Nationwide — The death of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old African American woman found hanging from a tree behind an abandoned home in Jackson, Mississippi, remains under investigation as a homicide. Police found her on Aug. 3, and her family continues to seek answers as authorities await autopsy results that could help determine how she died.
Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney gave an update during a Sept. 8 city council meeting. She said detectives have treated the case as a homicide from the start and will continue to do so unless the state medical examiner reaches a different conclusion. The autopsy is expected to determine the cause and manner of death and could help investigators establish what happened before Fortune was found.
Police initially launched a death investigation after discovering her body behind the abandoned home. They later transferred her remains to the state medical examiner’s office for examination. The case has since received attention from community members who want a closer look at the circumstances surrounding her death, particularly given Mississippi’s history of racial violence.
The case has also drawn attention from Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who contacted the U.S. Attorney’s Office and asked for assistance with the investigation. “Surely, somebody should say something,” Stokes said. According to People, police also arrested 65-year-old Terence Anderson on suspicion of possessing a weapon as a convicted felon after interviewing him as part of the investigation. He reportedly denied having any involvement in Fortune’s death but told investigators that he had argued with her. It remains unclear whether he has entered a plea or obtained an attorney.
Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, has said she does not believe her daughter died by suicide. Fortune was raising four children, and her mother said she had seemed happier and more at peace shortly before her death. “She was better than I had seen her in a long time. She was at peace,” Spivey said. “I know my daughter and she did not do this to herself.” She also questioned why the investigation was taking so long, asking, “What is the hold up?”
Fortune’s obituary described her as a talented cross-country athlete who “never lost her faith in God.” She is survived by her parents and four children, Davion, 7, Terence Jr., 5, Tristian, 4, and Donte’, 1. While investigators wait for the medical examiner’s findings, her family continues to seek clarity about what happened. A GoFundMe campaign has also been created to help cover her funeral expenses. It has so far raised over $176,000.