Warning: This story contains distressing details.
Police in Mississippi have arrested a suspect in the death of 29‑year‑old Tasia Fortune, who was found strangulated on a tree in Jackson. The body was discovered in an abandoned home lot in August, but the police announced their suspect earlier this week.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said the arrest is a key development, yet the investigation remains active. Other suspects may be pursued as investigators follow the evidence.
Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said she was relieved to hear that police were treating the death as a homicide, but she remains anxious, fearing the wrong person could be charged.
The case has drawn attention from Congress, where members have warned that the deaths of black Americans being found hanging from trees may represent a “modern‑day lynching” pattern. A letter sent this week to the FBI and the Department of Justice asks for an independent review of such suspicious deaths.
As of now, there have been more than ten reported hangings of black people across the United States in 2026, and more than 70 lynchings between 2000 and 2025.
Police say that they have interviewed fifteen witnesses and will keep the public updated as the case moves forward.
