Police said Jarques Ratliff faces a murder charge in Tasia Fortune’s death, while investigators expect additional arrests in the case.
JACKSON, Miss. — Police arrested a 51-year-old man Friday in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old mother of four who was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant Jackson home last month, after the state medical examiner classified her death as a homicide.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney identified the man as Jarques Ratliff, also known as “Jock.” Police said Ratliff faces a murder charge. His arrest came Sept. 11, one day after the medical examiner’s office formally ruled Fortune’s death a homicide. Investigators had prepared search and arrest warrants and moved to execute them after receiving the medical examiner’s determination.
Fortune was found dead Aug. 3 behind a vacant home on Road of Remembrance in west Jackson. Authorities initially treated the case as an active death investigation while awaiting findings from the medical examiner. Her death drew widespread attention as her family and community members pressed authorities for answers about how she died.
Brackney said officers executed two search warrants Friday but did not initially find Ratliff at the locations they searched. Officers later encountered him walking along Capitol Street and took him into custody. Police said Ratliff had an association with Fortune, but Brackney declined to describe the nature of their relationship.
Investigators have interviewed nearly 15 people during the inquiry, according to police. Brackney said additional arrests are expected, signaling that authorities do not consider Ratliff’s arrest the end of the investigation. Police have not publicly disclosed a suspected motive or explained what evidence led investigators to seek the warrants.
Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said her family was grateful to learn that an arrest had been made but still had many unanswered questions. She said investigators had not told the family whether DNA evidence played a role or what motive police were examining. Spivey also said she did not know Ratliff and was asking people who knew her daughter whether they were familiar with him.
The circumstances in which Fortune was found prompted public concern in Mississippi and beyond, particularly because of the state’s history of racist violence and lynchings. Brackney acknowledged that the case was being viewed through a broader historical lens but said investigators were responsible for making public statements based on evidence and verified facts. Police have not announced a racial motive or publicly classified the case as a hate crime.
Fortune was originally from Kentucky and had lived in Jackson for years. Her family described her as a former athlete with a strong religious faith who had faced difficult periods in her life. She was the mother of four children and had recently talked about starting a cleaning business, according to family accounts reported by news organizations.
Brackney said the homicide ruling allowed investigators to move ahead with warrants they had already prepared. Authorities have not publicly explained the specific manner in which Fortune was killed beyond the medical examiner’s homicide classification, and police have urged against speculation while evidence continues to be reviewed.
The investigation remained active Saturday, with police saying more arrests are expected. Mississippi state defender André de Gruy told The Associated Press that Ratliff should appear in Jackson Municipal Court no later than Monday morning. Authorities had not publicly announced a motive or released additional details about the evidence against him.
Author note: Last updated September 12, 2026.