A Mississippi man has been arrested and charged with murder after a woman was found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned house in Jackson.
Jarques Ratliff, 51, was detained on Friday in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, 29, whose body was discovered on 3 August.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said Ratliff had an “association” with Fortune, although police have not disclosed the nature of their relationship.
Fortune’s death was formally classified as a homicide on Thursday evening, enabling investigators to obtain a search warrant and an arrest warrant, Chief Brackney said. Ratliff was arrested after officers encountered him walking along the street.
“The arrest today is an important development in this investigation but it is not the conclusion,” Chief Brackney told reporters.
She said the case remained active and that further arrests could follow as investigators continued examining the evidence.
“Because Tasia and her children deserve nothing less,” she said.
Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said she began crying after learning of the arrest and told police: “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Spivey said she had not been told of any motive and did not know Ratliff. She said the family remained “in disbelief” and “shock”, adding: “We still don’t have a lot of answers.”
Chief Brackney said Fortune’s body was found “in the position of hanging” and was undergoing various stages of decomposition. Fortune’s family had previously said they did not believe she had died by suicide.
The police chief acknowledged that the case had raised questions because of Mississippi’s history and said officials understood it was being viewed “through a broader lens, a global lens”.
“We do not dismiss those concerns. We are taking them seriously,” she said. “At the same time, we do have a responsibility to make sure that what we say publicly is supported by our evidence and facts.”
