Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping, Killing Teacher Eliza Fletcher

A Tennessee man has pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murdering Memphis school teacher Eliza Fletcher in 2022.
Cleotha Abston, 40, entered guilty pleas to first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping on Monday, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for February.
Judge Lee Coffee sentenced Abston to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a decision that came after prosecutors indicated they would seek the death penalty if he were convicted of first-degree murder.
The 34-year-old mother of two was abducted while jogging near the University of Memphis on September 2, 2022.
Witnesses reported seeing Fletcher being forced into an SUV in the early morning hours.
Her body was discovered days later near a vacant duplex, leading to widespread shock and grief within the Memphis community.
The tragedy sparked an outpouring of support for her family, with runners across Memphis and other cities holding early morning running events in her honor, something that has become an annual tradition on the anniversary of her abduction.
In a statement following Abston’s guilty pleas, Fletcher’s family expressed their profound loss. They said: “We miss the bright light of Liza’s life every day.”
They highlighted her vibrant personality and her impact on those around her, including her husband, children, parents, students and colleagues.
“Her smile radiated happiness, energy, and comfort,” they said, emphasizing her faith, kindness, and compassion that touched countless lives.
Abston, who is also known by the name Cleotha Henderson, was arrested after police matched his DNA to sandals found at the scene of Fletcher’s abduction.
An autopsy later revealed that she died from a gunshot wound to the head, further complicating the case.
Defense attorney Juni Ganguli revealed that they had been in discussions with Abston for months, stressing the importance of reaching a settlement rather than proceeding to trial, which they believed would be more challenging.
Prior to the charges related to Fletcher’s death, Abston had been sentenced to 80 years in prison for a separate rape case from September 2021, in which he was convicted of assaulting a woman at gunpoint.
The delay in charging him for the rape case was attributed to a backlog in processing the sexual assault kit, which only came to light after Fletcher’s killing.
In response to the case, Tennessee’s Legislature enacted a law requiring the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to provide quarterly reports on the timelines for testing sexual assault kits, aiming to improve the justice process for victims of such crimes.
Abston’s criminal history dates back to the 1990s when he was a juvenile.
This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.