Third person arrested in death of Tasia Fortune, as police say hanging was staged

A third individual has been apprehended in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, 29, in Mississippi's capital city, as investigators assert the scene where her body was discovered hanging had been staged. Eric Clark, 45, was charged with murder on Friday and is set to appear in court on Monday, according to the Jackson police department (JPD).

The autopsy revealed that the hanging and the surrounding area were fabricated, though authorities have not disclosed further details about Fortune's demise or the reasons behind the staged nature of the scene. The arrest of Clark follows the charges against two other men, Earnest Lloyd Jr. and Jarques Ratliff, both also charged with murder in Tasia Fortune's death.

Fortune, a mother of four, was found hanging from a tree on the 500 block of Road of Remembrance in Jackson's western part on August 3. The investigators assert that Fortune was not murdered at the site where her body was discovered; rather, she was slain elsewhere before being placed in a hanging position in the tree. JPD detective Samuel Dukes testified in court that the hanging was "staged," adding that investigators believe Fortune had been deceased for two to three days before her body was found.

The police have provided minimal information regarding the events leading to Fortune's death, stating that they have interviewed up to 15 people.

WLBT, a local TV news station, reported that Lloyd, 25, allegedly had an altercation with Fortune shortly before her death, during which he used a black cable cord to hang her. Both Ratliff and Lloyd have pleaded not guilty, and both have been denied bond. Tasia Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, has stated her conviction that her daughter did not take her own life.