Pheonecia Ratliff Killed

The family of a Mississipi woman is reeling after she was killed in a shocking murder-suicide. Pheonecia “Necia” Ratliff, a Jackson State University student, and mom, was murdered Friday by her ex-boyfriend/baby’s father Jamarquis Black who she recently filed domestic violence and stalking charges against.

Jamarquis was arrested on May 8 and charged with domestic violence and aggravated stalking. He bonded out of jail Monday and on Thursday, May 14, police say that he went after the mother of his child.

On that day, The Clarion-Ledger reports Jamarquis stalked Pheonecia outside of her mother’s house in Canton, Mississippi, and hid in bushes waiting for her. When she and her younger sister returned home from work, he jumped out of the bushes and tackled her before shooting the sister in the leg who tried to intervene, reports The Clarion-Ledger.

He then forced Pheonecia in a car and drove away before leading police on a high-speed chase that ultimately ended in tragedy.

“Due to the circumstances, authorities were able to track Black’s phone and pinged him in the Philadelphia area. At some point, a trooper with the Mississippi Highway Patrol got behind the vehicle driven by Black and attempted to pull him over on I-55 South. He led authorities on a chase before crashing near the 30-mile marker in Bogue Chitto, MHP Capt. Johnny Poulos said Friday morning.

Black’s mother was on scene at the crash site, Ware said.

She called Black and asked him to surrender, Canton Chief of Police Brown told WAPT-TV. He reportedly responded that he would surrender if allowed to see his child.

But, “it ended in a tragedy where he killed himself and her,” Ware said.”

Pheonecia Ratliff was only 23-years-old.

Family, friends, and Pheonecia’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. sisters recently gathered to remember the young woman they described as “good as gold” and a “delightful person.”

Pheonecia’s young daughter is safe at home with family members.

Such a sad, sad, case. R.I.P. Pheonecia Ratliff.