Black woman found hanging from tree was dead before body was 'staged', US media reports

Image source, Christy Spivey By Sareen Habeshian and Brandon Drenon Published 13 minutes ago Warning: This story contains distressing details

Police in the US state of Mississippi have said that they believe a black woman was already dead before her body was "staged" and placed hanging in a tree, US media reports.

The disclosure was made in court by a detective on Friday, who also said they believed Tasia Fortune had been killed in a dispute related to drugs, US media reported.

The 29-year-old's body was found hanging from a tree on the grounds of an abandoned home in Jackson in August.

The discovery sparked widespread fears in the majority-black city, due to the state's deep history of racial violence and lynchings. After weeks of speculation and demands for information, police made multiple arrests.

The BBC has contacted the court, the medical examiner's office and Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey.