Police in Jackson, Mississippi, have made a second arrest in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old mother who was found hanging from a tree early last month. Earnest Lloyd Jr., 25, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, according to a statement from the Jackson Police Department. The department also indicated that an arrest warrant for a third person has been issued and is being handled by the U.S. Marshals Service, though the individual's identity has not been released.
This development comes less than two weeks after the initial arrest in the case. Jarques Ratliff, 51, was previously apprehended, with authorities stating only that he had an "association" with Fortune. Both Lloyd and Ratliff are Black, as was Fortune.
Fortune's body was discovered hanging behind a vacant house on August 3. Since then, police have interviewed approximately 15 individuals and pursued numerous leads. Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, stated in interviews that she does not know Lloyd or Ratliff, nor do several of her daughter's friends. Spivey last spoke with her daughter, a mother of four, in late July. After being unable to reach her daughter by phone, Spivey sent a text message on July 29 asking if there was a problem with her phone, but received no response.
Prior to the first arrest, Spivey had expressed her belief that the crime was personal rather than racially motivated. The case had raised public concern due to the historical context of lynchings in the Southern United States.