Body Believed to Be Missing Missouri Woman Found in Lawrence County, Mississippi
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Miss. — After a nearly two-month search, authorities in Lawrence County have recovered a body believed to be that of missing Missouri woman Ladatra Williams.
Williams, of Kansas City, had been the focus of a joint investigation involving the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, and the FBI. On July 14, Charles Matthew Sims of Hooker Road, who has been in custody since July 11, informed investigators that their search was in the wrong area and offered to lead them to her remains.
Around 2:00 p.m., Sims accompanied the sheriff and a deputy into a wooded area in the southeastern part of the county, providing detailed directions. By 11:30 p.m., law enforcement and forensic teams from multiple agencies, including the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and Mississippi State University, had exhumed a shallow grave containing a deceased female.
DNA testing is pending to confirm the identity of the remains.
Authorities expressed gratitude to all involved agencies, including the Lawrence County EMA and Fire Service, for their support throughout the recovery effort. The sheriff’s office asked the public to keep the Williams family in their thoughts during this difficult time.