Police Investigate Death of Black Woman Found Hanging from Tree in Mississippi

Police in Mississippi have stated that they believe Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old woman, was dead before her body was placed hanging from a tree. This information was revealed in court by a detective on Friday, who indicated that Fortune's death was linked to a dispute related to drugs. Her body was discovered in August at an abandoned home in Jackson, which raised concerns in the predominantly black city due to the state's history of racial violence. Following weeks of speculation, police have made multiple arrests. According to a police news release, the medical examiner has classified Fortune's death as a homicide and indicated that the scene was staged. The specific cause of death has not been disclosed. Fortune's mother recounted that the coroner informed her that they were not treating the case as a typical hanging and that her daughter was deceased before being placed in the tree. Fortune is survived by four children aged 7, 5, 4, and 1. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, including Jarques Ratliff, 51, who has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond. Earnest Lloyd Jr., 25, was arrested this week, and Eric Clark, 45, turned himself in on Friday and has been charged with murder, with a court appearance scheduled for Monday. Fortune's death is among several recent cases prompting calls from lawmakers for investigations into hanging deaths of black individuals across the country. Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts referenced at least 10 documented incidents in a letter to Congress, which included over 50 signatures from US lawmakers. The most recent case occurred in Prince George's County, a majority-black suburb near Washington, D.C., and has been ruled a suicide.