THE body of missing mother-of-two Eliza Fletcher has been found just days after the millionaire heiress was allegedly abducted during a morning jog.
Cops have revealed that suspect Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder after Eliza’s remains were found in a vacant duplex apartment in Memphis on Monday afternoon.
Suspect Cleotha Abston has since been charged with first-degree murder[/caption]
Eliza Fletcher was last seen Friday morning jogging her regular route[/caption]
During his arraignment on Tuesday, prosecutors announced additional charges against Abston, including premeditated murder and murder in perpetration of kidnapping.
Abston, who was arrested on Saturday, was previously charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and tampering with fabricating evidence.
Late Sunday, officials added three more charges against Abston stemming from a September 1 incident.
A woman claimed that her CashApp and Wisely Card were being used without her consent.
The victim told cops that she had left her wallet at a Malco cinema in Memphis. A manager of a cleaning service claimed they saw Abston take the wallet.
Abston was charged with identity theft, theft of property of $1,000 or less and illegal possession of a credit or debit card of $1,000 or less.
Haunting surveillance footage captured Eliza, a millionaire heiress to a hardware fortune, jogging moments before she was bundled into a dark-colored SUV near the University of Memphis in Tennessee on Friday.
An individual, believed to be Abston, is seen pushing her into the vehicle after a brief struggle around 4:30am.
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Eliza, 34, a junior kindergarten teacher, was known to run the same route regularly.
Her smashed-up phone and water bottle were mysteriously discovered outside a house owned by the university.
A cause of death has yet to be determined.
Abston’s Champion slides sandals were discovered at the scene of the crime. When sent for DNA testing, police found they matched with Abston, who was already in the system.
Over the weekend, US Marshalls found the GMC Terrain parked outside Abston’s home in Waterstone Oak Way, Memphis.
Abston was reportedly seen cleaning the interior of his GMC with a floor cleaner after the kidnapping, Fox News reports.
Police said Abston attempted to flee but was arrested.
According to a police affidavit, the suspect “ran aggressively toward” Eliza and “forced” her into the passenger’s side of his GMC Terrain.
Police say it is “apparent” from witness statements that the struggle to kidnap Eliza and her injuries would have left evidence in the car “that the Defendant cleaned.”
The affidavit stated that two witnesses, including the suspect’s brother Mario Abston, had also seen him “washing his clothes in the sink of the house” after the abduction.
The vehicle Abston allegedly used to kidnap Eliza, cops say[/caption]
At the time of her abduction, Eliza’s family offered a $50,000 reward for any tips that may have led to her discovery[/caption]
Police say Cleotha Abston is a career criminal who was previously jailed for 20 years[/caption]
Mario told officers that his brother had been acting “strange”.
At the time of his arrest, cops revealed Abston refused to tell them Fletcher’s location.
Fletcher’s family released a statement to WULT TV on Tuesday regarding their loved one’s death: “We are heartbroken and devastated by this senseless loss.
“Liza was a such a joy to so many – her family, friends, colleagues, students, parents, members of her Second Presbyterian Church congregation, and everyone who knew her.
“Now it’s time to remember and celebrate how special she was and to support those who cared so much for her. We appreciate all the expressions of love and concern we have received.
“We are grateful beyond measure to local, state and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to find Liza and to bring justice to the person responsible for this horrible crime.
“We hope that everyone, including media representatives, understand the need for the family to grieve in privacy without outside intrusion during this painful time.”
CAREER CRIMINAL
Abston was previously jailed for 20 years without parole for the kidnapping of attorney Kemper Durand on May 25, 2000, the Memphis Police Department confirmed to The U.S. Sun.
Durand was walking to his car around 2am after attending a party on Beale Street in Memphis when Abston approached him from behind, took his wallet, and forced him into the trunk of a vehicle.
Abston drove around for a couple of hours while holding Durand as a hostage, picking up friends on his journey, the Memphis Flyer reported at the time.
He then escorted the victim to an ATM at a Mapco station to withdraw money.
Durand spotted a uniformed Memphis Housing Authority officer inside and yelled for help, spooking Abston and his mates who ran.
At the time of the offense, Abston already held a lengthy juvenile record of theft and aggravated assault.
Tennessee Department of Corrections records confirmed his release date was July 11, 2020.
One of the friends Abston picked up while he was holding Durand captive, Marquette Cobbins, pled guilty to aiding a kidnapping over the crime.
He was 17 years old when he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years and will be eligible for parole in 18 months, despite a plea from the victim for a lesser sentence.
