Who is Scott Kerlin? Georgia firefighter arrested and fired for sharing gruesome photos of twins' murder-suicide

Scott Kerlin has been accused of interfering in the investigation into the deaths of 19-year-old brothers Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis.

Published on: Mar 20, 2025, 06:47:56 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A Georgia firefighter was arrested, and fired, after being accused of taking photos of a disturbing scene where twin teen brothers were found dead on top of a mountain, and sharing them publicly. Scott Kerlin has been accused of interfering in the investigation into the deaths of 19-year-old brothers Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis.

Scott Kerlin (L) arrested and fired for sharing gruesome photos of twins Qaadir and Naazir Lewis' (R) murder-suicide (Georgia Bureau of Investigation, GoFundMe)

Who is Scott Kerlin?

Kerlin, of Hiawassee, is a volunteer firefighter in Towns County. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday, March 18, that the 42-year-old shared the gruesome photos of the death scene of the twins with the public.

Kerlin was charged with misdemeanor obstruction. He was also removed from his duty for violating department protocol, 11Alive.com reported, citing a Towns County spokesperson. He was eventually bonded out of jail.

What happened to Qaadir and Naazir Lewis?

Qaadir and Naazir, from the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville, were found gunned down on top of a Georgia mountain a day after they missed a flight to Boston to visit friends. The GBI’s preliminary investigation said they died in a suspected murder-suicide, but it was not revealed which of them carried out the shooting. Although autopsies were completed, the medical examiner is still waiting for additional forensic tests before disclosing the results.

Relatives of the twins struggled to accept the fact that they died in a murder-suicide. “We’re just trying to figure out what happened. We’re trying put pieces together to understand. How did they end out in the mountains? They don’t hike out there. They have never been out there,” the brothers’ aunt, Samira Brawner, told WSBTV.

Qaadir and Naazir’s uncle, Rahim Brawner, echoed the thoughts. “I can’t imagine them hurting each other because I’ve never even seen them get into a fistfight before,” their uncle said. “Murder-suicide? I just believe that they were extremely incapable of that.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.