Black woman found hanging from tree was dead before body was 'staged' - BBC News
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Black woman found hanging from tree was dead before body was 'staged', police say
Image source: [Source not provided in original text]
By Sareen Habeshian and Brandon Drenon
Published 2 hours ago
Warning: This story contains distressing details
Police in the US state of Mississippi have stated that they believe Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old black woman, was already dead before her body was "staged" and found hanging from a tree.
This revelation was made by a detective during a court hearing on Friday, who also suggested that Fortune's death resulted from a drug-related dispute.
Fortune’s body was discovered in August hanging from a tree on the grounds of an abandoned home in Jackson.
The discovery sparked widespread concern within the predominantly black city due to Mississippi’s history of racial violence and lynchings. Following weeks of speculation and calls for information, several arrests were made.
In a press release, police confirmed that a medical examiner had determined after an autopsy that Fortune's death was a homicide and that "the scene and the hanging had been staged."
The BBC has reached out to the court, the medical examiner’s office, and Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, for further comment.
Authorities have not disclosed the specific cause of death or their reasoning for suspecting the hanging was staged. The medical examiner confirmed earlier this month that Fortune's manner of death was homicide, stating there would be a murder charge filed.
Christy Spivey, speaking to reporters outside the Jackson Police Department on Friday, expressed her belief that her daughter fought for her life until the end:
"I know she did. I know my daughter," Spivey told reporters. Fortune leaves behind four young children aged 7, 5, 4, and 1.
Wearing a shirt reading "Justice for Tasia Fortune," Spivey emphasized that she does not want to see innocent people face charges. "I just hope they have the right people," she said.
Three individuals have been arrested in relation to the case: Jarques Ratliff, 51, who was arrested and pleaded not guilty; Earnest Lloyd Jr, 25, taken into custody this week; and Eric Clark, 45, who turned himself in on Friday and was charged with murder. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Fortune’s death is part of a series of similar cases in recent years prompting calls for federal investigations by lawmakers. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) highlighted at least 10 documented incidents in her September letter to Congress, which had over 50 signatures from US lawmakers.
The most recent incident occurred on Sunday in Prince George’s County, a majority-black suburb near Washington DC, ruled as a suicide.