On Friday, September 2, a woman named Eliza Fletcher, who was originally from Memphis, Tennessee, was taken hostage. Just recently, officials from the Memphis Police Department uncovered Eliza’s dead body. Since she was violently taken from her home, the authorities in charge of police searches have been looking for her. Although they have now given up looking for her, the investigation into her disappearance has come to a tragic and heartbreaking end. The body of the woman was discovered by officers from the Police Department on Tuesday, September 6th, according to the reports. Cleotha Abston is said to have violently kidnapped Eliza Fletcher while she was out jogging at approximately 4:20 in the morning, according to various reports. After some time had passed, Cleotha Abston was taken into custody by the authorities.
He was accused of violently kidnapping the victim and tampering with the evidence against him. Cleotha Abston was set to be brought before the court, and just prior to the beginning of his court procedure, the dead body of Eliza Fletcher was discovered by the authorities from the police department. Cleotha Abston has claimed that he is unable to pay his bond or afford an attorney due to a lack of financial resources. After the body of Eliza was discovered, Abston was charged with first-degree murder for his role in Eliza’s kidnapping and subsequent death.
Eliza Fletcher Murder Suspect
Who Is Cleotha Abston?
Cleotha Abston made her initial court appearance on Tuesday on the counts of kidnapping and tampering with evidence. The hearing took place at 201 Poplar Street, Walter L. Bailey, Jr. Criminal Justice Center. Cleotha Abston declared during his court session that he is unable to afford his $500,000 bond or an attorney. He also stated that he is unable to afford bail. Cleotha Abston is scheduled to appear in court once more on Wednesday morning, September 7, for the purposes of the murder allegations against him. Everyone’s world has been turned upside down by the news of his murder. No one could ever imagine that she could be murdered with such brutality.
No one anticipated that her life would be cut short in such a horrible way. Everyone who knew and cared about her is utterly heartbroken at her unexpected death. Eliza Fletcher’s entire community has gathered together to express their deepest sympathies and pay their most heartfelt tributes to the woman who passed away. Her congregation has shown their deepest respect and sympathy for her in the form of heartfelt tributes and condolences. Everyone is calling for justice to be done for her. The kidnapping and murder of him in such a terrible manner has left the entire neighborhood dumbfounded and shaken.
The occurrence has left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth in the immediate area. Nobody could ever fathom the possibility that something so terrible could take place in this peaceful area. This incident is currently being looked into by the police, and in the near future, we may anticipate hearing updates and developments on this issue from police officials. In this matter, we will keep you informed of any new developments. At this time, there is not a great deal of information available regarding her private life. Stay tuned with us for all the most recent information, news, and updates from both the national and international levels.
Body of Abducted Memphis Teacher Is Found, Police Say
Last week, Eliza Fletcher was out on an early morning jog when the incident that led to her being forced into an SUV took place, according to the police. Her alleged killer has been arrested and charged with the crime.
The body of a kindergarten teacher who was kidnapped while out for an early morning jog in Memphis one week ago has been located, according to the city’s police department, which made the announcement on Tuesday.
Eliza Fletcher, also known as Liza, was a teacher and the mother of two children. She was last seen running near the University of Memphis campus at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Friday. According to the police, she was coerced into getting into a dark-colored SUV at that time.
Her body was located behind an empty duplex unit in South Memphis on Monday afternoon, a day after Cleotha Abston, 38, who was charged in her disappearance, was held by the police. The investigation into her disappearance began on Sunday. On Tuesday, the Memphis Police Department reported that in addition to the accusations of kidnapping that had been previously announced, Mr. Abston had been charged with murder in the first degree. According to the court records, Mr. Abston was a passenger in the sport utility vehicle that was utilized in the kidnapping.
The police stated that Mr. Abston’s brother Mario Abston, who is 36 years old, was also arrested over the weekend but that it was not believed that he was related to the kidnapping. Mario Abston is being accused of possessing drugs as well as weapons.
The investigation is still taking place at this time. The officials stated during a news conference that took place on Tuesday morning that it is too soon to determine if further persons will be charged. According to Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis, the investigation into Ms. Fletcher’s death is still ongoing, and it is unclear where or how she passed away.
The remains of Ms. Fletcher were discovered approximately seven miles away from the location where she had been kidnapped, but just a few blocks away from the apartment of Mario Abston.
Chief Davis stated first thing on Tuesday morning that “today is a very sad day in the city of Memphis.” “First, I’d like to convey our profound condolences to the family, friends, and numerous others who have been devastated by the tragic and wicked kidnapping of Eliza Fletcher,” said the speaker. “This is a terrible and senseless crime.”
According to a statement that her family released on Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Fletcher brought happiness to her extended family, friends, students, colleagues, and the congregation at her church.
They said, “Now that she is gone, it is time to commemorate and celebrate how unique she was, and to show support for those who cared so much for her.” “We are grateful for all of the sentiments of love and concern that have been sent our way.”
According to the court records, Cleotha Abston was given a sentence of 24 years in jail in 2001 for the kidnapping of Kemper Durand, a prominent lawyer in Memphis, as well as a charge of aggravated robbery in connection with the incident. “Especially Aggravated Kidnapping” was the official charge that was brought in connection with the abduction case. He was freed in the month of November in 2020.
According to the documents filed in court, authorities were called out to the scene at 7:45 in the morning on Friday when Ms. Fletcher’s husband, Richard Fletcher, reported that she had not come home.
Surveillance footage revealed that while Ms. Fletcher was walking past, someone jumped out of the sport utility vehicle, ran toward her, and attempted to force her into the passenger side of the vehicle. According to the court records, “it looked like there was a battle.”
According to the court records, a person who was riding in the area at 6:45 a.m. discovered Ms. Fletcher’s cellphone and provided it to her family, who then gave it to the police. The motorcyclists continued their search and discovered a pair of shoes in the same spot.
According to the court papers, DNA tests established that Mr. Abston was the owner of the shoes, and video evidence demonstrated that he was wearing the shoes. The investigators were able to locate Mr. Abston’s phone to a location close to where Ms. Fletcher was forced into the SUV by using the data from his mobile.
According to the documents filed with the court, it was stated that he “refused to give investigators with the whereabouts of the victim.”
According to the documents filed with the court, it is stated that “it is believed and substantiated by the facts and physical evidence that she sustained serious harm.” “Furthermore, it is probable and evident from the comments made by witnesses that these injuries left evidence, such as blood, in the vehicle that the defendant cleaned.”
According to the court documents, Shantel Anthony reported that she observed Mr. Abston “behaving oddly” while he was cleaning the interior of the SUV with floor cleaner. It is unclear what Shantel Anthony’s connection is to Mr. Abston.
The information that Mr. Abston worked for a cleaning agency was corroborated by his employer to the police. According to the employer, he is the one who drives the sport utility vehicle that was seen on the CCTV footage.
Mr. Abston was at the residence of Mario Abston, who informed Mr. Abston that his brother was behaving in a “very odd” way. According to the documents from the court, Cleotha Abston washed his clothing in the sink at the house.
According to the records from the court, Mr. Abston was given a request for a public counsel on Tuesday, and his next court appearance is due to take place on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
“We have no reason to think this is anything other than an individual attack by a stranger,” Steve Mulroy, the district attorney for Shelby County, said Tuesday. “We have no reason to think this is anything other than an isolated crime.”
Joseph Orgill III, Ms. Fletcher’s grandfather, was a successful businessman and philanthropist who oversaw the operations of Orgill Inc., a hardware wholesaler with headquarters in Memphis and annual sales of $3.2 billion. He died in 2018. His family declared in a statement that contrary to what was reported in the media, he was not a billionaire.
Ms. Fletcher was a junior kindergarten teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis.
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