Eliza Fletcher: Police Confirm Abducted Teacher’s Body Was Found

(CTN News) – Eliza Fletcher’s body was identified Tuesday by Memphis police. A prominent Memphis businessman’s granddaughter, Eliza Fletcher was a 34-year-old teacher whose disappearance stunned the entire nation.

What Happened With Eliza Fletcher: 

During an early morning jog near the University of Memphis, A Teacher Eliza Fletcher was kidnapped and forced into a car.

Authorities found Eliza Fletcher body on Monday after a series of searches over Labor Day weekend. Her kidnapping occurred about 4am on Friday when a man approached her and forced her into a sport-utility vehicle following a brief struggle.

When Fletcher failed to return home from her morning run, she was reported missing.

On Tuesday, a man was charged with aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence in the nationally publicized case. Cleotha Abston, 38, was arrested on Saturday for kidnapping Fletcher after her DNA was found on a pair of sandals found near where she was last seen, according to a sworn statement justifying her arrest.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Memphis police said Abston is now also facing first-degree murder charges while carrying out a kidnapping, punishable by life imprisonment or execution under Tennessee law.

On the night in question, a black GMC Terrain passed by and waited for Eliza Fletcher to run by, according to the arrest affidavit. According to the affidavit, the man then got out of the car, ran aggressively at Fletcher, and forced her into the passenger seat.

According to the affidavit, the car idled in the parking lot with Fletcher inside for about four minutes before driving off.

The courtroom was packed with relatives of Fletcher and reporters Tuesday morning for Abston’s arraignment, which was his first court appearance on charges including kidnapping, tampering with evidence, theft, identity theft, and fraudulent credit card use.

Abston was ordered detained in lieu of a $510,000 bond by the judge. As a result, the judge appointed a public defender to represent Abston since he could not afford the bond or a lawyer.

In addition, police have linked the vehicle they believe was used in Fletcher’s kidnapping to a person staying at Abston’s home.

The Memphis Police Department announced Sunday that Abston’s brother, Mario Abston, 36, had been charged with drug and firearms offenses and that he was not suspected of kidnapping Fletcher.

A body was found in a Memphis neighborhood late on Monday, but police did not identify the person or give a cause of death.

The area where the body was discovered was heavily policed.

Throughout the long weekend, police searched several locations with dogs, ATVs, and a helicopter.

The Memphis television station Fox13 reports that Fletcher’s body was found within walking distance of the area where Abston was seen cleaning a GMC Terrain hours after her kidnapping. According to police, Abston worked for a cleaning company.

The New York Times report For Eliza Fletcher

The New York Times reports that Abston had refused to provide investigators with the victim’s location, adding that “it is believed and supported by the evidence that she suffered serious injuries”.

Moreover, it is likely and apparent from witness statements that these injuries left evidence, such as blood, in the vehicle that the defendant cleaned.

She is the granddaughter of Memphis hardware businessman and philanthropist Joseph Orgill III. In a video statement, the family asked for help in finding Fletcher and offered a $50,000 reward.

Abston’s release will occur seven years after Durand’s death in 2013. As of Saturday, there had been no documented charges against Abston in the Memphis area since his release two years ago.

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