Mississippi police arrest suspect in homicide of Jackson woman Tasia Fortune, say more arrests possible

Jackson, Miss. – Police arrested 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff on a murder charge in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old mother of four whose body was discovered hanging from a tree in an abandoned home on Aug. 3. The arrest was made after officers encountered Ratliff walking on a street and identified him as having an "association" with the victim, though the police chief declined to provide further details.

Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said the case remains active and investigators will continue to follow the evidence, adding that additional arrests are expected. "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.

The state medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide, allowing authorities to execute existing warrants. Ratliff is scheduled to appear in Jackson Municipal Court by Monday morning, according to state defender André de Gruy.

Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, expressed gratitude for the arrest but said investigators have not disclosed a motive or whether DNA evidence led to the suspect. "We still don’t have a lot of answers," Spivey said.

Fortune, who had lived in Jackson for about a decade after a childhood in foster care, was described in an obituary as a former cross-country runner and a person of strong faith. She was a mother of four children and had recently discussed plans to start a cleaning business.

Police declined to comment further on the investigation, and attempts by the Associated Press to obtain additional information were not answered.