Mississippi police said Saturday they were still investigating the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree last month, a day after a man was arrested in connection with the killing.
Loved ones also painted a picture of Fortune as a mother, athlete and woman of faith who they hoped would not solely be remembered for her horrific death.
Additional arrests are expected in the case, Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said Friday. Police sought and arrested 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff, who is Black, when they encountered him walking on the street, authorities said. Ratliff should appear in Jackson Municipal Court no later than Monday morning, said André de Gruy, Mississippi’s state defender.
Brackney said Ratliff had an “association” with Fortune but would not elaborate on their relationship. She called Ratliff’s arrest on a murder charge “an important development” in the investigation.
“But it is not the conclusion. This case remains active, and additional arrests will be pending as our investigators continue to follow the evidence wherever it leads,” Brackney said Friday. “We understand that this case has received media attention from across the globe, and across this community.”
No Comment