A friend of the Georgia mother whose body was dumped in an empty field over the weekend said they talked about the “tough times” she was going through with her boyfriend just days before she vanished.
Aimee Lafakis, 48, was reported missing on Friday when she failed to show up for dinner with her daughter. Her car was parked at her apartment in Brookhaven, but she was nowhere to be found.
Just days earlier, Lafakis had sought advice from her best friend Faith Corbin about some issues she was reportedly having with her 43-year-old boyfriend Brandon Wineinger, who has since been charged in connection with her disappearance.
“She was going through some tough times, we had talked about it,” Ms Corbin told 11Alive News, adding that she offered relationship advice similar to what Lafakis had given her in the past.
“Aimee was the one to get me out of the same situation she was in just with someone else, so it hit extremely close to home,” she explained. “I believe she felt she had this taken care of.”
Two days after their conversation, Lafakis had vanished and Brookhaven police began interviewing family members. Loved ones said they had seen her on Thursday and that she had been messaging with her ex-husband, Stephen Lafakis, late that night.
“When I was texting with her, about 2am Friday morning, she was home and in bed,” he told Fox 5. “That was kind of the last time anybody knew she was here.”
Police then zeroed in on Mr Wineinger.
He was “interviewed at police headquarters and, over the course of the interview, made several statements that were proven to be false,” Lt. Jake Kissel, Brookhaven police spokesperson said.
Police then arrested and charged him with giving false statements and felony tampering with evidence. Mr Wineinger was booked into the DeKalb County jail on Saturday, and then later charged with kidnapping and first-degree burglary.
Aimee Lafakis— (GoFundMe / Aimee Lafakis)
The following day, about 30 miles away, authorities found Lafakis’ remains in an empty field on a dirt road.
The horrific discovery, by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, took place near Turkey Crossing and Harbins Circle just east of Dacula in Gwinnett County.
On Monday, authorities announced that Mr Wineinger faced an additional charge of concealing the death of another.
“It literally makes my stomach hurt to know that this guy took her and discarded her like she was trash,” her friend Ms Corbin told 11Alive News in an emotional interview shortly after Lafakis’ remains were found.
Police searching for Aimee Lafakis— (Gwinnett County Police)
“She was alone by herself for days and we’re out looking for her and that’s the hardest part because Aimee would never ever ever let that happen to anyone else.”
Police have not released any details about how Lafakis was killed but say the investigation is ongoing. Mr Wineinger is currently behind bars at the Dekalb County Jail.
Her remains were found in an empty field on a dirt road— (Gwinnett County Police)
The family released a statement following the news of Lafakis’ death.
“Her daughters Scarlett and Alexis and her granddaughter London were her whole life,” it read. “She was so proud of them and the bond they shared was just so unique and special. They will make her proud and they will have the beautiful lives she always wanted for them. She was loved by so many and her legacy will be how she lived. She was genuine, fun, loyal, and just a force of nature.”
A GoFundMe campaign created to help with funeral expenses and for Lafakis’ daughters had raised $10,528 of a $20,000 goal as of Tuesday.
Ms Corbin called her friend a “force to be reckoned with, a woman of remarkable intelligence and wit”.
“She had an innate ability to look after those she cared about, always offering a comforting presence and a shoulder to lean on,” Ms Corbin said. “Aimee’s strength and resilience were awe-inspiring, and she faced life’s challenges head-on, never backing down from a fight. She was a true warrior, both in spirit and in heart.”
