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Aveion Lewis Presumed Dead; Stepdad Brandon Lockett's Kidnapping Story Was Bogus
Thursday, Jan. 28 2010 @ 10:42AM
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​UPDATE: Police believe they've found 2-year-old Aveion Lewis in a landfill in Virginia. Though they're still waiting for a medical examiner's report, they seem to have concluded their search. See update after the jump...

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Aveion's stepdad has reportedly told police that the 2-year-old was dead before the bogus kidnapping took place
​Last Friday, we told you the story of 2-year-old Aveion Malik Lewis, whose stepdad claimed he was kidnapped after three men burst into their home, knocked out dad, tied up Aveion's 4-year-old sister, and took off with the little boy.

Police issued an Amber Alert, and stepfather Brandon Lockett offered descriptions of the three suspects. But it now appears detectives were suspicious of Lockett's story all along. He's also reported to have confessed that the boy was dead before any kidnapping took place.

Lockett hasn't been arrested; he's merely been detained by Roanoke police for questioning. Aveion's body has yet to show up, nor is there any information on how he died.

But police say they became skeptical when Lockett and Aveion's mother, Morgan Lockett, weren't particularly helpful during their investigation. Brandon Lockett told detectives that the kidnappers left a ransom note demanding $10,000 for the little boy's return. So they conducted traffic stops, canvassed the neighborhood and put up fliers in an attempt to find the three men and the Chevy Blazer they were supposedly driving.

"We had some reservations about the stories that were being told, but considering the child, we couldn't afford to assume that an abduction had not occurred, so we certainly had to work it from the angle that there had been an abduction," Police Chief Joe Gaskins told The Roanoke Times. 

It's unknown how much Aveion's mother was involved. Her brother Chris Ward told the paper that her sister hadn't reached out to the family during her son's disappearance. But he believes this was less due to her involvement than her fear of Brandon Lockett.

"I believe he has my sister scared to say something," he said.

Meanwhile, the search for Aveion's body continues.

UPDATE: Police believe they've found the body of 2-year-old Aveion Lewis in a Virginia landfill.

A search of the Smith Gap Landfill, which had been going on since Saturday, finally bore fruit yesterday afternoon when investigators found the body of a young boy in a pile of trash. The dump takes in the garbage from Roanoke.

Police have yet to officially rule the body's Aveion's, but the way they're talking indicates they're fairly certain it is. Roanoke Police Chief Joe Gaskins said the find brought "closure" to his department.

Gaskins said more than 200 people had been searching neighborhoods, rivers, and the dump since the boy's disappearance earlier this month.

Meanwhile, all signs point to his 24-year-old stepdad, Brandon Lockett, as the murderer. He's been uncooperative with police ever since he tried to claim the boy had been kidnapped. Gaskins also described Lockett's statements as "fairy tales."

So far, Lockett's been charged with child neglect, improper disposal of a human body and obstruction of justice. Expect murder to be soon added to that list.

Also see Aveion Lewis, 2, Kidnapped by Gunmen in Home Invasion, Held for Ransom.

Tags: Virginia