On a summer evening in Birmingham, Alabama, the life of 30-year-old Mikos Lebron Lewis was tragically cut short. On July 7, 2020, Lewis was found shot to death inside a residence, the victim of a violent encounter that would leave his family and community seeking answers.
In the days that followed the discovery of Lewis's body, the Birmingham Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide. Their efforts soon focused on a person of interest, and on July 22, 2020, they announced that murder warrants had been issued for Keleen Connell. Police publicly identified Connell as a suspect in Lewis's death and sought the public's help in locating him.
Despite the active warrants, the pursuit of justice for Mikos Lewis took a dramatic and unexpected turn. Close to two years after Lewis's murder, in February 2022, a man identified as Keleen Connell was shot and killed during an altercation with a Birmingham police officer. While it is widely believed this was the same Keleen Connell sought in connection with Lewis's death, his demise meant that he would never stand trial for the crime.
Further details regarding the circumstances of Mikos Lebron Lewis's death, including a potential motive, have not been made publicly available. While an arrest was noted by a national gun violence memorial database, specifics regarding who was taken into custody and the outcome of that arrest remain unclear in public records. The case, therefore, is marked by the initial identification of a suspect who was himself killed before the legal process could run its course, leaving many questions about the death of Mikos Lebron Lewis unanswered.
