Jackson, Mississippi · August 2026 – present An active prosecution file. Officials ruled this death a homicide and say the hanging was staged. Charges are allegations — the accused are presumed innocent.
SUBJECT: TASIA FORTUNE — JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
Charges Filed
🚶 Walk the File
From a body found behind a vacant house to a homicide ruling, three arrests, and a courtroom — the public record of an active murder prosecution, one page at a time.
10 pages · August 3, 2026 → October 2026 · every page sourced
Plate 1 — Jackson. Downtown Jackson and the Mississippi State Capitol. Fortune lived in Jackson; the case is proceeding in Hinds County, whose courts sit in the capital city. Photo: chmeredith · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPlate 2 — The capital city. Jackson's skyline. Fortune's body was found in West Jackson, behind a vacant home in the 500 block of Road of Remembrance. Photo: Sebastian Halifax · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Document Plate
PRELIMINARY HEARING — JACKSON MUNICIPAL COURT
September 25 & 30, 2026
Det. Samuel Dukes testifies, citing the medical examiner: Fortune was already dead when she was hanged, and the scene was staged. Judge Lilli Evans Bass finds probable cause; the case against Jarques Ratliff goes to a Hinds County grand jury.
Photographs are used under the Creative Commons licenses credited on each plate, via Wikimedia Commons. CrowdSleuth does not publish photographs of Tasia Fortune, which belong to her family, or booking photographs of the men charged; images released by authorities are carried in the linked reporting, not reproduced here.
At a glance
Location 500 block of Road of Remembrance, West Jackson, Mississippi Found August 3, 2026 — hanging from a tree behind a vacant home; investigators say she had been dead two to three days Tasia Fortune Age 29 · Jackson, Mississippi · mother of four Official ruling Homicide — Mississippi State Medical Examiner, September 2026. Investigators say she was killed elsewhere and the hanging was staged Cause of death Not publicly disclosed Charged Three men charged with murder: Jarques Ratliff, 51 · Earnest Lloyd Jr., 25 · Eric Clark, 45 — all presumed innocent Court status Ratliff's case bound over to a Hinds County grand jury on September 30, 2026; no indictment had been publicly reported as of October 13, 2026
Tasia Fortune
Tasia Fortune was 29, a Jackson mother of four. Her mother, Christy Spivey, has said she had struggled with homelessness in recent years, was not sure where her daughter was living at the end, and that Fortune was trying to rebuild her life and had talked about starting a cleaning business. On August 3, 2026, her body was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home in West Jackson. Because the scene recalled the lynchings in Mississippi's history, the discovery drew fear and national attention.
This file is different from most in the CrowdSleuth library: it is not a dispute about an official ruling. Officials themselves concluded Fortune was murdered. The Mississippi State Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and determined she was already dead when her body was hanged — that, in the police chief's words, the scene was staged. Three men have been charged with murder. Those charges are allegations, and each man is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Fortune's mother has told reporters she believes her daughter's death was personal rather than racially motivated. What follows is the public record of the investigation and the prosecution, in order.
The timeline — full text
August 3, 2026Fortune's body is found hanging from a tree in the backyard of a vacant home in the 500 block of Road of Remembrance, in West Jackson.
Exhibit — Why this scene drew national attentionFortune was Black, and a body found hanging in Mississippi — a state with a long, documented history of lynching — immediately stoked fear and drew widespread attention, the Associated Press reported. By August 10, a makeshift memorial stood in the yard where she was found. What officials concluded about the scene is on the pages ahead.
August – September 2026 — the waitFor more than a month, no official manner of death is announced publicly. Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, speaks with AP reporters in Marion, Kentucky, about her daughter's life — the homelessness she had struggled with, and the cleaning business she hoped to start. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE
September 2026 — the rulingThe Mississippi State Medical Examiner rules the manner of death a homicide. As a Jackson police detective later testifies, the medical examiner determined Fortune was already dead when her body was hanged — that the scene and the hanging were staged, and that she was killed at another location. The exact cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. — Associated Press, Sept. 25, 2026 READ ARTICLE
September 11, 2026 — the first arrestJarques Ratliff, 51, is arrested and charged with murder — the first of three arrests. Police have said a black cable cord was used to hang Fortune's body from the tree. — Clarion Ledger, Sept. 30, 2026 READ ARTICLE; People READ ARTICLE
September 14, 2026Ratliff pleads not guilty. A judge denies him bond; he remains in the Hinds County jail without bond. His attorney is Toney Baldwin. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE
Week of September 21, 2026 — the second arrestEarnest Lloyd Jr., 25, is arrested and charged with murder. He is denied bond. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE; The National News Desk READ ARTICLE
September 25, 2026 — testimony, and a third arrestAt a preliminary hearing in Jackson Municipal Court, Jackson Police Detective Samuel Dukes testifies: that Fortune was killed in a disagreement about drugs; that witness interviews indicated she fought hard before she was killed; and, citing the medical examiner's opinion, that the hanging was staged. The hearing's purpose is to decide whether there is enough evidence to send Ratliff's case to a grand jury. The same day, Eric Clark, 45, surrenders on a murder warrant and is charged.
Exhibit — A clarification on the recordAP later clarified its reporting (Sept. 26): Detective Dukes did not say whether the people accused of killing Fortune intended to make the scene resemble a lynching. During the hearing, Ratliff stated that Fortune had been a friend of his.
September 28, 2026 — the chief speaksPolice Chief RaShall Brackney tells reporters the case was, from what police can see, a "drug case gone very wrong," and that staged scenes are used to derail an investigation and point it in another direction. She confirms there was a known association between Fortune and the men charged, says more arrests are possible, and says conspiracy charges will have to be filed as the case develops. The same day, Clark is given a $5 million bond. — US Times Mirror READ ARTICLE; The National News Desk READ ARTICLE
September 30, 2026 — bound over to a grand juryRatliff's preliminary hearing resumes in Jackson Municipal Court. The defense questions the timeline and witness testimony (per WLBT's account). Judge Lilli Evans Bass finds there is enough evidence for the case to move forward to a Hinds County grand jury, and denies Ratliff bond for a second time. His attorney, Toney Baldwin, tells reporters he is unhappy with the ruling but glad the truth is starting to come out, and that he believes his client will be exonerated. — Clarion Ledger, Sept. 30, 2026 READ ARTICLE
October 2026 — where the case standsRatliff's case awaits presentation to a Hinds County grand jury; as of October 13, 2026, no indictment had been publicly reported in the sources checked for this file. DNA testing in the case is pending, police have said more arrests are possible, and the investigation is active.
Exhibit — Read the charges correctlyA charge is an allegation, not a finding. Jarques Ratliff has pleaded not guilty; Earnest Lloyd Jr. and Eric Clark are charged, and no plea for either had been reported in the sources checked. All three men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. This file will be updated as indictments, hearings and filings enter the public record.
— Status as of Oct. 13, 2026, from the reporting cited in this file
Public statements — who has said what, on the record
Det. Samuel Dukes, Jackson PD · testimony, Sept. 25, 2026Testified that Fortune was killed in a disagreement about drugs; that witness interviews indicated she fought hard before she was killed; and, citing the medical examiner's opinion, that she was already dead when hanged and the hanging was staged. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE
Chief RaShall Brackney, Jackson PD · press conference, Sept. 28, 2026Described the case as a drug dispute "gone very wrong"; said the staged scene was meant to derail the investigation; confirmed a known association between Fortune and the men charged; and said more arrests were possible and conspiracy charges would follow as the case develops. — US Times Mirror READ ARTICLE; The National News Desk READ ARTICLE
Christy Spivey, Fortune's mother · Sept. 2026Told the Associated Press she believed her daughter's death was personal rather than racially motivated. Outside court on Sept. 25, she said she had been aware her daughter died before her body was hanged, and that what bothered her was hearing her daughter fought for her life: "I know she did. I know my daughter." Of Ratliff's courtroom remark that Fortune had been his friend, she said she hoped anyone who is innocent can prove it — that the family does not want innocent people going to jail. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE
Toney Baldwin, Ratliff's attorney · Sept. 30, 2026Said he was unhappy with the probable-cause ruling but glad "the truth is finally starting to come out," and that he believes his client will be exonerated and hopes police catch the right killers. — Clarion Ledger READ ARTICLE
Jarques Ratliff · in court, Sept. 25, 2026Stated during the hearing that Fortune had been a friend of his. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. — Associated Press READ ARTICLE
Statements are summarized in CrowdSleuth's words except where quotation marks are shown. Each entry links to the reporting it is drawn from.
The unverified record — what family & community are saying
The claims below circulate publicly — in social-media posts, advocacy graphics and commentary. They are part of this case's public life, so they are recorded here. None of them is a finding, and each is marked accordingly.
"A lynching investigation." A widely shared social-media poster listed Fortune among Black people "found hanging from trees," framing the deaths as lynching cases. For this case, that framing is not supported by the official record: the medical examiner ruled a homicide, police describe a personal dispute, and three men are charged with murder. UNVERIFIED
Claims of a racial motive. Online posts have alleged the killing was racially motivated. Fortune's own mother told the Associated Press she believed the motive was personal, not racial — and AP clarified that the detective did not testify whether those accused intended the scene to resemble a lynching. UNVERIFIED
Claims of a theft motive. Commentary has alleged Fortune had stolen something before she was killed. Her mother has publicly disputed that her daughter stole anything. No theft allegation appears in the testimony reported so far. UNVERIFIED
CrowdSleuth does not name private individuals who comment on cases, and does not repeat claims about identifiable living people beyond what officials and the family have placed on the record.
People in the record
Tasia Fortune· 29 · Jackson, Mississippi · mother of four
Her family Christy Spivey · mother
Officials RaShall Brackney · Chief, Jackson Police Department · Samuel Dukes · JPD detective; testified Sept. 25 & 30, 2026 · Mississippi State Medical Examiner · ruled the death a homicide · Lilli Evans Bass · Judge, Jackson Municipal Court; probable-cause ruling Sept. 30
Charged with murder — presumed innocent Jarques "Jock" Ratliff · 51 · arrested Sept. 11 · pleaded not guilty · held without bond · Earnest Lloyd Jr. · 25 · arrested week of Sept. 21 · bond denied · Eric Clark · 45 · surrendered Sept. 25 · bond set at $5 million
Defense Toney Baldwin · attorney for Jarques Ratliff
A charge is an allegation brought by the state; it is not evidence of guilt. All three men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The records — the court file, and what has not been released
Medical examiner's determination — manner of death: homicide; the determination that Fortune was dead before she was hanged was relayed in sworn testimony. The full autopsy report has not been published, and the exact cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. Status: MANNER PUBLIC · FULL REPORT NOT PUBLIC
Charging documents — three murder charges filed in September 2026. Police have said a black cable cord was used to hang the body; a charging affidavit has been described in local reporting but not published in full in the sources checked. Status: CHARGES PUBLIC · AFFIDAVIT NOT PUBLISHED IN FULL
Preliminary hearings — Jackson Municipal Court, Sept. 25 & 30, 2026. Detective's testimony reported in detail; on Sept. 30 the judge found probable cause as to Ratliff. Status: HELD · PROBABLE CAUSE FOUND (RATLIFF)
Grand jury / indictment — Ratliff's case was bound over to a Hinds County grand jury on Sept. 30, 2026. As of Oct. 13, 2026, no indictment had been publicly reported in the sources checked for this file. Status: PENDING GRAND JURY
Bond — Ratliff: held without bond (denied twice). Lloyd: bond denied. Clark: bond set at $5 million (Sept. 28). Status: SET — custody status as last reported
DNA testing — reported pending in the investigation. Status: PENDING
Anticipated filings — the police chief has said conspiracy charges will have to be filed as the case develops, and that more arrests are possible. None had been reported filed as of Oct. 13, 2026. Status: ANNOUNCED AS EXPECTED · NOT YET REPORTED FILED
Documents & reporting
Court record
Clarion Ledger, Sept. 30, 2026 — the resumed preliminary hearing: probable cause found, Ratliff bound over to a grand jury, bond denied again; the defense response. READ
News record
Associated Press, Sept. 25, 2026 — Detective Dukes' testimony: the drug-dispute account, "fought hard," and the medical examiner's staged-scene determination; the third surrender. READ
News record
Clarion Ledger, Sept. 25, 2026 — the investigation update as the hearing opened: police say the hanging was staged. READ
News record
Associated Press (Herald Review) — the homicide ruling, the mother's account of her daughter's life, and the memorial in the yard. READ
News record
People — the third suspect's arrest in connection with Fortune's death. READ
How to read this file: This is an active murder prosecution, ten weeks old. The charges against Jarques Ratliff, Earnest Lloyd Jr. and Eric Clark are allegations; all three are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. CrowdSleuth records the official record — the medical examiner's ruling, sworn testimony, and court decisions — attributes every other statement to its source, and draws no conclusion about any defendant's guilt or innocence.
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Case File 008 · Tasia Fortune
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