WNN INVESTIGATES

NEW DEVELOPMENT: PERSON OF INTEREST ARRESTED ON UNRELATED CHARGE

A new development has emerged in the investigation into the death of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune.

A man described in local reporting as an alleged person of interest in the investigation has been arrested on an unrelated charge, according to a report attributed to WLBT.

The arrest does not mean the man has been charged in connection with Fortune's death, and WNN has not independently confirmed that authorities consider him a suspect.

The development does, however, add a significant new question to the investigation:

What connection, if any, do authorities believe this individual has to Tasia Fortune or the circumstances surrounding her death?

WNN will seek clarification from the Jackson Police Department as part of our follow-up reporting.

View the report from 12 On Your Side/WLBT

Tasia Fortune Was Found Hanging From a Tree in Jackson. What Happened?

By Dee Daniels | Women's Network News
WNN Investigates | Jackson, Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. — A 29-year-old woman has been identified as the person found hanging from a tree behind a vacant home in Jackson, Mississippi, leaving a grieving family, concerned community members and one fundamental question that authorities have not yet publicly answered:

What happened to Tasia Fortune?

Fortune was found Monday, Aug. 3, behind a vacant home in the 500 block of Road of Remembrance in west Jackson. The Hinds County Coroner's Office publicly identified her Thursday, according to The Mississippi Free Press. 

The Jackson Police Department said officers initially responded to the location and found the body of an unidentified Black woman. Police described the matter as an active death investigation and said crime-scene investigators were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the death according to People.com 

Fortune's body was subsequently transported to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy intended to determine both the cause and manner of death, according to The Mississippi Free Press. 

At this point, those distinctions matter.

Authorities have not publicly announced that Fortune's death was a homicide. They also have not publicly announced that it was a suicide.

WNN will not make either determination for them.

What we can do is follow the evidence, ask the unanswered questions and continue reporting until there is a clearer understanding of how a 29-year-old woman died.

What We Know

Fortune was 29 years old and had connections to Kentucky, where members of her family live. Her sister, LaToni Fortune, told Mississippi Today that she last saw Fortune the previous month when Fortune returned to Kentucky for a visit.

Fortune was discovered behind a vacant residence in west Jackson. Reporting indicates neighbors noticed her and authorities were summoned. The precise circumstances surrounding when and how she arrived at that location have not been publicly established.

Jackson police have released limited information while the investigation remains active. A department public-information officer told Mississippi Today that an incident report would not be released at that time because of the ongoing investigation.

That leaves significant gaps in the public record.

The Questions That Remain

How did Tasia Fortune get to the property?

Was the location familiar to her? Did she live nearby, know someone associated with the property, or have another reason to be there?

When was Fortune last known to be alive?

Establishing a reliable timeline could be critical to understanding her final hours.

What evidence was recovered from the scene?

Police have not publicly disclosed what investigators found around the tree, property or surrounding area.

Were surveillance cameras available nearby?

Investigators may be able to establish movement into or out of the neighborhood through residential, commercial, traffic or other camera systems.

What does the autopsy show?

The medical examiner's findings may provide some of the most important evidence in determining the cause and manner of Fortune's death.

Were there injuries or other forensic findings beyond those associated with hanging?

That is a question for the medical examiner—not social media speculation—and WNN will seek clarification once findings become available.

Who last communicated with Fortune?

Phone records, messages, social-media activity and interviews with people who knew her could potentially help investigators establish a timeline.

And ultimately: Was another person involved in Fortune's death?

At this point, authorities have not publicly provided an answer.

 A community Asking Questions

Although there has been great concern based on history and the imagery in this case, that does not determine the facts, it only explains why a community would have concern based on the circumstances surrounding the death of Fortune. A community deserves closure. 

A Family Deserves Answers 

Behind the headlines and disturbing circumstances is a 29-year-old woman whose family is now preparing to bury her. A fundraiser organized for Fortune's family describes her as a strong minded,  big-hearted young woman and says relatives are heartbroken and seek justice for Fortune. 

Whatever investigators ultimately determine, Fortune deserves to have the circumstances surrounding her death established through evidence.

Her family deserves answers.

And the public deserves accurate information about what investigators find.

WNN still has questions and will follow up on the answers with authorities and others until we know what happened to Tasia Fortune. 

REPORTING NOTE: WNN reviewed public information, and a statement released by the Jackson Police Department and additional reporting from the Mississippi Free Press in preparing this report. WNN is independently following the investigation and seeking additional information from authorities. WNN will continue to update this story as information is available through statements, email and calls.