A Mississippi man was arrested late last month, acused of beating his mother to death with a shovel and stabbing her around the head and neck.
The Tupelo Police responded to a call for a welfare check at a home on April 29. Upon arrival, they encountered Joshua Daniel Lazore, 30, who, when questioned about his mother’s whereabouts, directed them to the backyard. There, they discovered the body of 62-year-old Sherri West Lazore.
Lazore was subsequently taken into custody. During the investigation, he reportedly chose to waive his right to remain silent and confessed to the assault that resulted in his mother’s death, according to a report by the Tupelo Daily Journal.
At an initial court appearance, Lazore told the judge he wanted “to waive my right to an attorney and get the plea section.”
The judge stopped him, saying the initial appearance was only to determine that a crime had been commeitted and to decide on any bond.
After a brief break while Lazore spoke with his court appointed attorney, the judge denied bond, saying he represented a danger to the community.
In 2020, Lazore had been involved in an incident where he vandalized the lobby of the Lee County Jail, leading to charges of destroying public property and malicious mischief. At that time, he was participating in a “residential Christian discipleship program for men with self-destructive lifestyles” and was permitted to leave the facility for work commitments.
He left work one night and went to the jail, telling deputies he wanted to turn himself in, but the deputies found no warrants for his arrest. He left and then returned a few hours later, again saying he wanted to turn himself in. The deputies asked him leave, and he did, but he came back after they went into a secure area of the jail and began throwing equipment and destroying televisions and a touch-screen kiosk in the lobby.
Then he was arrested. But a year later, he pleaded guilty to destruction of public property and got a five year suspended sentence and 5 years probation. His probation was terminated a few months later because he had paid fines and court costs and abided by the rules.
The murder case will now be presented to a Lee County grand jury, Tupelo Police said.
