Evidence Presented in Tasia Fortune’s Death Linked to Drug Dispute
A detective in Mississippi testified that the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman, was staged and related to a drug dispute. Her body was found hanging from a tree in Jackson in August. Detective Samuel Dukes conveyed during a preliminary hearing that investigators suspect Fortune was murdered before being hanged at an abandoned property. The state medical examiner supported these findings.
Two Black men have been charged with murder, and authorities are searching for a third suspect. Fortune’s exact cause of death has not been revealed but her death has been classified as a homicide. The incident drew significant attention due to its resemblance to Mississippi’s history of racial violence, although it has not been labeled a hate crime by authorities.
The hearing aimed to determine if there’s sufficient evidence to bring charges against 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff before a grand jury. Ratliff was apprehended earlier in the month and pleaded not guilty, remaining jailed without bond. A second suspect, 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr., was also arrested this week on a murder charge.
According to the Clarion Ledger, Dukes testified that Fortune was likely killed elsewhere before her body was hung. Witness statements linked Ratliff to the case, and he allegedly had a personal relationship with Fortune. Dukes mentioned Ratliff had provided details in interviews that suggested firsthand knowledge of the events, yet he refrained from elaborating, aiming to keep information intact for future proceedings.
Investigators obtained a DNA sample from Ratliff; results are pending. During the hearing, Ratliff interrupted to assert his friendship with Fortune. Outside court, his stepdaughter, Lashuna Jones, defended him, insisting on his innocence. Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, reacted to Ratliff’s claims, stating, “If he is innocent, I hope he can prove it. We don’t want any innocent people jailed.” She expressed her desire for concrete evidence linking Ratliff to the murder.
A Newsweek request for comments from Ratliff’s attorney, Toney Baldwin, and the Jackson Police Department was unanswered. “We want the truth,” Baldwin said post-hearing, extending his condolences to Fortune’s family yet emphasizing the importance of justice.
During cross-examination, Baldwin questioned the connections made between Ratliff and Fortune’s death, querying the certainty of Fortune’s death location and the reliability of Ratliff’s police statements.
The Jackson community was shocked upon Fortune’s body discovery on August 3. Investigators estimate she had been deceased for two to three days prior. The case evoked widespread attention due to comparisons with historical racial terror lynchings in Mississippi.
Spivey shared that her daughter, a mother of four, had faced homelessness but was making efforts to start a cleaning business. “She did not do this to herself,” Spivey told ABC News, affirming her daughter’s strength and determination.
Family Seeks Justice
A GoFundMe campaign supporting Fortune’s family has accumulated $181,571 from nearly 5,000 donations. The funds aim to cover burial costs, support her children, and assist in the ongoing pursuit of justice and answers regarding her death.
“We’re grateful to everyone helping our family during this tragic period,” the organizers expressed, emphasizing their commitment to finding justice for Tasia and their family.