In the small community of Forest, Mississippi, a tragic event unfolded on the evening of October 9, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 46-year-old Zina Williams and her young son. Firefighters were the first to arrive at Williams' mobile home on Wash Drive, responding to a call about a fire around 9:00 p.m. Inside the burning residence, they made a grim discovery: the bodies of Zina and her 8-year-old son, Zacchaeus Williams.
What initially appeared to be a tragic fire soon revealed a more sinister story. An investigation determined that both Zina and her son had been shot. Zina Williams suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, while her son had been shot multiple times. Authorities concluded that the fire was intentionally set in an attempt to cover up the murders.
The day after the discovery, law enforcement arrested 31-year-old James Fulgham in connection with the double homicide. Fulgham, who was reportedly in a relationship with Zina Williams, was taken into custody in Lauderdale County. Reports from Williams' workplace, Tyson Foods, indicated that the couple had been seen arguing earlier on the day of the murders. After the shootings, Fulgham allegedly fled the scene in Williams' car, which was later found hidden in a wooded area near his own residence.
Fulgham was subsequently charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of arson. He is also facing a charge of auto theft. The violent deaths of Zina Williams, a mother, and her young son, a student at Forest Elementary School, deeply impacted the Forest community.
