Investigators in Jackson, Mississippi, have determined that Tasia Fortune was murdered during a disagreement involving drugs prior to her body being found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned residence this past summer. During a court hearing on Friday, Jackson Police Detective Samuel Dukes testified that the hanging was “staged” and occurred after Fortune had already died.
Dukes, citing the medical examiner’s findings, stated that Fortune fought vigorously against her attackers before she was killed. The 51-year-old Black woman’s body was discovered on August 3, a scene that alarmed the community due to its resemblance to historical racial lynchings in the state.
Authorities have not released the specific cause of death but have classified the case as a homicide. Two men have been arrested and charged with murder. A 45-year-old man surrendered to police on Friday following the issuance of a warrant and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
The hearing is currently focused on evaluating whether there is sufficient evidence to indict Jarques Ratliff, the first suspect arrested in mid-September. Ratliff, who remains held without bond, has pleaded not guilty. During the proceedings, he claimed that he and Fortune were friends.
Christy Spivey, Fortune’s mother, told reporters outside the courthouse that she was aware her daughter had been killed before her body was displayed. However, she noted that the hanging brought significant public attention to the tragedy. Spivey expressed support for Ratliff if he is innocent, stating, “I hope if he is innocent that he can prove he’s innocent. We don’t want any innocent people going to jail.”
Ratliff’s stepdaughter, Lashuna Jones, also voiced her support at the hearing, insisting on her father’s innocence. A second suspect, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., was arrested later in the week.
The legal proceedings will resume on September 30. Spivey has described her daughter as a mother of four who had recently faced homelessness but was attempting to rebuild her life with plans to start a cleaning business.
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Fortune’s mother is showing incredible grace under such unbearable circumstances. She deserves justice.
Does anyone know if the suspects have been explicitly linked to white supremacist groups, or is that just speculation so far?
The staging of this crime is absolutely horrifying. It weaponizes history against a victim who was already dead.