Found Deceased TN - Eliza "Liza" Fletcher Abducted While Jogging Near University of Memphis #2

[vaporlass]

I read that tweet and was confused about the dates. Everything I previously read said he served the full term which ended in Nov. 2020

Arrested in 2000, served 20 years of a 24 year sentence, released Nov 2020 is what I’ve read everywhere. He even stated this on FB…”getting out after 20 years.”

 

[MassGuy]

Wish we could sticky this somewhere to easily find and post whenever we unfortunately have cases like this.

Lol. I actually do have a pre-written one that I try to link to every missing female's case the second "sex trafficking" comes up.

The media has to do a better job making people aware of the realities. Sex trafficking is a major issue, and most people have no idea what it really looks like.

 

[Knox]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=445400110706410

 

[acutename]

It's 100% true, and I often read people say they're surprised when a fit woman is overcome by an average or even below-average fitness man, but it shouldn't be surprising at all. There are many examples of extremely well trained and fit women being beaten by average men in various fitness tests. Men are stronger than women, it is simply biological fact and there's no getting around it.

1. Do we know that he was alone?
2. He was about 6" taller and 40-50 lbs heavier than her.
3. Did he do something ruse-like- be polite- ask for directions or step out of his car
to check a tire and then hit her over the head or grab her neck?
She probably did have a chance to outrun him if she was never within his reach, but....

 

[LucyRocket]

IKWYM and what you're saying is true. Just wanted to add he's 5'9 so not really tall, FWIW.

Oh, the arrest/charge documents have him at 6’0 !

 

[vaporlass]

He was arrested June 27th, 2022 for property theft ($10k-$60k)

Cleotha Abston Mugshot | 06/27/22 Tennessee Arrest

Mug Shot for Cleotha Abston booked into the Shelby county jail. Arrested on 06/27/22 for an alleged burgurly/theft offense .

tennessee.arrests.org

Did you see this?

 

[Mariposa]

IKWYM and what you're saying is true. Just wanted to add he's 5'9 so not really tall, FWIW.

His Shelby County jail inmate lookup page lists him as 6 feet, 175 lbs. so that’s why I had 6 feet tall in my head.

 

[5W's]

A

This is a really insightful post. Timing is very tight all around in this case, and this is a prime example. Very interesting and more than likely coincidental, but wild coincidences nonetheless.

I don't think its a coincidence he was looking for a victim. That's why he was out there at such a time. Also because there are practically no people out at that time. <modsnip>

 

[Peppery]

In the interest of accuracy, because I keep seeing he was so much bigger than her, three times her size, etc:

She is 5’ 6” and 137lbs

Jogger abducted near UofM campus, police say

Memphis police are searching for a woman who went missing early Friday.

www.actionnews5.com

He is 6’ and 175lbs (though he appears shorter in the photo to me)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1566400500437770240

So he is 6 inches and about 40lbs heavier. Bigger for sure but both fairly average sized people. IMO

ETA link to booking info

 

[LucyRocket]

Cleotha Abston kidnapped Kemper Durand in 2000, when he was 16.
Abston was charged with aggravated robbery and especially aggravated kidnapping and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. In 2003, he filed a petition for post-conviction relief, which was denied. Durand had written an impact statement depicting his personal feelings of being the victim of the kidnapping.
Durand wrote that it took over a year for Abston to sign the guilty plea, citing the refusal as "jailhouse braggadocio."
Durand also detailed Abston's lengthy history in the juvenile court system prior to his conviction for the kidnapping, the earliest of which, Durand said, dated back to 1995 when he was no older than 12 years old. Abston also appeared in juvenile court records in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 for charges including theft, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a weapon, and rape, according to Durand's statement.
Durand died in early February 2013, seven years before Abston would be released in November 2020 at age 36.
Posted by: Memphis Commercial Appeal

Absolutely shocking. I’m speechless. From the age of 12 he’d racked up offences of assault with a weapon and rape, AT LEAST one offence every year (that he was caught for), all before the age of 16!!

 

[Knox]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1566553336689659904

The brother was arrested on charges not related to the abduction yesterday. Wonder if he is talking to police while he's in custody? It wouldn't be surprising if he knows more than he initially told police.

 

[FNG]

Suspect in heiress kidnapping 'stalked women at brother's house'

The man accused of violently kidnapping billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher while she was out joking in the early hours of September 2 has been described as a 'creep' and 'pervert' by neighbors.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Abston's neighbors say that he would regularly proposition women for sex, often offering $100 for sexual favors

 

[airportwoman]

Absolutely shocking. I’m speechless. From the age of 12 he’d racked up offences of assault with a weapon and rape, AT LEAST one offence every year (that he was caught for), all before the age of 16!!

And that's why some people do not belong out here in society.

 

[Knox]

In the interest of accuracy, because I keep seeing he was so much bigger than her, three times her size, etc:

She is 5’ 6” and 137lbs

Jogger abducted near UofM campus, police say

Memphis police are searching for a woman who went missing early Friday.

www.actionnews5.com

He is 6’ and 175lbs (though he appears shorter in the photo to me)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1566400500437770240

So he is 6 inches and about 40hrs heavier. Bigger for sure but both fairly average sized people. IMO

ETA link to booking info

Characteristics
Sex:	MALE	Race:	BLACK
Height:	05' 09"	Complexion:	DARK BROWN
Weight:	180 lbs.	Eye Color:	BROWN
Hair Color:	BLACK
Image Date: 10/03/2017 Download Image

Weird, so I guess TDOC has his height wrong?

FOIL - Offender Search

www.tn.gov

 

[Mariposa]

Suspect in heiress kidnapping 'stalked women at brother's house'

The man accused of violently kidnapping billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher while she was out joking in the early hours of September 2 has been described as a 'creep' and 'pervert' by neighbors.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Abston's neighbors say that he would regularly proposition women for sex, often offering $100 for sexual favors

April said she'd seen Abston at his brother's apartment nearly every day in recent months.

She described him as a 'pervert,' who once snuck up behind her and propositioned her for sex. He did the same to other women in the complex, and at times would sit in his black SUV gawking at women walking by or sitting on stoops.

'When women were around, he would sit in the truck and stare,' April said.

 

[Arkay]

I keep thinking about the affidavit that states the car was seen in the area 24 minutes before Eliza was abducted. And then, according to the affidavit, the car passed her by and then stopped, waiting for the victim to run by. I am not familiar, thankfully, with the thoughts of kidnappers, but do you think he was patrolling that area specifically to look for a victim? That time of day seems weird - it's too late in the morning for people in bars or at parties to be leaving and it's too early for most people to be waking up. And if you left home that morning intent on abducting someone, if you cruised around and didn't find anyone... wouldn't you just go do something else? I still have a lot of questions.

ETA: Let's just say that, for whatever reason, this was planned. If she left home around 4am, it means he was in that area beginning around that same time (intentionally?). I wonder what he did during those 25 minutes.

Here in NYC, millions of people will be out that late, leaving parties and bars, or running like Eliza, or going to an early shift at work.
I don't know much about Memphis other than Elvis, but I did think it was a large enough city to have a bar or club scene?? No??

My own feeling is this bum may simply have been out driving around, just because he could after 20 years in prison. Maybe he hooked up with some sketchy friends to drink or get some drugs. Maybe he was cruising around every night and she walked into his field of vision and the beast within took over.

Or maybe he was out a lot at night for any reason and did in fact notice that this same woman was out around that time most early mornings, and did conceive of a plan to waylay her, for money or for rape.

I'm not feeling that the husband was involved. Of course I could be wrong but I just don't see it. He knows, like Jennifer Dulos' husband should have known, that she comes from a family with the love and the money to never give up, and he would be found out.

The one scenario I discount 100% is trafficking. As others have said, Eliza doesn't fit the profile. I know there are exceptions to every rule, but trafficking only works for the trafficker if he has a scared and vulnerable victim with no one that's going to look for her. It's a huge problem for women who are in America illegally, because the traffickers threaten that they'll have them deported. It's also a problem, as frequently noted here, that women who will do anything for money, (usually due to addiction or being homeless), will capitulate to this because the immediate money is essential, or so they think.

It took me so long to catch up on this thread that I forgot most of what I wanted to reply to, except someone above mentioned that they hated to "like" someone's post when it's tragic. I've always felt that way. Just a reminder that we now have a variety of emojis to better express our emotions.

All jmo

 

[Peppery]

Characteristics
Sex:	MALE	Race:	BLACK
Height:	05' 09"	Complexion:	DARK BROWN
Weight:	180 lbs.	Eye Color:	BROWN
Hair Color:	BLACK
Image Date: 10/03/2017 Download Image

Weird, so I guess TDOC has his height wrong?

FOIL - Offender Search

www.tn.gov

Dunno. I’d probably put him at 5’10” too, per yesterdays booking photo, but either way he’s still not a giant or 3x her size.

 

[morty4185]

Low risk victims aren't kidnapped and forced into sex trafficking, despite viral Facebook posts. The last thing they want is someone everyone will be looking for, which is why they tend to target high risk individuals (drug addicts, runaways, homeless, mentally ill).

Typically it's a drawn out grooming process, one that can even take years.

There's no need to grab women off the street, and it tends to be much more insidious.

Myths, Facts, and Statistics

Traffickers use violence, threats, deception, debt bondage, and other manipulative tactics to force people to engage in commercial sex or to provide labor or services against their will.

polarisproject.org

Good point, thank you

 

[Mariposa]

The brother was arrested on charges not related to the abduction yesterday. Wonder if he is talking to police while he's in custody? It wouldn't be surprising if he knows more than he initially told police.

From the affidavit it sounded like he was being forthcoming with the incriminating things he witnessed his brother doing (the cleaning of the SUV, and washing clothes in the sink), maybe he’s doing the right thing.

 

[crussell821]

Lol. I actually do have a pre-written one that I try to link to every missing female's case the second "sex trafficking" comes up.

The media has to do a better job making people aware of the realities. Sex trafficking is a major issue, and most people have no idea what it really looks like.

Agreed. People who share viral stories on Facebook or fear trafficking is around every corner for them are really doing a disservice to actual trafficking victims and the organizations dedicated to helping them. MOO