Warrant: DeKalb woman died from blunt force trauma after disappearance

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The cause of death of a woman whose body was found in early October has been released.

Aimee Lafakis, 48, vanished from her Brookhaven home on Sept. 29 and was found dead in Gwinnett County on Oct. 1.

Brandon Wineinger, a man Lafakis had dated, was arrested and initially charged with making false statements, tampering with evidence, kidnapping, burglary and concealing the death of another.

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Investigators then charged Wineinger with malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault.

Channel 2 Action News obtained Wineinger’s arrest warrant from Gwinnett County Superior Court. The warrant reveals that Lafakis died from blunt force trauma to the head and asphyxia.

The warrant accuses Wineinger of assaulting Lafakis with an object that resulted in “serious bodily injury by blunt trauma to the head and pressure to the chest leading to asphyxia.”

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Wineinger also faces charges in DeKalb County for tampering with evidence, kidnapping, making false statements and burglary.

Lafakis was a mother of two. The family has raised nearly $20,000 to support her children through a GoFundMe.

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