Mississippi man denied bond after not guilty plea in Fortune murder

Jarques Ratliff, 51, pleaded not guilty to murder in Jackson, Mississippi, and was ordered held without bond at his first court appearance, after police said he had an “association” with Tasia Fortune, the 29-year-old Black woman whose body was found hanging behind an abandoned home and ruled a homicide. Authorities say more arrests are expected as the investigation continues. Fortune’s family expressed shock at the arrest, while her attorney urged avoiding speculation. The case has drawn national attention to racially charged violence and prompted calls for a thorough, transparent investigation.