Mississippi police announced on September 25, 2026, that Tasia Fortune, a Black woman, had already died before someone placed her body in a tree to simulate a hanging.
Fortune's body was found suspended from a tree in August 2026. The tree stood on the property of an abandoned home. That home is in Jackson, Mississippi.
Investigators concluded the scene was staged. ABC News reported that authorities believe the staging was connected to a drug dispute.
Police have not publicly named any suspects in connection with Fortune's death.