A man charged with murder in the hanging death of a Black woman in Mississippi pleaded not guilty Monday.

It was his first court appearance.

The body of Tasia Fortune, 29, was found hanging from a tree in Jackson on Aug. 3.

The tree was behind an abandoned home.

Police arrested Jarques Ratliff, 51, on Friday.

This followed a ruling by the state medical examiner that her death was a homicide.

Ratliff is also Black.

At Monday's brief hearing in Municipal Court, a judge denied bond for Ratliff.

He told the court he was not guilty.

Ratliff's attorney left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.

Police Chief RaShall Brackney said Friday that Ratliff had an "association" with Fortune.

She did not elaborate.

She also said more arrests are expected.

Prosecutors offered few new details in court Monday.

They said Fortune had been hanged with a "black cable cord."

They also said Ratliff tried to hide from officers in a vehicle on the day of his arrest.

Police and prosecutors have not given a suspected motive.

They have not said whether they think race played a role.

The case has drawn widespread attention.

The manner of Fortune's death recalled lynchings in the Southern state.

Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, said her daughter had a Black father and a white mother.

However, she identified as Black.

Spivey said Fortune had lived in Jackson for about 10 years.

She had four children and had struggled with homelessness in recent years.