Guilty Plea Brings Life Sentence Without Parole
In a Memphis courtroom on Monday, 40-year-old Cleotha Abston pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, a beloved school teacher and mother of two, who was abducted during her early morning run in September 2022. Abston, who faced the possibility of the death penalty if convicted at trial, received a sentence of life without parole under the terms of his plea agreement.
Details of the Crime
Eliza Fletcher, 34, was on a pre-dawn jog near the University of Memphis on September 2, 2022, when Abston forced her into an SUV. Fletcher’s body was discovered days later near an abandoned duplex. The case sparked an outpouring of grief and solidarity within the Memphis community, where runners held early morning events in her honor, a tradition that continues on the anniversary of her abduction.
In a statement, Fletcher’s family spoke of their deep loss: “Liza meant so much to so many, and her smile radiated happiness, energy, and comfort… Her husband, her children, her parents, her brother, and the entire community were touched by her kindness and compassion.”
Evidence and Arrest
The case turned after police linked Abston’s DNA to sandals found near the scene of Fletcher’s abduction. An autopsy confirmed Fletcher’s cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head. Abston, who has also been known as Cleotha Henderson, was quickly taken into custody.
Abston’s lawyer, Juni Ganguli, acknowledged that his team had been advising Abston against a trial. “We had been meeting with him regularly… and had been telling him that we need to settle this case, that we cannot go forward with a trial and expect to succeed,” Ganguli said.
A History of Violence and Prior Convictions
Abston’s history of violent crimes dates back to his teenage years in the 1990s. In May, he received an additional 80-year prison sentence for a separate rape conviction. In that case, Abston was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in 2021, but he was not charged until after his arrest for Fletcher’s murder due to a lengthy delay in processing the victim’s sexual assault kit.
The delay in processing sexual assault evidence highlighted flaws in Tennessee’s handling of such cases. In response, state lawmakers enacted legislation mandating the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issue quarterly reports on the progress of sexual assault kit testing.
