US News

Mississippi police allege woman found hanging was killed beforehand in drug dispute

Authorities charged three suspects after investigators concluded the Jackson hanging scene had been staged.

Updated Sep 28, 2026 · 19:19 UTC4 reports

The short version

Investigators revealed that 29-year-old Tasia Fortune was dead for days before her body was staged hanging from a tree in Jackson, Mississippi.[The Guardian · The Guardian]
Police believe the killing stemmed from a dispute over drugs and ruled the death a homicide.[BBC News · ABC News]
Three suspects face murder charges: Jarques Ratliff and Earnest Lloyd Jr. were denied bond, while Eric Clark received a $5 million bond.[The Guardian · BBC News · ABC News · The Guardian]
The discovery initially stoked community fears of racial lynching, though officials have not disclosed Fortune's exact cause of death.[The Guardian · BBC News · The Guardian]

Tasia Fortune was discovered dead and hanging from a tree behind an abandoned house in Jackson on August 3.[The Guardian · The Guardian]
Investigators concluded the scene and hanging were staged, finding that Fortune had died two to three days before being discovered.[The Guardian · The Guardian]
A detective testified that the apparent motive for the homicide was an illicit drug dispute.[BBC News · ABC News]
Suspects Jarques Ratliff and Earnest Lloyd Jr. pleaded not guilty to murder and remain jailed without bond.[BBC News · ABC News · The Guardian]
A third suspect, Eric Clark, surrendered to police, faced a murder charge, and received a $5 million bond.[The Guardian · The Guardian]

Authorities have not released Fortune's specific medical cause of death or detailed evidence showing how the hanging was staged.[BBC News · The Guardian]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.