On Friday, Memphis police apprehended a guy accused of kidnapping Eliza Fletcher.
Fletcher, a schoolteacher in Memphis, Tennessee, was jogging when she was approached by an unknown individual and pushed into a dark-colored SUV. Later, her phone and a water bottle were discovered at the kidnapping scene.
Have you seen this woman or vehicle?
Eliza Fletcher was abducted this morning in midtown Memphis while running.
She was forced into a vehicle. There is no known direction of travel.
Tips? Call @MEM_PoliceDept at 901-528-2274 or 901-545-2677, or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/HpTfQbKjAy
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) September 2, 2022
The police suspect that the perpetrator was Cleotha Abston.
WREG-TV reports that on Sunday, authorities accused Abston with aggravated abduction and tampering with evidence.
Abston was located in possession of the SUV used to kidnap Fletcher by police.
BREAKING: 38-year-old Cleotha Abston has been charged with kidnapping #ElizaFletcher.
The mother of two was abducted Friday morning while out jogging near the University of Memphis. She still hasn’t been located.
We’re live with the latest developments on @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/zZsxpjnfMO
— Bria Jones (@BriaJonesTV) September 4, 2022
Abston has a history of violent crime.
Abston pled guilty to an unusually serious abduction offense in 2000, according to WREG-TV.
Abston was given a 24-year term in this case. He was newly launched in November of the year 2020.
Fletcher has not yet been discovered. The hunt for the educator continues, authorities reported on Sunday.
UPDATE: The individual who was detained has been officially charged in connection with the abduction of Eliza Fletcher. At this point in the investigation, Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and Tampering with Evidence.
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) September 4, 2022
Later, police said that a second person, Mario Abston, was caught “in the same operation.”
Mario Abston is not thought to be involved in the Fletcher case.
The 36-year-old was charged with several counts of fentanyl and heroin possession with intent to sell.
A second individual, currently not believed to be connected to Fletcher's abduction, was also arrested during this investigation.
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) September 4, 2022
The family of Fletcher is offering a reward of $50,000 for any information on his kidnapping and/or whereabouts.
According to WREG-TV, she is the granddaughter of the late Joesph “Joe” Orgill III, a famous Memphis hardware merchant and philanthropist.
“We don’t know what’s going on, but everybody is desperately looking for her, and the police here are on it. You can see there is a lot of activity, so if you know anything or saw anything early this morning, we just ask that you come forward,” said Hart Robinson, a friend of Fletcher, according to WREG-TV.