Found Deceased TN - Eliza "Liza" Fletcher Abducted While Jogging - Memphis #4 *Arrest*

[Cedarsage]

It was definitely a sifter. I am horrified at the thought that perhaps she was beaten so badly that they were sifting through the dirt, trying to recover bone fragments, but honestly, that is about all I can imagine. JMO

Ugh, this makes me sick. She was petite so it wouldn’t have taken much to hurt her very badly.

 

[Charlot123]

Is it just me? That doesn't look like an SUV to me. It looks like a car.

Also a strange person appearing on R lower corner and then moving back. I am attaching screenshot of Memphis video so that the source is seen. You can see, he steps in and then back out.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I noticed that but didn't want to post it. So sad for her loved ones.

That looked like an older rusty imprint to me from something years long past.

 

[Cedarsage]

That looked like an older rusty imprint to me from something years long past.

I’m not 100% but it looks like a head may have been resting against that spot.

 

[Sunny Day]

It was definitely a sifter. I am horrified at the thought that perhaps she was beaten so badly that they were sifting through the dirt, trying to recover bone fragments, but honestly, that is about all I can imagine. JMO

Perhaps teeth and bone fragments.

 

[ACG2x]

For those who don't know how PDO's usually work, while he was assigned one today it's almost always not the same one that represents you at trial.

As soon as any defendant fills out the needed paperwork that shows they are indignant and cannot afford an attorney of their own, the judge must assign them someone from the PDO. Failure to do so would be a major violation of a core Miranda right.

The PDO office usually has representatives in the courtroom or nearby in criminal cases so as to adhere to that right. The one that he was assigned today is likely just there for now to advise him on court procedural matters and so he can't claim later he wasn't afforded an attorney. If I recall, many PDO's have a similar structure to normal law firms in they have clerks, associates and trial lawyers.

From here on out, he has the right to be professionally advised on any court proceedings so while it's unlikely the woman who talked to him today after the hearing will defend him at trial, she is making sure that he understands all procedural matters before him leading up to that.

It's also possible - unlikely but possible - that a private law firm will take up his case pro bono or at a reduced rate. Law firms do this sometimes in high profile cases as essentially publicity builders. Chad & Jennifer Freese did something similar to defend Mollie Tibbett's killer because he in no way could pay for their services.

In the end it's highly unlikely to matter because from what we've even seen there is a mountain of physical and video evidence that places him at the scene of the crime at the same time as Eliza and his DNA at the scene and presumably on her body. That will leave any attorney - regardless of skill or competence level - with very few options to have him avoid anything but the max sentence and at this point, when the case is so strong, that's what you typically are shooting for as a defense lawyer.

Acquittal and/or 'walking free' is not an option. It's not going to happen. Zero chance of this. He will spend an incredibly long time in prison - if not the rest of his life.

 

[GMG1999]

Has anything been said yet on how she died?

 

[wary]

Has anything been said yet on how she died?

Nothing, as far as I know. I wouldn’t expect anything until after the autopsy results, if then. However, they don’t seem to have any hesitation about calling it murder.

MOO

 

[LaborDayRN]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1567237470365810697

Is it just me or does that photo of CA looking over his shoulder into the courtroom give anyone else the creeps?

 

[CharlestonGal]

It was definitely a sifter. I am horrified at the thought that perhaps she was beaten so badly that they were sifting through the dirt, trying to recover bone fragments, but honestly, that is about all I can imagine. JMO

They dug down quite a ways. Perhaps to rule out he didn't bury a body there already? Or perhaps Eliza's body was partially buried? There's a video here.

Police charge felon with murder of billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher

Police officers discovered the body of billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher in long grass behind an abandoned house after spotting vehicle tracks and smelling an 'odor of decay'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[nimaathep]

What is this thing they're using in the Daily Mail photos? Is it used for sifting soil?

View attachment 364656

I'm catching up and this may have been answered already, but yes it is. Usually somewhere between .15-.50" screening to catch small evidence (or in my field, archaeological materials).

 

[karen in New York]

I don’t think most people can identify the smell of actual human remains. Once you smell it and it’s identified for you- it’s a smell you don’t forget IMO. Most people would smell a super foul odor and think a decaying animal/road kill, as an example.

The brain, imo, doesn’t automatically think the odor is human.

Respectfully, unless the police are searching for a missing person and someone who may be deceased. It all changes imo when there is an active missing person search.

 

[Spyralflare]

Head injuries bleed extensively. Wondering if he pushed her into the vehicle and in doing so she hit her head hard on the car door or the floor of the car. Guess I’m hoping it was quick rather than prolonged…

 

[karen in New York]

They dug down quite a ways. Perhaps to rule out he didn't bury a body there already? Or perhaps Eliza's body was partially buried? There's a video here.

Police charge felon with murder of billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher

Police officers discovered the body of billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher in long grass behind an abandoned house after spotting vehicle tracks and smelling an 'odor of decay'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Or to collect insect activity to help determine time of death.

 

[One Dog]

I only heard him say something about social security told him…I’m guessing Abston because the Judge said that is how he will refer to him then. I think he preferred Henderson? That is odd? Maybe foster care and he just took on the name? No he was in juvenile detention most of his adolescent/teen years. I don’t know.

I have wondered if it is a hyphenated last name. Cleotha Abston-Henderson. Maybe his Mother hyphenated hers when /if she married?

 

[Thinker Belle]

How did he know that house was there and was abandoned? I would not be surprised at all if he has done this before to other women and just didn’t get caught.

 

[Mrspratcher]

Is it just me or does that photo of CA looking over his shoulder into the courtroom give anyone else the creeps?

Super creepy.

 

[karen in New York]

I know. We had a bird die under our front porch one year. A medium sized starling type of bird. It smelled for weeks and you could detect it at least 30' away. Cannot imagine what something a zillion x larger would smell like or the radius of odor...

The smell from a dead animal on the side of the road comes to mind.

 

[karen in New York]

It was definitely a sifter. I am horrified at the thought that perhaps she was beaten so badly that they were sifting through the dirt, trying to recover bone fragments, but honestly, that is about all I can imagine. JMO

Hair, fibers, or anything from the accused.

It was definitely a sifter. I am horrified at the thought that perhaps she was beaten so badly that they were sifting through the dirt, trying to recover bone fragments, but honestly, that is about all I can imagine. JMO

 

[KonaHonu]

I have wondered if it is a hyphenated last name. Cleotha Abston-Henderson. Maybe his Mother hyphenated hers when /if she married?

I think it is more along the lines of his legal name being Abston but he uses Henderson for some reason. I have been trying to figure this one out. I have inferred that his employer knew him as Henderson. But she should have had to check that his name matched his SSN. Perhaps she didn't do that but usually a big corporation like Janpro will have rules for subcontractors.