Remains of Vicksburg native confirmed in Lawrence County murder case

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Miss. (VDN) — The remains of a murdered woman in Lawrence County have been confirmed to be those of Vicksburg native La’Datra Williams.

Williams was discovered in a shallow grave last month after suspect Charles Sims led authorities to the location. Sims has since been charged with first-degree murder. Multiple reports state Sims was involved with several women and is believed to have fathered more than 20 children.

Press Release from Sheriff Ryan Everett in July:

For nearly two months, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been conducting a search for a missing person, Ladatra Williams of Kansas City, Missouri.

Yesterday, July 14, 2025, after approximately eight hours of interviewing, Charles Matthew Sims of Hooker Road, sent word to me through sheriff’s office personnel, that we would never find L. Williams where we were searching and he would take me to her.  At approximately 2:00 PM, Sims, a deputy sheriff and I entered a wooded area in the southeastern portion of the county. Sims, who has been in custody since Friday, July 11, gave the deputy and me step-by-step details and led us to an area where he claimed to have buried her.

At approximately 11:30 PM, the LCSO, Lawrence County Coroner’s Office, MBI, MBI’s Crime Scene Unit, the Mississippi State University Police Department Forensic Recovery Unit and the MSU Department of Anthropology exhumed the shallow grave and recovered a deceased female.  DNA testing will be utilized in the very near future to make a positive identification.

Thank you to each and every agency already mentioned and to the Lawrence County EMA, and the Lawrence County Fire Service for providing extra support such as drinks, lighting, and assisting with equipment.  Please remember the Williams family in your prayers as they deal with this senseless tragedy.