Mississippi police have arrested Jacque Ratliff, 51, in connection with the homicide of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old Black woman found hanging from a tree outside an abandoned home in Jackson on August 3. The arrest follows a medical examiner’s determination on August 29 that Fortune’s death was a homicide, enabling police to secure search and arrest warrants for Ratliff. Authorities stated the case remains active, with additional arrests pending as the investigation continues.
Police confirm homicide ruling and arrest warrant execution
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney announced at a news conference on August 30 that Ratliff had been taken into custody after officers encountered him walking on Capitol Street. Brackney confirmed that the state medical examiner’s office classified Fortune’s death as a homicide the previous evening, which allowed police to execute the warrants they had already obtained. Ratliff was charged with murder, though police did not disclose a motive or whether DNA evidence was involved in the arrest.
Brackney emphasized that the arrest marks a significant step but not the conclusion of the investigation. "This case remains active and additional arrests will be pending as our investigators continue to follow the evidence wherever it leads," she stated. Ratliff had an "association" with Fortune, according to Brackney, but no further details were provided about the nature of their relationship.
Family receives news of arrest with relief and lingering questions
Christy Spivey, Fortune’s mother, told reporters that she received the news of Ratliff’s arrest with emotional relief. "I just started crying and told them ‘thank you, thank you, thank you,’" she said. Spivey added that she did not know Ratliff personally but was seeking information from Fortune’s friends. "We still don’t have a lot of answers," she said, expressing the family’s ongoing shock and disbelief.
Spivey also recounted what she described as a lack of communication from local officials in the weeks following Fortune’s death. She stated she had left multiple voicemails for Jackson police over the prior two weeks without receiving a response. Brackney addressed this concern during the news conference, saying, "We have been in constant contact with the mother and the stepfather."
Investigation details and forensic evidence
Police reported that they interviewed 15 people and executed search warrants at Ratliff’s residence, though he was not found there at the time. Officers later located him on the street and took him into custody. Brackney acknowledged the scrutiny of the case, noting Mississippi’s history of racial violence, including lynchings, and stated that the investigation would proceed based on evidence.
The case has drawn attention amid a broader pattern of hanging deaths in Mississippi. Fortune’s death occurred less than a year after the hanging deaths of Trey Reed, a 21-year-old Black student at Delta State University, and Cory Zukatis, an unhoused White man in his 30s, both in Vicksburg. Authorities have not indicated whether these cases are connected.
Legal and procedural next steps
Ratliff is expected to face homicide charges, though it remains unclear whether he has retained legal representation. Brackney reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that further developments would be announced as they arise. "Because Tasia and her children deserve nothing less," she said.
Police have not provided additional details about the evidence linking Ratliff to the crime or the circumstances surrounding Fortune’s death beyond the medical examiner’s homicide ruling.