McKenzie, Lachaka Nicole

Tenure Summary

What happened on their watch

Macon State Prison (Deputy Warden, 2017–2022)
During McKenzie’s deputy warden tenure, GPS records document 32 deaths at the facility, the earliest recorded in January 2020 and the last in December 2022. Many were classified as homicides: the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Georgia Prison Homicides Investigation identified, among others, Carrington Jwon Frye (stab wounds, age 23), Bobby Edward Lee Jr. (ligature strangulation, age 38), Kendrick Milike Brown (blunt force head injury, age 25), and Johnny Young (sharp force injury, age 24). A DOJ investigation, reported by the AJC, found that four gang members ran past an officer and fatally stabbed a prisoner, while a coroner told the AJC that only five to eight officers staffed the entire facility at times. Allegations from the AJC indicated about two-thirds of officer positions were unfilled by October 2024, and families reported dangerous cell placements: according to a lawsuit, Lee was housed with a known violent cellmate despite pleas for protection, and Brown’s mother alleged he was placed with a dangerous prisoner just before his scheduled release. Also during this period, four officers were arrested for violation of oath and false statements, and a contraband drug trafficking ring operated from within the prison (per 13WMAZ). Four lawsuits naming McKenzie as a defendant—Smith v. Ward, Bey v. Georgia Department of Corrections, Tucker v. Holt, and Tucker v. Wellpath LLC—were filed during or after her Macon tenure.

Central State Prison (Deputy Warden / Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment, 2025–present)
GPS records attribute 11 deaths at Central State Prison after McKenzie assumed a deputy warden role in 2025. Deaths include Miguel Angel Duran (suicide in the segregation unit, age 44, March 2026), Joseph Hamm (accidental opiate overdose, age 36, October 2025), and Ricky Eugene Rogers (natural/drug OD, age 68, April 2025). Multiple others died of natural or undetermined causes. A John Doe death was recorded on June 2, 2026, under her care and treatment role. Meanwhile, the AJC cited a DOJ report detailing the stabbing death of Hollis Alan Bryant and the fatal stabbing of Marquis L. Johnson in the prison barbershop. Allegations of staff misconduct emerged: three former guards were accused of beating an inmate and covering it up in March 2025 (per 13WMAZ) and a guard was charged with falsely imprisoning DFCS employees over child-support disputes in December 2025. Georgia Public Broadcasting reported in 2026 that severe staff shortages had allowed gang control and rising violence inside the facility.

Litigation

• Smith v. Ward, No. 1:19-cv-03871 (GAND, filed Aug. 12, 2019; terminated Jun. 7, 2023) – Alleged understaffing and deliberate indifference led to the strangulation death of Bobby Edward Lee Jr. at Macon State Prison.
• Bey v. Georgia Department of Corrections, No. 5:19-cv-00236 (GAMD, filed Jun. 14, 2019; terminated Sep. 30, 2022) – Named McKenzie as a defendant in a civil rights action concerning conditions at Macon State Prison.
• Tucker v. Holt, No. 5:24-cv-00360 (GAMD, filed Oct. 16, 2024; terminated Jun. 11, 2025) – Suit naming McKenzie, filed after her Macon tenure.
• Tucker v. Wellpath LLC, No. 5:24-cv-00215 (GAMD, filed Jul. 3, 2024; pending) – Names McKenzie alongside a medical contractor for claims arising from prison health care.

Sources

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — homicide investigation reports and DOJ findings covering Macon State Prison (2020–2022) and Central State Prison (2026)
• CourtListener dockets for Smith v. Ward, Bey v. Georgia Department of Corrections, Tucker v. Holt, and Tucker v. Wellpath LLC
• 13WMAZ — officer arrests and contraband trafficking at Macon State Prison; guard misconduct allegations at Central State Prison
• Georgia Public Broadcasting — 2026 reporting on staffing shortages and gang influence in Georgia prisons
• DOJ investigation summaries cited in AJC articles on prison homicides

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Jun 21, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.