Crime25 September, 20262 min read
Jackson Police Say Tasia Fortune Was Dead Before Staged Hanging After Drug Dispute
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Tasia Fortune was dead before her body was placed in a tree. Investigators say the hanging was staged and linked to a drug dispute.
6 outlets told this the same way.
Staged Hanging Claim
Police in Jackson, Mississippi said they believe Tasia Fortune was dead before her body was placed at an allegedly "staged" crime scene after she was found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned home. The Jackson Police Department said a medical examiner determined Fortune's death was a homicide and that "the scene and the hanging were staged".
Christy Spivey told the BBC, "I have more questions now than what I did before," after police said Fortune had been dead before her body was hanged. Investigators told a court on Friday that Fortune's death was thought to be the result of a drug-related dispute, and a detective said Fortune may have been killed over allegations she stole drugs.
Arrests and Court
Eric Clark, 45, became the third person arrested in connection with Fortune's death and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Police charged Jarques Ratliff, 51, and Earnest Lloyd Jr, 25, with murder, and Ratliff pleaded not guilty during a court hearing earlier this month.
Jackson police detective Samuel Dukes told the court that the hanging was "staged" and that the motive for the killing appears to have been a drug dispute. The hearing was meant to determine whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to send the case against Ratliff to a grand jury, and it was scheduled to resume on September 30.
Family, Motive, Next Steps
Christy Spivey said she was "starting to break down" after learning the latest details surrounding her daughter's death.
Spivey told reporters that she knew her daughter died before her body was hanged, and she said, "What bothered me was they said Tasia fought for her life. I know she did. I know my daughter,".
The investigation has not publicly disclosed the exact cause of death or explained why investigators believe Fortune's body was hung after she died, while authorities ruled the death a homicide.
Police said the case has attracted widespread attention because the scene recalled actual lynchings in Mississippi, and the hearing continued with the question of whether evidence was sufficient for a grand jury.