Two brothers from Louisiana are accused of brutally killing their Lyft driver and then leading police on a chaotic multi-state manhunt that ended in tragedy, with one brother dead and the other behind bars.
According to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, 26-year-old Tristan Bush and his 23-year-old brother Ethan Bush allegedly murdered 62-year-old rideshare driver LaWanna Lewis, whose body was found early Friday morning in a ditch in Westlake, Louisiana. Authorities said Lewis had been shot multiple times before being dumped by the side of the road.
After discovering her body, investigators immediately launched a massive search, setting up a tip line and issuing a “Be On The Lookout” alert for Lewis’ missing vehicle. Just hours later, reports came in that the car had been spotted across the state line in Texas, parked in a Houston-area lot.
When Harris County sheriff’s deputies moved in to investigate, the Bush brothers tried to take off. They sped away in the stolen vehicle before abandoning it and running off on foot — kicking off a tense chase that would soon turn deadly.
As deputies closed in, Ethan Bush attempted to sprint across a busy road but was struck and killed by a passing car, the Calcasieu Parish sheriff confirmed. His brother, Tristan, didn’t get far either. He was captured soon after while trying to hide in a nearby residential neighborhood and was taken into custody by Harris County deputies.
Tristan is now facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with Lewis’ death and is being held on a $2.5 million bond. He’s expected to be extradited back to Louisiana to face trial.
Authorities say the investigation is still ongoing, and more charges could follow. Sheriff’s officials also revealed that Tristan Bush has a history with law enforcement — he’s been arrested multiple times in Louisiana, including two previous cases for resisting an officer, one of which involved using force or violence. Ethan, on the other hand, had no criminal record.
The shocking crime has left the Westlake community stunned, as family and friends of LaWanna Lewis try to make sense of the tragedy. Loved ones described her as kind, caring, and full of life — someone who didn’t deserve such a horrific end.
In a heartfelt message shared on a GoFundMe page, her family thanked the public for their support during what they called an “unimaginable loss.”
“Thank you for your love, support, and prayers during this painful time,” they wrote. “LaWanna’s life was taken far too soon, but her compassion and light will continue to live on in the hearts of everyone who knew her.”
The community is now mourning a woman who was simply doing her job — a routine rideshare trip that turned into a nightmare. And as investigators dig deeper into what led the Bush brothers to commit such a senseless act, one thing is clear: this was a tragedy that shattered more than one family.