Jarques Ratliff and Earnest Lloyd Jr. were arrested on murder charges in Tasia Fortune’s death; police are seeking a third suspect. A detective testified he believes Fortune was dead before her body was hung behind a vacant Jackson, Miss., home, a scene he called staged.
Fortune, 29, was found on Aug. 3. At Ratliff’s Sept. 25 preliminary hearing, Jackson police Det. Samuel Dukes said he believed Fortune had been dead for two to three days before she was found. He said the killing may have stemmed from a drug dispute. Her death was ruled a homicide, but authorities have not disclosed the cause.
Ratliff pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond. Police have not detailed how Lloyd is connected to the case, and his plea status is unclear. Ratliff’s attorney said he wants the truth about Fortune’s death to emerge. Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, has said she does not believe her daughter was a hate-crime victim and expressed sympathy for the suspects’ families.
