An arrest has been made in connection with the death of a woman found hanging in Jackson.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney confirmed Friday that 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff, also known as “Jock,” was taken into custody after authorities executed two search warrants for his arrest. Ratliff, who was spotted walking along Capitol Street before being detained, is charged with murder. His arrest follows the State Medical Examiner’s Office ruling the death of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune a homicide on Thursday.
Fortune was discovered deceased on Road of Remembrance on Aug. 3. Police say her body was found in a hanging position from a tree behind a vacant house.
“Investigators immediately began working to establish the circumstances surrounding her death,” Brackney said. “Since that day, our department has dedicated hundreds of hours to this case. Investigators have interviewed as many as 15 individuals, collected and preserved forensic evidence, and followed leads as we’ve worked to establish the facts.”
Brackney added that Friday’s arrest was an “important development” in the investigation into Fortune’s death but not the conclusion. Authorities are continuing to investigate her passing.
“This case remains active, and additional arrests will be pending as our investigators continue to follow evidence wherever it leads. We cannot speculate about the nature or manner by which Ms. Fortune was killed beyond what has been officially determined by the Medical Examiner,” Brackney said. “We owe it to Ms. Fortune, to her family, and the integrity of this investigation to let the evidence guide us.”
The Jackson police chief credited the Hinds County Coroner’s Office, Hinds County Coroner Jeremiah Howard, and Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell for assisting her team in the case.