Eliza Fletcher Case: DA Acknowledges "Mistake" in Suggesting Suspect Cleotha Abston Has Been Freed from Prison on Parole

On Wednesday, in Shelby County, Tennessee, District Attorney Steve Mulroy apologized for inadvertently implying that Cleotha Abston, the man accused of killing Memphis mother Eliza Fletcher, had been released from jail on parole.

Abston, whose criminal record showed a long history of violence, served nearly 20 years of a 24-year sentence for the May 2000 kidnapping and robbery of the attorney Kemper Durand, adding that "this specific crime would not have occurred" had he served the whole sentence.

Cleotha Abston Appears in Court to Face Initial Charges

In accordance with the 1989 Sentence Reform Act, the court ordered Abston to serve 100% of his sentence, according to the sentencing records. Court records revealed that Abston later earned a 512-day credit for time served and that extra time was probably cut with other credit incentives, police stated on background.

This AM in an interview I erroneously reported that Cleo Abston/Henderson, defendant in the Liza Fletcher case, was paroled from his prior kidnapping charge; he was released early from his original 24-year sentence, but not due to action by the Parole Board. I regret the error.
— Shelby County District Attorney’s Office (@ShelbyCountyDA) September 7, 2022

Numerous emails and requests for comment sent to the Department of Correction regarding particulars related to Abston's release went unanswered. Abston is charged with first-degree murder, particularly aggravated assault, and tampering with/fabricating evidence under Tennessee law. Early sentence-reduction credits are earned by demonstrating acceptable behavior and participating in work or educational programming, as per Fox News.

Cleotha Abston, who has spent more than half of his life behind bars for a previous armed kidnapping, made her initial court appearance in Shelby County court on Tuesday to answer to charges in the early-Friday kidnapping of 34-year-old teacher Eliza Fletcher.

He was handed a summons to appear again on Wednesday after the revelation of additional first-degree murder accusations just before his initial hearing. Abston, 38, reappeared, dressed in black and dark green scrubs with his wrists tied behind his back.

Henderson, his second known surname, has been used to address him. General Sessions Judge Louis Montesi ordered him jailed without release and canceled the $510,000 bond issued on the initial kidnapping accusations. Only when the suspect informed the judge on Tuesday that he could not afford that bond was he kept in custody.

The judge set another hearing on Thursday after Abston's court-appointed counsel notified the Court that she could no longer defend him. There was no explanation given in open court.

The enhanced charges, which now include first-degree murder in the course of kidnapping, were made public on Tuesday as soon as it was determined that the body discovered dumped late on Monday was that of Fletcher. Police have not yet disclosed the precise manner of her death.

On the following day, Abston was apprehended after DNA connected him to two slides left close to the kidnapping scene. He was accused of tampering with evidence and particularly aggravated kidnapping early on Sunday. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly snatching the wallet of a petrol station employee and using her credit cards to make a $910 purchase.

Mario, 36, the brother of Abston, is still in jail after being accused of using drugs and firearms unlawfully. He is not thought to be related to the kidnapping and murder of Fletcher, according to police. According to an affidavit, the alleged killer drove his cleaning company SUV to his brother's apartment complex after the murder.

One of the witnesses, the brother, described the suspected killer as being really peculiar as he washed his clothes and car a few hours after Fletcher was abducted, New York Post reported.

Supports Pour for Eliza Fletcher's Family

More than 1,400 people have planned to run through Memphis streets at 4 am on Friday to mark a week after Eliza Fletcher was abducted. In the pandemic-era video clip, she plays 'This Little Light of Mine' to her kids and talks about her dog. A run is being planned by a group of Memphis women to commemorate the week since her disappearance.

Despite the race being set for Friday, several participants started running in her honor on Thursday. ducted and killed while out for a morning run and to complete her usual route.

In memory of Fletcher and her legacy, her family uploaded a video of the beloved kindergarten teacher addressing to her kids on Wednesday, according to Daily Mail.