Justice Unsolved is a series of articles that examines the cold cases, disappearances, and unsolved crimes that haunt families and communities across America. The stories revisit known facts, unanswered questions and the latest developments in cases where the search for the truth is still not complete.
More than four years ago, 31-year-old Sierra Locklear Breland disappeared without a trace from Georgia. He was last seen at his mother-in-law’s house in Johns Creek on February 24, 2022. His family has been desperate for answers ever since, most of which still remain unanswered.
Sierra was not reported missing until February 26, when her husband, Xavier Breland, filed a police report in Carmel. Javier claimed that Sierra left their home without her cell phone, keys or their infant son. However, neither the detectives nor Sierra’s family bought that story.
Javier immediately stopped cooperating with investigators. He is soon labeled as a person of interest in Sierra’s disappearance.
The Johns Creek Police Department has been the lead investigator on the case, even though the missing persons report was filed in Indiana, as Sierra was last seen alive in Georgia. sierra and javier went Georgia To meet their families.
Police in Georgia said they had obtained a video confirming Sierra’s last known location. Sierra was last seen at her mother-in-law’s home on Highgate Manor Court on Feb. 24 at 7:17 p.m., according to Johns Creek Police Lt. Debra Kalish, WRTV reports.
Sierra’s mother later claimed that her daughter was planning to leave Xavier, and “did not plan on moving back to Indiana”, according to Fox59.
Blair Nicolay, a resident of Carmel, Indiana, where Sierra was reported missing, opened up about the case while speaking to HindustanTimes.com. Blair, who knows Sierra’s family, has been outspoken on the case in the years since Sierra’s disappearance.
“I learned about his case from the local news,” Blair said. “It was extremely shocking because we don’t hear about many crime cases here in Carmel.”
“After seeing a photo of
Blair stressed that law enforcement in both Indiana and Georgia is doing a “great job” in Sierra’s case.
What we know about Xavier Breland
In June 2024, Xavier was found guilty on an unrelated charge Indiana court. He was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and returned to custody.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, court documents revealed that Xavier was involved in an “accidental discharge of a firearm” that occurred at a residence on Baldwin Lane. He told investigators he was taking a Christmas tree to his garage when he heard shots and ran outside. He reportedly returned to the garage to locate the firearm, and then unloaded it. Investigators found a SIG Sauer P365 and another firearm at the scene.
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Xavier already has a criminal history. He was convicted of felony theft in 2005.
During the police’s time at Javier’s house after the gun incident, they find a missing person photo of Sierra. Javier told authorities that his wife had walked down the street to a store wearing a black top and purple shorts in 20-degree weather, but Sierra’s family said police told them she never made it to the store. He was not seen entering the establishment on any surveillance footage.
At the home, officers found his personal phone, work phone and a burner phone, as well as his identification, credit cards, the couple’s five-month-old son, and their dog. Family members said the burner phone was for emergency communications.
Javier becomes a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance several days after her disappearance and is arrested on an unrelated charge. Authorities uncovered an outstanding warrant for aggravated stalking in Coweta County, leading to his extradition to Georgia to stand trial.
According to court records, Xavier allegedly placed a tracker inside a stuffed animal owned by his daughter to monitor the child’s mother, his ex-wife. It started as a custody dispute between the former couple.
In August 2022, a jury acquitted Javier of the charges. Online court records showed he was arrested in Fulton County on contempt of court charges.
“No one really knows what happened to Sierra,” Blair told HindustanTimes.com. “I suspect that Javier knew Sierra was planning to leave him, they fought about it, and maybe he lost control and something happened that ended his life. Other than that, it’s a complete mystery.”
“We will not stop looking for him,” he said.
Was Sierra planning to leave Xavier?
Sierra’s family has insisted that she was planning to leave Javier before she disappeared. At that time, Xavier and Sierra had been married for about a year. He had a five month old son.
They reportedly met in Georgia, and later relocated to Indiana when Sierra secured a position at a local law firm. According to family members, problems arose in their relationship during his transfer in early June 2021.
Sierra’s mother said that both she and her husband had “encouraged” her to come home. However, Sierra struggled with the decision to leave, citing concerns about custody arrangements for their child, Jackson, in the event of a divorce. Sierra’s cousin said that Sierra “couldn’t even imagine letting Jackson go with Xavier.”
However, according to reports, Sierra was already taking steps to separate herself from the marriage. She was also saving money in a secret bank account, and was planning to move back in with her parents temporarily. According to her family members, she was waiting for the opportune moment to take the step, but the moment never came when she went missing.
Sierra’s parents were later granted custody of the couple’s child.
In March 2022, investigators obtained a jailhouse video in which Javier was seen discussing Sierra’s disappearance with his children. He told his children that his wife would not return home because of the alleged kidnapping. However, this story does not match the information given to Carmel police regarding Sierra’s disappearance.
Javier’s father acknowledged that there were inconsistencies in his son’s statements, reportedly saying that he “makes up a different story to everyone he talks to.”
‘Sierra was a courageous, ambitious woman’
A Facebook group – Sierra (Locklear) Breland 🔁 Where is TCR – Raising awareness about the matter.
Blair told HindustanTimes.com, “Sierra was a courageous, ambitious woman who didn’t let adversity get in the way of her dreams. She kept a small circle and was very family-oriented – she was best friends with her father and her cousin. She was private, didn’t have a social media presence. She loved her son dearly and would never have willingly given him up.”
Various coordinated searches have been carried out, some focused on specific areas, but the Sierra remains missing. Law enforcement officials have distributed leaflets and even used electronic signs to raise public awareness.
Authorities hope that’s the last time anyone saw the young mother before they saw Sierra and Xavier driving a white 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan with Georgia license plate RMB 5869, which had a FSU Law School frame around the plate.
Blair said, “There have been search efforts by law enforcement and there were also search efforts locally in the Johns Creek, Georgia area, mostly led by Sierra’s cousin. There is currently a $10,000 reward from the FBI for Sierra’s whereabouts.”
Sierra stands 5 feet tall and weighs about 120 pounds.
Anyone with any information regarding the case or Sierra’s whereabouts may contact Johns Creek Police Corporal Rozier at 678-372-8046, the Carmel Police Department at (317) 571-2580, Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Tip Line at can be contacted at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477). FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
