Black woman found hanging from tree was dead before body was staged, police say

The investigation into the death of Tasia Fortune took a stark turn on Friday when a Jackson police detective testified in court that the mother of four was killed at an abandoned home in Jackson before her body was placed in a tree. The case, which drew national attention after the discovery on August 3, immediately stirred deep-seated anxieties in the majority-Black city due to the region’s history of racial violence. While officials have stressed that the killing was not a hate crime, investigators maintain the grim scene was deliberately arranged.

Courtroom Testimony Details Staged Scene and Drug Dispute

During a preliminary hearing on Friday, Jackson Police Detective Samuel Dukes testified that findings from the state medical examiner show Fortune was killed at another location before being suspended behind the abandoned property. Investigators believe the homicide was tied to a drug dispute. Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, recalled the coroner informing her that authorities were not treating the incident as an actual hanging, confirming her daughter was dead beforehand.

Dukes testified that investigators believe Fortune had been dead before the discovery. Although police have not publicly released the exact cause of death, the medical examiner officially ruled the manner of death a homicide and determined that the hanging scene was staged. Spivey also recalled police telling her the incident was drug related.

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Mississippi police make 2nd arrest in death of Black woman found hanging from tree, seek 3rd suspect

Family members noted that Fortune, who originated from Kentucky, was a mother of four and had resided in Jackson for approximately ten years. Spivey previously mentioned that her daughter faced challenges with housing instability in recent years and noted that her whereabouts at the time of her death were uncertain. She said that before her death, her daughter had talked about starting a cleaning business.

Arrests and Charges Mount Against Three Suspects

Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the homicide, with all of the suspects being Black men. Fifty-one-year-old Jarques Ratliff was arrested earlier in September on a murder charge. He has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bond.

Arrest made over the death of black woman found hanged from tree in Mississippi

During the Friday court session, Dukes stated on the stand that investigators linked Ratliff to the homicide through accounts from witnesses, adding that Ratliff and Fortune were acquaintances who had shared an intimate relationship. Dukes also claimed Ratliff made statements during police interviews containing details investigators believed you would only know if you were there. At a certain point during the legal proceedings, Ratliff spoke up to inform the judge that he and Fortune had been friends. Outside the courtroom, his stepdaughter, Lashuna Jones, defended him, saying: He didn't do it, and I'm behind him.

Authorities arrested a second suspect, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., on a murder charge. Based on local coverage by WLBT referenced by the Associated Press, detectives reported being led to Lloyd by witnesses, who stated the suspect had been involved in a physical altercation with Fortune shortly before she died. According to the station’s report, law enforcement asserts that Lloyd used a black cable cord to hang Fortune, while three additional co-defendants are also suspected of taking part in her killing.

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A third suspect, 45-year-old Eric Clark, turned himself in to authorities on Friday and was charged with murder, and he is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Police have indicated that additional warrants are expected as the investigation continues.

Family Mourns Mother of Four as Community Seeks Justice

Outside the police department, Spivey told reporters that she knows her daughter fought for her life till the very end. Fortune leaves behind four young children, ages 7, 5, 4 and 1, she added. Dressed in a shirt that reads Justice for Tasia Fortune, Spivey stressed that she does not want to see any innocent people going to jail, stating: I just hope they have the right people.

Family and supporters established a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses and support Fortune’s children. The fundraiser has raised $181,571 from nearly 5,000 donations, providing financial relief as the family pursues answers.