Cleotha Abston Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Murder of Memphis Teacher Eliza Fletcher

(Shelby County, TN) —Today, the man accused in the brutal abduction and murder of Memphis schoolteacher and mother of two, Eliza Fletcher, pled guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. Cleotha Abston was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing a formal end to a case that has deeply shaken the community. The resolution was made with the support of Mrs. Fletcher’s family.

Fletcher, a devoted mother and beloved kindergarten teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, was abducted in September 2022 during an early-morning run near the University of Memphis. Her disappearance set off a days-long search that gripped the community, ending when her body was discovered in South Memphis. Abston, a convicted felon previously imprisoned for kidnapping, was identified through forensic evidence and surveillance footage.

During the sentencing, District Attorney Steve Mulroy read a statement from Fletcher’s family addressed directly to Abston:

“We have no idea what happened to you to turn you into someone so filled with a desire to hurt people. Whatever it was, it does not excuse or explain what you have done. You have changed our lives forever, and nothing will ever be the same. Your actions were evil. There is no other word for it. You murdered Liza, even though she did nothing to deserve it. She did not hurt you. In fact, she would’ve been the first to help if you needed it.”

Before the resolution, Abston’s trial was slated for February 10.