By James Brown
Glasgow News 1
A third person has been arrested in the death of Tasia Fortune.
Fortune spent part of her high school years at Barren County, where she ran cross country and competed in track.
In the spring of 2013, when she was listed as a sophomore on the website Kentucky Mile Split, Fortune competed in the 100 meter hurdles, the 100 meter dash, long jump and triple jump at the Class 3A, Region 2 Track Meet.
The following fall, Fortune ran cross country for Barren County, and competed in the Class 3A, Region 2 Cross Country Meet.
Fortune was buried Aug. 22 in West End Cemetery in Central City, Ky.
Her obituary stated, “Tasia’s path was not always easy, and there were highs and lows. She was intelligent and talented, having skipped her junior year of high school. She was also a star cross country athlete. But no matter what, she never lost her faith in God. She leaves behind a powerful legacy of resilience, rooted deeply in her unwavering faith. Even in her darkest hours, she never stopped believing in her Savior.”
Fortune’s Life
Fortune was born in Kentucky, and lived part of her life in Marion in Crittenden County.
Her mother, Christy Spivey, told the Associated Press that Fortune was taken from her parents and placed in foster care as a child. In high school she cycled through group homes and eventually ran away to Mississippi.
The obituary listed Spivey and Tony Fortune as her parents. It also stated she had two siblings; her sister and brother, LaToni Fortune and Tremaine (Lovan) Fortune.
Spivey, who lives in Marion, told the Associated Press she was not certain where Fortune lived at the time of her death. She said Fortune had struggled with homelessness in recent years.
She said she talked to her daughter in late July when she came to visit and that she had talked about starting a cleaning business. She was trying to get her life in order, Spivey said.
Fortune’s Death
Police discovered Fortune’s body hanging in the backyard of an abandoned home in Jackson, Miss. on Aug. 3.
Spivey told the Associated Press she was certain that her 29-year-old daughter would not have killed herself.
On Sept. 10, the Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office determined Fortune’s death was a homicide.
Since then, three people have been arrested in connection with her death. The last one was Eric Clark, 45, who surrendered to authorities on Friday and was charged with murder, according to the Jackson Police Department.
Police said Friday that an autopsy investigation concluded the scene and the hanging were staged. They did not release additional information about the circumstances surrounding Fortune’s killing or why investigators believe the scene was faked.
Clark’s arrest comes after two other men, Earnest Lloyd, Jr., 25, and Jarques Ratliff, 51, were charged with murder in connection with Fortune’s death, according to Mississippi Today.
“The Jackson police department’s robbery-homicide division will continue its investigation until all individuals believed to be involved are held accountable for their actions in connection with Ms Fortune’s death,” police department news release stated.
Police have released few details about the events leading to Fortune’s death. Detectives have interviewed as many as 15 people, according to the police news release.
Fortune had four children, aged 7, 5, 4 and 1, according to her obituary.
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