Stories
Black Mother of Four Found Hanged in Mississippi; Police Say Death Was Staged Homicide
- •Tasia Fortune, a Black mother of four, was found hanged from a tree in Jackson, Mississippi, but police state she was dead before being staged.
- •Detective Samuel Dukes revealed the medical examiner's opinion that Fortune's death was a homicide, likely stemming from a drug-related dispute.
- •Fortune's mother, Spivey, confirmed judicial officials told her the hanging was staged and her daughter was dead beforehand.
- •Three individuals—Jarques Ratliff, Earnest Lloyd Jr, and Eric Clark—all Black, have been arrested in connection with Fortune's death.
- •The tragic incident has sparked fears in the majority-Black city due to Mississippi's history of racial violence and lynchings.
Key Questions Answered
According to Jackson Police Detective Samuel Dukes and the medical examiner, Tasia Fortune was already dead before her body was staged and hanged from a tree behind an abandoned home in Jackson, Mississippi, on August 3. Authorities determined the death was a homicide resulting from a drug-related dispute, though the exact cause of death has not yet been specified.
Authorities have arrested three people in connection with Tasia Fortune's death. The suspects include 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff, who remains in custody without bond, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., who was charged with murder, and 45-year-old Eric Clark, who surrendered to authorities on Friday, September 25, and was also charged with murder.
Tasia Fortune's mother, Spivey, shared that her daughter fought hard for her life until the end and left behind four young children aged 7, 5, 4, and 1. The family launched a GoFundMe page to help bring Fortune home, support her children, and pursue justice and answers.
