Authorities said Lana Brown Bradley’s remains were found after relatives asked deputies to check her Melanie Road home.
NATCHEZ, Miss. — A 29-year-old Natchez man is accused of killing and dismembering his mother after deputies found the retired educator’s remains during an April 4 welfare check at her Adams County home, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Lana Brown Bradley, 62, a retired Natchez Adams School District educator remembered by school leaders and neighbors as a steady presence in the community. Her son, Zachary Lavel Jackson Jr., has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, mayhem and tampering with physical evidence. The case moved forward Tuesday after Jackson waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Adams County Justice Court, sending the matter toward grand jury review.
Deputies went to Bradley’s home on Melanie Road about 12:30 p.m. April 4 after her oldest son said he had not been able to reach her, Adams County officials said. The call began as a welfare check but soon turned into a missing-person investigation and then a homicide case. Sheriff Travis Patten said relatives told investigators that Bradley had two other sons living with her, including Jackson. When deputies entered the home, they noticed what Patten described as a strong smell of cleaning products and signs that someone had recently cleaned the house. Patten said the floor was unusually slick and that the condition of the home did not match what relatives expected to find.
Investigators said deputies found Jackson locked in a downstairs bathroom. Patten said deputies heard sounds that suggested someone was trying to get rid of evidence before the bathroom door was opened. He said investigators then noticed a dark substance in the toilet and stopped to widen the search. Deputies looked through the home, the two-acre property, nearby woods and creek areas around the residence. Family members also arrived as the search continued. Patten said the case shifted sharply when a relative found part of Bradley’s remains in a wooded area. Investigators later recovered more remains in a suitcase, and the sheriff said additional evidence was found after the toilet was removed.
Authorities have not released a full autopsy report, a final cause of death or a complete timeline showing when Bradley died. Officials have said some details were withheld to protect the investigation and out of respect for her family. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation assisted the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Adams County Coroner’s Office and local utility crews. Patten called the case “one of the most difficult” of his career and said investigators faced a large and complex scene. He said the evidence showed an effort to hide what happened inside the home, but authorities have not publicly described every item recovered from the house or property.
The killing stunned many in Natchez because Bradley had spent decades working in education. Local school officials said she had worked for at least 30 years and was known by students, parents and co-workers across the city. Dr. Toni Martin, principal of Morgantown Elementary School, said Bradley made students feel valued and colleagues feel supported. Friends and former students described her as a teacher whose reach stretched across generations in a small Mississippi River city where many families knew her by name. Family members also said Bradley wrote poetry and had been planning to publish some of her work. Her daughter, Zuri Brown, asked the public to remember Bradley’s life and contributions, not only the violence of her death.
Investigators said the killing followed tension inside the home. Patten said relatives told deputies they had concerns about Jackson’s mental stability. The sheriff also said Bradley had feared for her safety and had started the process of having Jackson removed from the home. Patten said Jackson had threatened her the day before because she was trying to have him evicted. Investigators have not released court paperwork tied to that reported eviction effort. Patten also said Jackson had studied precision piping, a detail investigators cited while saying they believed the acts were deliberate. No plea was listed in available reports, and it was not immediately clear from public reporting whether an attorney had issued a statement for Jackson.
Jackson was arrested after the remains were found and was booked into the Adams County Jail. He faces two murder counts, along with mayhem and tampering with physical evidence. Mayhem is tied to accusations of disfiguring or dismembering another person. He appeared in court earlier in April and was held without bond. On Tuesday, April 28, he waived his preliminary hearing, meaning prosecutors did not have to present early evidence at that stage. The case is expected to be bound over to the next Adams County grand jury, where jurors will decide whether the evidence supports an indictment. Officials had not announced a trial date or the next court hearing as of Tuesday.
Police tape remained visible around the Melanie Road property for days after the discovery while deputies continued processing the scene. The home sits in a wooded area where investigators had to search not only rooms inside the house but also outdoor spaces near water and brush. Patten said the work left a deep mark on deputies and relatives who were present during the search. The sheriff said the crime was among the most disturbing he had seen in law enforcement. Community members, meanwhile, focused on Bradley’s years in classrooms and her role in Natchez. Former colleagues said her death left grief in schools, churches and neighborhoods where she had long been known.
The investigation remained active Tuesday, with the cause and time of death still not publicly released. Jackson remained jailed without bond after waiving his preliminary hearing, and the next major step is expected to be review by an Adams County grand jury.
Author note: Last updated April 28, 2026.