Mississippi police arrest man in homicide of Tasia Fortune

Jackson police announced Friday that Jacques Ratliff was taken into custody on homicide charges in the death of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune. The woman’s body was discovered on Aug. 3 behind an abandoned building in the city, and officials later reclassified the case as a homicide. Police chief RaShall Brackney said the arrest followed the execution of two search warrants and an arrest warrant, and that investigators continue to pursue additional leads.

"The arrest today is an important development in this 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, adding that the family had been notified.

Brackney noted that the investigation is being conducted amid heightened public interest given Mississippi’s history of racial violence, and emphasized that the case must be based on evidence and facts. It is not yet known whether Ratliff has retained legal counsel.