Mississippi police make 2nd arrest in death of Black woman found hanging from tree, seek 3rd suspect
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Police in Mississippi have arrested a second man in the death of a Black woman found hanging from a tree and have issued an arrest warrant for a third suspect.
Jackson police said late Tuesday that they arrested 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr. in the death of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune, whose body was found hanging behind an abandoned home in the city on Aug. 3.
Like Fortune and the first man arrested, 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff, Lloyd is Black.
Ratliff was arrested in September on murder charges. He pleaded not guilty and remains jailed without bond.
Police said in a statement that they issued an arrest warrant for a third suspect, but gave no details about that person’s identity or alleged link to Fortune’s death.
After Ratliff’s arrest, Jackson’s police chief, RaShall Brackney, said Ratliff had an “association” with Fortune, but she didn’t elaborate.
Although police haven’t suggested a possible motive for the killing or said whether they think race played a role, the case has attracted widespread attention because the manner of death recalled lynchings in the Southern state.
A Kentucky native, Fortune had four children and had been living in Jackson for about a decade, relatives said.
Her mother, Christy Spivey, didn’t immediately respond to a text message Wednesday seeking comment about the latest arrest.
Spivey previously said Fortune had struggled with homelessness in recent years, and she wasn’t sure where her daughter was living at the time of her death. She said that before her death, her daughter had talked about starting a cleaning business and was trying to get her life in order.