Police Arrest Suspect in the Death of Tasia Fortune in Mississippi

On Friday, Mississippi police arrested a man in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree last month. Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney announced that they had obtained search and arrest warrants for Jarques Ratliff. Officers arrested Ratliff while he was on foot.

Ratliff, aged 51, faces a murder charge. Detailed information about the connection between Ratliff and Fortune was not disclosed. The state medical examiner’s office ruled Fortune’s death as a homicide on Thursday evening, prompting the execution of the warrants.

“This case remains active and additional arrests will be pending,” said Chief Brackney.

Police interviewed nearly 15 individuals, collected forensic evidence, and pursued leads related to the case. They emphasized the arrest as a significant development while highlighting the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Christy Spivey, Fortune’s mother, expressed gratitude and relief upon being informed about the arrest. Despite the arrest, Spivey noted the absence of detailed information, including the possible motive and whether DNA evidence played a role. She mentioned being unaware of Ratliff, the suspect, and inquired with her daughter’s friends for any possible connections.

Fortune’s body, discovered on August 3 in an abandoned home’s backyard in Jackson, sparked discussions within the community. Her death occurred less than one year after two other hanging deaths in Mississippi. The death of Trey Reed, a 21-year-old Black student at Delta State University in Cleveland, was ruled a suicide. Reed’s family demanded an independent autopsy and access to security footage.

Separately, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner concluded that Cory Zukatis, an unhoused White man in his 30s from Vicksburg, also died by suicide.