Third person arrested following death of Tasia Fortune, police say hanging was staged | Mississippi

A third person has been arrested in connection with the death of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune in Mississippi’s capital, while investigators said they determined the scene where her body was found hanging was staged.

Eric Clark, 45, turned himself in to authorities Friday and was charged with murder, according to the Jackson Police Department (JPD). Clark was scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Police revealed Friday that an autopsy concluded that “the scene and the hanging were staged.”

Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances surrounding Fortune’s killing or why investigators believe the scene was faked.

Clark’s arrest comes after two other men, Earnest Lloyd Jr. and Jarques Ratliff, were charged with murder in connection with Fortune’s death.

The case that led to the arrests of Clark, Lloyd Jr. and Ratliff had attracted national attention because of the severity of Fortune’s murder and Mississippi’s history of racist violence and lynchings.

Clark, Lloyd Jr, Ratliff are black, just like Fortune.

“The Jackson Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division will continue its investigation until all individuals believed to be involved are held accountable for their actions in connection with Ms. Fortune’s death,” states a press release shared with multiple media outlets.

Fortune, a mother of four, was discovered Aug. 3 hanging from a tree behind a vacant home on the 500 block of Road of Remembrance on Jackson’s west side.

Investigators said Fortune was not killed where her body was found.

JPD Detective Samuel Dukes previously described Fortune’s hanging in court as “staged,” saying investigators believed she was killed elsewhere before her body was placed in a hanging position in a tree on Road of Remembrance. He said investigators determined Fortune had been dead for two to three days before her body was discovered.

Police have released few details about the events leading to Fortune’s death. Detectives interviewed up to 15 people, according to the police news release.

Local television station WLBT reported an alleged physical altercation between Lloyd, 25, and Fortune that occurred shortly before his death. Police accused Lloyd of using a black cable to hang Fortune, according to WLBT.

Both Ratliff and Lloyd have reportedly pleaded not guilty. Each was denied bail.

Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said she was certain her daughter would not have killed herself.