Jackson, Miss. (AP) — Police in Mississippi have arrested a second man in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old Black woman found hanging from a tree, and have issued an arrest warrant for a third suspect. The second arrest was made late Tuesday, with 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr. taken into custody. Fortune's body was discovered behind an abandoned home in Jackson on August 3.
The first suspect, 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff, was arrested in September on murder charges and has pleaded not guilty. He remains in jail without bond. During a brief court hearing on Wednesday, Lloyd appeared before a judge. Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, attended the hearing and expressed relief at the arrests but emphasized the presumption of innocence for the accused. She stated, "My family is not the only family that this is affecting. I feel for them as well. The only difference is that mine can never come back. At least they can have telephone visits." Spivey also mentioned that she would "never truly have peace."
Police have not disclosed the identity of the third suspect or their connection to Fortune's death but indicated that more warrants are expected to be issued. After Ratliff's arrest, Jackson's police chief, RaShall Brackney, noted that Ratliff had an "association" with Fortune but did not provide further details. The investigation has drawn attention due to the circumstances of Fortune's death, which have evoked historical references to lynchings in the region.
Fortune, originally from Kentucky, had four children and had lived in Jackson for approximately ten years. Her family reported that she had faced homelessness in recent years and was uncertain about her living situation at the time of her death. Prior to her passing, she had expressed a desire to start a cleaning business and was working to improve her life.