Man arrested over death of Mississippi woman found hanging from a tree

Police in Jackson, Mississippi, have arrested a man in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old Black woman found hanging from a tree behind a vacant house last month. According to CBS News, Jacques Ratliff, 51, was arrested on a charge of murder after police secured search and arrest warrants.

The state medical examiner ruled Fortune's death a homicide on Thursday, allowing police to execute the warrants. According to The Guardian US, Jackson police chief RaShall Brackney-Wheelock said Ratliff was arrested when officers encountered him walking on the street.

Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, told CBS News that she was informed of the arrest and expressed gratitude to the police. The investigation is ongoing, with Brackney stating that additional arrests may be pending.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian US, CBS News, Winnipeg Free Press — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.