Arrest Made in Death of Tasia Fortune in Mississippi

Police in Mississippi have apprehended a man in connection with the murder of Tasia Fortune, whose body was discovered hanging from a tree recently. At a news conference, Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney revealed that officers executed search and arrest warrants for Jarques Ratliff and detained him while he was on the street.

Ratliff, aged 51, was taken into custody on a murder charge. Chief Brackney mentioned that Ratliff had some form of association with Fortune but did not provide further details at this point.

The state medical examiner’s office announced on Thursday evening that Fortune’s death was classified as a homicide. This determination enabled the police to act on the warrants already obtained.

This case remains active, and further arrests are expected, Brackney stated.

During the investigation, police conducted interviews with almost 15 individuals, collected forensic evidence, and investigated leads related to the case. Chief Brackney emphasized that while Ratliff’s arrest marks significant progress, the investigation is still ongoing.

Christy Spivey, Fortune’s mother, expressed her emotions following the arrest notification. She thanked the police, despite the lack of information regarding a motive or the role of DNA in the arrest. Spivey said she did not recognize the arrested man and asked her daughter’s friends if they knew him. The family remains in disbelief and shock.

Fortune’s body was discovered by police in the backyard of a vacant home in Jackson on August 3. Her death comes after the hanging deaths of Trey Reed, a Black student at Delta State University, and Cory Zukatis, a White man, in the previous year. Reed’s death was ruled a suicide, consistent with autopsy results, although Reed’s family demanded further investigation and access to security footage.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner confirmed Zukatis’s death as a suicide.