An arrest has been made in connection with the kidnapping of a TENNESSEE teacher Eliza Fletcher who was out for a morning jog.
According to a tweet from the Memphis Police Department, Cleotha Abston, 38, has been detained and charged with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and Tampering with Evidence.
Police have also stated that “Eliza Fletcher has not been located at this time.” But officials were able to recover her possessions, including a broken phone and a water bottle.
Eliza Fletcher abduction case Live Updates
Today, 23.51 – Expressing prayers for Eliza Fletcher
Following a request for prayers made by Fletcher’s alma mater following her abduction, locals have been exchanging supportive notes.
More than 900 comments on the page ask for prayers for her and her family.
Many also urge Memphis citizens to maintain their vigilance and express optimism for Fletcher’s safe return.
Today, 23.45 – Tribute to Fletcher
A lone runner thanked other women who also run alone on Twitter.
She dedicated it to all the ladies who work alone at all hours of the day and night.
Dedicated to all the women who run solo at all hours of the day & night. Let us run free of fear. Continued prayers for the safe return of runner, mother, & teacher Eliza Fletcher. My heart weeps for her & fam💔 #elizafletcher #letusrun #motherrunner #womenwhorun #runtennessee pic.twitter.com/CpafHAJdDs
— Trail Gypsy (@jenrunsup) September 4, 2022
“Let us move without fear. Continued prayers are requested for the welfare of mother, teacher, and runner Eliza Fletcher. I’m really sad for her and her family.”
What happened to Eliza Fletcher at Friday morning?
In the early hours of Friday morning, about 4.30, Eliza Fletcher, 34, was being kidnapped while out on a jog near The University of Memphis, according to local authorities.
Around 7 a.m. on Friday, Fletcher was reported missing. The institution informed students of the kidnapping.
She was last spotted, according to the police, sporting a pink jogging top and purple/blue running shorts.
Residents are urged to phone 911 if they have any information, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been asked to help the police department.
The family of the mother of two, a rich heir to the hardware company Orgill Inc., is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her location.
Eliza, also known as “Liza,” is a teacher, runner, wife, and mother. In 2014, she wed Richard Fletcher III, drawing the attention of Memphis Magazine.
Eliza was described as “outdoorsy, athletic, and warm” by the magazine.
Who is Eliza Fletcher?
George Robertson, Eliza’s pastor, said of the devoted churchgoer: “She and her husband Ritchie are both very engaged and wonderful leaders in our congregation.”
They have two tiny boys who have came up to me and hugged me every week, Robertson told the Commercial Appeal.
Eliza has coached soccer and teaches junior kindergarten.
Her grandpa Joseph Orgill III was a well-known businessman and philanthropist in Memphis, making her a member of a prominent Memphis family.
Fletcher loves the outdoors and to be athletic
Fletcher is referred to as a “natural” girl who is outdoorsy, athletic, and warm in a Memphis Magazine article about her wedding to Richard ‘Richie’ Fletcher III.
The story said of the wedding, “When it was finished, Liza and Richie retreated into the woods (and eventually into Hall Prewitt’s vintage Cadillac) in a shower of confetti, to begin a new and very real life together.”
Eliza Fletcher college life
According to the Commercial Appeal, Fletcher earned his diploma from the Hutchinson School in Memphis in 2006.
She holds a teaching master’s degree from Belmont University and is a graduate of Baylor University as well.
In addition to participating in the St. Jude Marathon, Fletcher is an ardent runner who has earned a spot in the Boston Marathon.
Fletcher identification marks
Fletcher was photographed wearing a pink shirt and a pair of purple jogging shorts at the time of her abduction.
Fletcher is a white woman who stands five feet, six inches tall.
She also has brown hair, green eyes, and a weight of 137 pounds.
Reward for information on Eliza Fletcher
The Fletcher family is reportedly offering a $50,000 prize for information about Eliza, according to ABC24.
The goal of the prize is to aid law enforcement in making an arrest for Eliza’s kidnapping.
In a statement, Fletcher’s family begged anyone with knowledge to come forward.
Police statement about Kidnapped Memphis mom
On Friday, Memphis Police Major Karen Rudolph discussed the investigation with media.
“When we arrived on the scene, we were handling potentially a missing individual,” said Rudolph.
A black SUV was seen on video pulling into the area where the victim was transported across the street, according to additional investigation.
church’s senior pastor statement about Fletcher
George Robertson, the senior pastor of the church, told Commercial Appeal in an interview that Liza is full of life and that each week, her two boys run to hug him.
On Friday evening, a vigil was organised for the family.
The senior pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Robertson, stated that “someday we’ll eradicate this kind of catastrophe.”
We lament the evil and violence that exist in our city.
It only causes us to be sad.
“We weep for ourselves, for the Fletchers, and for our city as well. The entire city is in pain.
Eliza’s husband Richard called the police
According to Memphis Police, the University of Memphis and Eliza’s husband Richard both called at around 7:45 a.m. on Friday.
Approximately 4.30 am is when Fletcher was taken, according to surveillance footage.
While the authorities are still looking for Eliza Fletcher, her high school posted love messages to Facebook.
They published a picture as a “urgent cry to prayer” and wrote, “We pray for the safety of our beloved alumna Fletcher and her family.”
Similar kidnapping incident
A mother and her infant were taken hostage in a grocery store parking lot, according to a recent report in The Daily Info Express.
Within a few miles of Memphis, Tennessee, where Fletcher was taken, another kidnapping took place.
Police continue to look into the kidnapping and have released CCTV footage.
The two instances have no link at this time.
Memphis joggers statement about Fletcher’s abduction
Joggers in Memphis told Fox13 that they were horrified by Fletcher’s kidnapping.
“It’s extremely tranquil right here at the campus, this is quite unique,” said Charles Hartman.
Following the incident, the University of Memphis is advising all of its students to exercise extreme caution.
“People simply need to be aware of it,” university student Mark Provence told reporters. “I guess we have a security crew that will walk you to your car if it is after dark.”
Fletcher’s friend Hart Robinson statement
“She teaches and has two young sons who obviously are worried about just a great lady, just the best parent,” said Fletcher’s friend Hart Robinson.
“We simply want to find her,” he added to the press.
What is the impact of Fletcher’s disappearance at her school?
At St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Fletcher teaches kindergarten students in the junior class.
Albert Throckmorton, the head of school, told Fox13 that younger kids have not yet been informed of the kidnapping.
Counselors and chaplains are available to support pupils, according to a statement the school has sent out to parents.
Tribute to Eliza Fletcher
The Second Presbyterian Church dedicated a song to Fletcher by posting a video of themselves singing “Dear Refuge of my Weary Soul” on Facebook.
According to the church, the hymn was written “to everyone who this evening are struggling to find the words to express their cares, concerns, and feelings to the Lord on behalf of the Fletcher family.”
Additionally, the church quoted Psalm 46:1, which declares that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” in their article.
Similar kidnapping reported in Memphis on Friday evening
According to the Memphis Police Department, another kidnapping happened on Friday night.
Around 4.50 pm, the event happened following an automobile accident.
To assist those injured in the collision, a man pulled over and exited his automobile.
A second man jumped in after the first one exited, leaving with the three kids still inside.
According to Fox13, the kidnapper dropped the kids off only a few minutes after picking them up, showing that their true goal was to steal the automobile, not the kids.
Police have not yet located the individual, who is reported to have a significant gash on his forehead.
Pray for Eliza Fletcher
The Second Presbyterian Church in Tennessee, Liza’s church, posted a prayer request on Facebook.
One of our members, Eliza (Liza) Fletcher, was reportedly kidnapped at 4:30 a.m. this morning while out on a run, as you may have heard on numerous news channels, according to the post.
“Please join us in praying for Liza’s wellbeing and her prompt recovery. Please pray for her family as well.
“Prayers may be offered in the Sanctuary through this afternoon.”
Kidnapper Cleotha Abston arrested
According to a tweet from the Memphis Police Department, Cleotha Abston, 38, has been detained and charged with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and Tampering with Evidence.
Police have also stated that “Eliza Fletcher has not been located at this time.”
But officials were able to recover her possessions, including a broken phone and a water bottle.
Police now investigating through camera footage
In an effort to find any security footage from the location where she vanished, police are currently searching through it.
The FBI and TBI joined them in their search efforts on the same day she vanished.
The final time Eliza Fletcher is seen on camera, she is being approached by a dark SUV after a struggle, and she is then being pulled inside the vehicle.
Who was Cleotha Abston?
In connection with the kidnapping of Eliza Fletcher, Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with exceptionally aggravated kidnapping and evidence tampering.
Officials have not yet found the mother, and it is unclear if there are any additional suspects in the case.
Memphis Police Department statement about the suspect
The Memphis Police Department declared: “The investigation into the abduction of Eliza Fletcher is still active and ongoing” after a suspect was taken into custody.
“Investigators are pursuing all leads and continue the search.”
“At this time, Eliza Fletcher has not been found. Together with our regional and federal colleagues, MPD investigators and officers are still looking for Mrs. Fletcher.”
Mario Abston also charged in connection with Eliza Fletcher missing
In the course of the investigation, a second individual has also been charged; he is not thought to have any current connection to Fletcher’s kidnapping.
Mario Abston, 36, was accused of possessing a prohibited substance with the intent to manufacture and sell fentanyl, possessing a controlled substance with the goal to manufacture and sell heroin, and possessing a firearm while committing a serious crime.
He and Cleotha Abston were both incarcerated at the Shelby County Detention Center.
Also read
- Tower hamlets stabbing: Boy, 17, stabbed to death,What happened at East London stabbing?
- Who is Cleotha Abston? What happened to Eliza Fletcher? Explained along with evidences.
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