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

[JerseyWasHome2]

While this case is certainly fresh headlines right now, I would be shocked if there will be a need for a change of venue by the time this is ready for trial. Memphis has a population of close to 700,000, and it should not be terribly difficult to seat a jury, imo. I never cease to be amazed at how many people in a particular area are completely oblivious to what goes on in the news around them. And as to the likelihood of asking for a judge only trial, I highly doubt it. It would be far easier to convince at least one juror that this guy didn't murder Eliza than it would be to convince a judge. JMO

I agree. This is pretty cut and dry, so I don't see SM blowing up for the next year as people contemplate who did it.

 

[BeckyF]

With just what we already know, alone, I cannot imagine any high-powered defense team would want to be anywhere near the courthouse when this finally goes to trial. I know, and agree, that every defendant in a criminal case is entitled to, and should be provided, a vigorous defense, but I doubt too many top-notch attorneys are going to be lining up to offer to be the one to provide it for him in this case. JMO

I completely agree. Their name would be forever associated with defending this vile human.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy joined "America's Newsroom" Wednesday to discuss public details of the case and the nature of Abston's criminal record.

"If he was serving his full sentence, we don't know what would have happened after that," Mulroy told hosts Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer. "But clearly, this particular crime would not have occurred."

"We would not be bringing these first-degree murder charges unless we were confident that we could prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt," Mulroy shared.

Mario Abston, the suspect's brother, is expected to make a court appearance Thursday on gun and drug-related charges after investigators conducted a search warrant at his apartment on S. Orleans St. in Memphis on Saturday.

"To my knowledge, there's been no active cooperation on the part of the brother," Mulroy said. "Things are very fluid."

DA acknowledges reporting 'erroneously' on suspect in Eliza Fletcher killing

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy had commented on the criminal history of Cleotha Henderson, charged with killing Memphis mother Eliza Fletcher.

www.foxnews.com

 

[BeckyF]

Do not believe he was released "early" according to the 85% rule, however does anyone really believe that he would have abstained from re-offending had he been kept in prison for another year or two? I sure don't!!

He is a career criminal, so no, another few years in prison would just be postponing the inevitable. IMO

 

[Yellow Rose]

85% of 24 is 20.4 so the math adds up that he would be released after 20 years.

True. I was only saying that the sentence was 24 years, not 20. I just wish it'd been life even though I know as a juvenile it was a steep sentence. Were he not out, Eliza would be tending to those two beautiful children.

 

[OldCop]

Do not believe he was released "early" according to the 85% rule, however does anyone really believe that he would have abstained from re-offending had he been kept in prison for another year or two? I sure don't!!

No, most of us don’t think he wouldn’t re-offend if he served the extra years. Most comments referred to the fact that he couldn’t have killed EF if he was still in prison. Unfortunately, someone else would have been his victim sometime in the future.

 

[Gardenista]

Pure Speculation. There is a case TN state vs Henderson that CA's attorney tried and was involved in, and if they were any relation perhaps that is the reason why she stated conflict of interest, and perhaps why they put so much focus on CA last name being H and not A?

I saw that and wondered the same

 

[ilovewings]

Isn't he supposed to be charged with murder today?

 

[Yellow Rose]

Isn't he supposed to be charged with murder today?

He was this morning but they will have another hearing tomorrow. The judge revoked his bail.

 

[Homey]

Pure speculation…bear with me because I usually just lurk and read. Do you think he actually has not been involved with any other of the kidnappings I have seen mentioned during the last 2 years? I find it hard to believe he has been behaving and then this violent behavior.

 

[Arkay]

I too applaud LE in this case but as retired U.K. LE, it’s like every job where your heart and soul is required if you are to do that particular specialism and you have to love what you do, which I absolutely did !
It’s no different to career DRs and nurses or career Teachers etc . You have to love it because otherwise you won’t be able to hack it! X

Yes, @Arkay. It makes you sad and depressed and angry and determined. You almost have to go into a zone. While you are at the scene you have put aside your emotions. You become quickly focused on the task. You have to compartmentalize. You can’t think about the person you are seeing; not until later. In the moment, you observe. You take notes, photographs, and you look for the obvious; position of the body, signs of trauma, evidence, weapons. Despite your best efforts, you can become overwhelmed by the sights, by the smells.
I have seen, on quite a few occasions, LE criticized after photos in the press show officers laughing or joking at a crime scene. How could they? This happens because someone has whispered a bad joke under their breath to break the tension, or because they saw one of their fellow officers begin to loose it. It is to put out of your mind, for just a few more minutes, what you are dealing with. The depravity. The horror that one individual can inflict upon another.

My admiration for you both is boundless.

I also completely understand about compartmentalizing, and about being suited for a particular specialization in life.

I taught 8th grade English for 25 years in inner-city NYC. Even my teacher friends who taught grade school or high school would say they could never do 8th grade. It wasn't easy to deal with 150 or more 13 and 14 year olds every day, but it was what I was meant for and where I made a difference.

Also as far as LE, I have a brother-in-law who's an NYPD police captain, a nephew who is an NYPD Emergency Services diver, and a cousin who is a federal detective. They are also suited for what they do. However, when they are laughing and joking at family events, I often look into their eyes and wonder what they've seen that day.

In my field I tried to provide instruction as well as love and guidance so my students would not end up some day as your suspects.

I understand and appreciate you both and thank you. I still could never do what you do.

Just watching these officers, whom we know saw Eliza's body in whatever state she was in, knowing they have to put on their game faces and attend to the task at hand...I'm breathless.

But I know they do it for the sake of the family and for justice.

 

[ilovewings]

He was this morning but they will have another hearing tomorrow. The judge revoked his bail.

Thanks

 

[elmomom]

No I really don't think that's correct.
"Shelby County, Tennessee, court records reviewed by Heavy show that Abston was charged with “especially aggravated kidnapping” in 2000. He entered a guilty plea, court records show. He received 24 years in prison, starting in November 2001.

According to Fox13 Investigates, Cleotha Abston was eligible for release after 85% of his 24-year prison sentence and got out “sometime in the past two years.”

He also was charged with aggravated robbery. His sentence for that count was 11 years, but it appears to have run concurrently, stemming from the same offense."

Source:

Cleotha Abston Social Media & Criminal Record Revealed

Learn about the criminal history and social media of Cleotha Abston. He posted pictures of guns on Facebook.

heavy.com

Yes, 85% of 24 years is 20 years. He served the whole sentence according to the current laws at the time he was sentenced. He was not let out early. This keeps coming up.

 

[youngsleuther]

Pure speculation…bear with me because I usually just lurk and read. Do you think he actually has not been involved with any other of the kidnappings I have seen mentioned during the last 2 years? I find it hard to believe he has been behaving and then this violent behavior.

There was actually something mentioned (

).
Its something related to a women who complained that her money was taken out of her account without her noticing it in a car cleaning company. So most probably he wanted to clean car to remove all the evidences about whatever took place in those 4 minutes and he stole the card and somehow figured out the password.

 

[bestill]

I keep reading that CA/CH is an idiot, dumb, etc...has he ever had any cognitive testing? Could that be a line of defense for him? During my poking around on the web I came across this article and it gave me pause Intellectual Disability

There is so much evidence on him I can't think of any other defense

JMO

 

[Yellow Rose]

"The time stamp on the video was just four hours after Fletcher was kidnapped roughly 7.5 miles away, and her body was found a few hundred feet away from where Abston’s car was parked in the footage."
@dcexaminer

@cami_mondeaux
#MEMPHIS #ElizaFletcher

Eliza Fletcher murder: New surveillance footage shows suspect hours after heiress was abducted

The suspect in the killing of Eliza Fletcher was seen cleaning out his car less than four hours after the billionaire heiress was abducted, new surveillance video showed.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[LMDlong]

Usually by this time after finding remains a preliminary cause of death is known.

 

[nodamselindistress]

I am a bit puzzled because in this article the DA states that CA/CN "should not have been paroled". Have we not been told for days that he served his full sentence and was NOT paroled? Certainly the DA of all people should know that?

DA acknowledges reporting 'erroneously' on suspect in Eliza Fletcher killing

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy had commented on the criminal history of Cleotha Henderson, charged with killing Memphis mother Eliza Fletcher.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Yellow Rose]

I keep reading that CA/CH is an idiot, dumb, etc...has he ever had any cognitive testing? Could that be a line of defense for him? During my poking around on the web I came across this article and it gave me pause Intellectual Disability

There is so much evidence on him I can't think of any other defense

JMO

And yet immediately began washing his clothing and the vehicle

 

[Jmoose]

I'm sure you all noticed that SA wasn't listed in any of his new charges.
Hopefully, they don't add that after autopsy, so that's one thing we can be thankful for.
For now, anyway.

It seems likely to me that based on some of the other information already known, that SA will be added to his charges. I’m so upset to be typing this.