A man was arrested Friday in connection with the death of a Black mother of four whose body was found hanging from a tree in Jackson, Mississippi. The arrest came a day after state medical examiners officially ruled the death a homicide.
Jackson police apprehended 51-year-old Jacques Ratliff as he walked along Capitol Street. The arrest followed the execution of search and arrest warrants earlier that day linked to the investigation into Tasia Fortune’s death.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney called the arrest an important step but emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing. “That arrest today is an important development in this investigation, but it is not the conclusion,” Brackney said during a news briefing. She also indicated that additional arrests are expected as part of the active case.
Brackney acknowledged the heightened public concern around the case, citing Mississippi’s history and expressing the department’s commitment to handling the matter carefully and thoroughly. “We understand the questions and the desire for answers, given Mississippi’s history,” she said, noting that officials are approaching the investigation with a “global lens.”
Fortune’s body was found on August 3 in the backyard of an abandoned home in Jackson. Her mother, Christy Spivey, reacted emotionally to news of the arrest, though she noted that law enforcement has not yet disclosed details regarding the motive or the role of any evidence, such as DNA testing, in identifying the suspect.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Fortune’s death as the community awaits further developments.