Deputies say the investigation began with a welfare check and expanded to plumbing, luggage and wooded property.
NATCHEZ, Miss. — A homicide case against a Natchez man is built around what deputies say they found inside a cleaned home, a locked bathroom, a toilet and wooded land near the house where his mother lived.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office arrested Zachary Lavel Jackson Jr., 29, after deputies found his mother, 62-year-old retired educator Lana Brown Bradley, dead during an April 4 welfare check. Jackson is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, mayhem and tampering with physical evidence. The evidence described by Sheriff Travis Patten suggests investigators are treating the case as both a killing and an alleged attempt to conceal what happened afterward.
The first piece of the evidence trail was the condition of the home. Deputies responding to Melanie Road smelled cleaning chemicals when they entered, Patten said. The floors appeared slick, and the house looked as though someone had been cleaning. Bradley’s older son, who had asked for the welfare check after failing to reach her, told deputies the scene did not fit what he knew about the home. The observation mattered because Bradley was missing from the first areas searched, and deputies were looking for signs that could explain why she could not be contacted.
The next piece was the locked bathroom. Deputies heard splashing inside and found Jackson there, according to the sheriff. They also saw a dark substance in the toilet. Patten later said investigators determined the material was part of Bradley’s remains. A plumber was called to remove the toilet, allowing investigators to search the plumbing and recover evidence. That plumbing evidence is expected to matter to the tampering charge because prosecutors must show that Jackson took steps to alter, hide, destroy or remove evidence connected to the crime.
Investigators then searched beyond the bathroom. Patten said remains were found in more than one place, including in a suitcase. Deputies and family members also searched wooded property near the home. The sheriff said one person shouted after finding a head during that search. Those discoveries turned the scene into a broader recovery operation, not just an indoor crime scene. Officials have not released a full map of where evidence was found, and they have not publicly detailed every item collected. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation assisted local deputies because of the complexity of the case.
The evidence described publicly also points to what investigators believe happened before and after Bradley died. Patten said Jackson allegedly dismembered his mother and tried to make her difficult to find. He said the condition of the house, the alleged flushing attempt and the placement of remains showed deliberate conduct. Family members told investigators Jackson had mental health problems, but Patten said the actions appeared calculated. Those two points may become a major divide in court, where prosecutors and defense lawyers could argue over intent, awareness and criminal responsibility.
The motive described by investigators centers on tension inside the home. Patten said Bradley had become afraid of Jackson and was trying to evict him. He said Jackson allegedly threatened her the day before deputies found her dead. Authorities have not released a full record showing whether an eviction case had been formally filed, and they have not said what exact words were used in the alleged threat. Still, the eviction account gives prosecutors a possible explanation for why the violence occurred. It also gives investigators a timeline to test against phone records, witness statements and forensic evidence.
The victim’s background has shaped public response to the evidence. Bradley was known in Natchez as a retired teacher and longtime community member. Officials described her as respected and beloved. Local reports said she had taught many people in the area, and relatives described her interest in poetry. Those facts do not change the evidence, but they explain why the case spread quickly through the community. The alleged crime happened not in a public place, but in a family home tied to a woman many people knew through school, family or neighborhood connections.
The legal process took a major step April 28, when Jackson waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The waiver moved the matter toward grand jury review without an early public hearing on probable cause. Prosecutors can now present the case to grand jurors, who will decide whether formal indictments should be returned. Jackson’s charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless convicted. A future indictment could match the current charges, adjust them or leave out some counts depending on what prosecutors present and what the grand jury finds.
Forensic work is likely to remain central. Investigators may rely on autopsy findings, DNA testing, evidence from the toilet and plumbing, cleaning materials, items recovered from the suitcase, and any records showing movements or communications before April 4. Officials have not publicly named a weapon or released the full cause of death. They also have not said whether surveillance video, phone data or digital messages are part of the case. Those gaps are common before indictment because prosecutors often limit public detail while evidence is still being tested.
The case also carries a procedural challenge for Adams County: presenting difficult facts without losing focus on proof. The most graphic evidence may explain the mayhem and tampering charges, but prosecutors still must connect each charge to legal elements. Defense lawyers may challenge the handling of evidence, the interpretation of Jackson’s actions or any statements made to deputies. A judge may later decide what evidence a jury can hear if the case reaches trial.
Currently, Jackson remains in the Adams County Jail. The next expected milestone is a grand jury decision on formal charges in Bradley’s killing.
Author note: Last updated Friday, May 22, 2026.