Justice Pending: Cierra Breland disappeared in Johns Creek, Georgia. Questions continue to surround her husband
Unsolved Justice is a series of articles that explores the unsolved cases, disappearances, and unsolved crimes that continue to plague American families and communities. These stories re-examine known facts, unanswered questions and the latest developments in the case, while the search for the truth is far from over.
Four years ago, 31-year-old Ciera Locklair Breland disappeared without a trace from Georgia. She was last seen on February 24, 2022, at her mother-in-law’s home in Johns Creek. Her family has since been desperate for answers, but most questions remain unanswered.
Ciera was not reported missing until February 26, when her husband, Xavier Breland, reported the case to Carmel police. Xavier claims Sierra simply left the house without her phone, keys or her infant son. However, neither detectives nor Sierra’s family believed this story.
Xavier soon stopped cooperating with investigators. He was quickly tagged as a person of interest in Sierra’s disappearance.
Although the missing persons report was filed in Indiana, the Johns Creek Police Department has been the lead investigator on the case because Sierra was last seen alive in Georgia. Ciera and Xavier went Georgia Visit their families.
Georgia State Police said they obtained a video that confirmed Sierra’s last known location. Johns Creek police Lt. Debra Kalish said Sierra was last captured on video at around 7:17 p.m. on February 24 at her mother-in-law’s home on Highgate Manor Court, WRTV reported.
Sierra’s mother later claimed that her daughter planned to leave Xavier and “had no plans to return to Indiana,” Fox59 reported.
Blaire Nichole, a resident of Carmel, Indiana, where Sierra was reported missing, opened up about the case in an interview with the Hindustan Times website. Blair knows Ciera’s family and has been outspoken about the matter since Ciera’s disappearance.
“I learned about her case through the local news,” Blair said. “It’s very shocking because we don’t hear about a lot of crime in Carmel.”
“After seeing a photo of Xavier, I recognized him as the guy who swiped at me on Hinge, a dating app I was using at the time. He and I had never connected on the app, but I recognized him because he looked unique. After that, I joined a social media group dedicated to Ciera’s case. Through that group, I met some of Ciera’s family. Eventually, I met her mother.”
Blair stressed that law enforcement in Indiana and Georgia continue to do a “really good job” on the Sierra case.
What we know about Xavier Breland
In June 2024, Xavier was found guilty on unrelated charges. Indiana court. He was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and was returned to custody.
Court documents show Xavier was involved in an “accidental discharge of a firearm” at a home on Baldwin Lane, Atlanta’s Fox 5 reported. He told investigators he was moving a Christmas tree into the garage when he heard a gunshot and rushed out. He reportedly returned to the garage, found the gun and unloaded it. Investigators found a SIG Sauer P365 pistol and another gun at the scene.
Xavier has a previous criminal record. In 2005, he was convicted of felony burglary.
After the gun incident, police received a missing persons flyer with Sierra on it at Xavier’s home. Xavier told police his wife walked to a store down the street wearing a black top and purple shorts in 20-degree weather, but Sierra’s family said police told them she never arrived at the store. No surveillance video captured her entering the facility.
Authorities found her personal, work and burner phones in the home, along with her identification, credit cards, the couple’s five-month-old son and their dog. Family members said the burner phone was used for emergency communications.
Xavier became a person of interest days after his wife disappeared and was arrested on an unrelated charge. Authorities later discovered an outstanding Coweta County warrant for aggravated stalking, which led to his extradition to Georgia to face prosecution.
According to court records, Xavier allegedly placed a tracker inside a stuffed animal owned by his daughter in an attempt to spy on the child’s mother, his ex-wife. It began with a custody dispute between the former couple.
A jury cleared Xavier of the charges in August 2022. Online court records show he was arrested in Fulton County on contempt of court charges.
“No one really knows what happened to Sierra,” Blair told Hindustan Times.com. “I suspect Xavier knew Sierra was planning to leave him, they had an argument about it, he may have lost control and something happened that ended her life. Other than that, it’s a complete mystery.”
“We will not stop looking for her,” she added.
Is Sierra planning to leave Xavier?
Sierra’s family insists she planned to leave Xavier before her disappearance. Xavier and Sierra had been married for about a year at the time. They have a five-month-old son.
They reportedly met in Georgia and later moved to Indiana after Sierra found a position at a local law firm. According to family members, problems appeared in their relationship as early as June 2021 during the relocation.
Sierra’s mother said she and her husband “encouraged” her to return home. However, Sierra was hesitant in making the decision to leave and expressed concerns about custody arrangements for their child, Jackson, in the event of a divorce. Ciera’s cousin said Ciera “couldn’t imagine letting Jackson and Xavier go together.”
However, Sierra has reportedly taken steps to get out of the marriage. She even saved money in a secret bank account and planned to temporarily move back in with her parents. According to her family, she was waiting for the right opportunity to make the move, but at that moment she disappeared.
Sierra’s parents later gained custody of the couple’s children.
In March 2022, investigators discovered a jailhouse video in which Xavier could be seen discussing Sierra’s disappearance with children. He told the children that his wife was not coming home because she was suspected of being kidnapped. However, this account does not match the information provided to Carmel police regarding Sierra’s disappearance.
Xavier’s father acknowledged inconsistencies in his son’s statements, reportedly saying he “just made up a different story for everyone he talked to.”
“Ciera is an energetic and ambitious woman”
Facebook Group – Ciera (Locklair) Breland 🔁 Where is TCR? – has been raising awareness about the case.
“Sierra was an energetic and ambitious woman who would not let adversity stand in the way of her dreams. She kept a small circle and was very family-oriented – she was best friends with her father and cousin. She kept a low profile and did not appear on social media. She loved her son very much and would never leave him willingly,” Blair told Hindustan Times.com.
Various coordinated searches have been conducted, some focused on specific areas, but Sierra still missing. Law enforcement officers distributed fliers and even used electronic signs to raise public awareness.
Authorities hope that before the young mother was last seen, someone may have seen Ciera and Xavier driving a white 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan with Georgia license plates priced at $5,869 and an FSU School of Law frame surrounding the license plate.
“Law enforcement has been conducting a search effort, including in the Johns Creek, Georgia area, led primarily by Sierra’s cousin,” Blair said. “The FBI is currently offering a $10,000 reward for Sierra’s whereabouts.”
Ciera is 5 feet tall and weighs approximately 120 pounds.
Anyone with information about this case or Ciera’s whereabouts can contact Johns Creek Police Corporal Rozier at 678-372-8046, Carmel Police Department at (317) 571-2580, Central Indiana Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477), Georgia Bureau of Investigation Tip Line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), or call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
