Police in Jackson, Mississippi have made a second arrest in the death of Tasia Fortune, the 29-year-old Black woman found hanging from a tree behind a vacant house on August 3. Earnest Lloyd Jr., 25, was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with murder. He follows Jarques “Jock” Ratliff, 51, who was arrested September 11, charged with homicide, pleaded not guilty Monday, and was denied bond.
A third suspect has not been named. According to authorities, an arrest warrant for that person has been turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service, and additional warrants are expected as the investigation continues. What has not been released is Fortune’s exact cause of death, a detail her family and community advocates have been asking about since August.
The case has drawn national attention and renewed focus on how investigations into violence against Black women move forward. For families across the Suncoast with ties to Mississippi and the broader South, the story carries extra weight. We’ll continue tracking the case, especially as the third suspect is identified and any new details emerge from investigators. What questions do you still have about this case? Let us know in the comments.
