Death of Mississippi woman found hanging from tree was staged following drug dispute: Police
10/01/2026 10:50 am PDT
JACKSON, Miss. (TCN) -- Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned home in August, was allegedly killed in a drug dispute and then staged following her death to appear as though she had been lynched, according to police.
Fortune, 29, was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant house in August, according to Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney. Her death was classified as a homicide on Sept. 11 and Jarques Ratliff, 51, was taken into custody that same day and charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty in connection with her death.
A second suspect, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., was arrested in connection with Fortune’s death on Sept. 22. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and KOAT reported that a warrant for a third suspect’s arrest had been turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service and that additional warrants were forthcoming.
During a hearing on Sept. 25, Detective Samuel Dukes testified that in the medical examiner’s opinion, Fortune was killed in a drug dispute before her body was staged to appear as though it had been hanged, KOAT reports.
The purpose of the Sept. 25 hearing was to determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case against Ratliff to a grand jury, per KOAT. In court, Ratliff allegedly stated he and Fortune were friends.
The hearing resumes Sept. 30, according to KOAT.
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