investigators to examine the evidence and obtained independent autopsy reviews. According to Brawner, each review reached the same conclusion as state investigators.

"While this has been incredibly painful to accept, we remain committed to honoring Naazir and Qaadir's memory, promoting mental health awareness, and helping others know they are not alone," Brawner wrote.

The family also thanked supporters whose donations helped pay for funeral expenses, independent investigations, autopsy reviews and mental health counseling.

Qaadir and Naazir Lewis (FOX 5 Atlanta obtained permission from the rights holder)

A dramatic shift from earlier statements

What they said earlier:

The Facebook post marks a significant shift in the family's public position.

After the bodies of 19-year-old twins Qaadir and Naazir Lewis were found on Bell Mountain in Towns County in April 2025, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation concluded the brothers died in a suicide-suicide. Their family strongly disputed that finding, saying the twins were thriving college students with no known history that would suggest they would take their own lives. Relatives repeatedly called for an independent investigation, saying they believed the circumstances surrounding the deaths pointed to possible foul play.

Those concerns resurfaced in August 2025 after 38-year-old Gwinnett County resident Phat Tan Bui was found dead on Bell Mountain. Authorities classified his death as an apparent suicide, but both Bui's family and the Lewis family questioned the ruling. They cited similarities between the cases and urged authorities to conduct a more extensive investigation. At the time, the GBI said it stood by its findings in the Lewis case while continuing to investigate Bui's death.

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What happened to the twins

The backstory:

In April 2025, 19-year-old twins Qaadir and Naazir Lewis, of Gwinnett County, were found dead on Bell Mountain in Towns County after family members reported them missing. The discovery quickly drew statewide attention because relatives said the brothers had been planning to fly to Boston, but their bodies were instead found more than 90 miles away in the North Georgia mountains.

After an extensive investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation concluded the brothers died in a suicide-suicide. Their family publicly rejected that finding, insisting the twins were thriving college students with no known history that suggested they would take their own lives. Relatives launched a GoFundMe campaign to pay for independent autopsy reviews and hired two homicide investigators to examine the evidence, while repeatedly calling for an independent investigation into the deaths.

Moving forward

What's next:

Brawner said the family now hopes to focus on remembering the twins while encouraging conversations about mental health.

She also expressed gratitude to the community members who supported the family throughout the investigation and the months following the brothers' deaths, saying that support helped them seek independent reviews while also providing counseling during an extraordinarily difficult time.

Gwinnett County News