Man from Tennessee admits to murdering Eliza Fletcher while she was out for a run

Cleotha Abston pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing Memphis mother Eliza Fletcher during her morning jog in 2022, avoiding the death penalty and receiving a life sentence without parole. Abston was arrested the day after Fletcher’s abduction, and was charged with first-degree murder after her remains were found. He pleaded guilty to the killing to avoid the death penalty due to mounting evidence against him. Abston had been previously convicted of a 2021 rape which went unsolved until DNA matched him. Fletcher was a mother of two, a teacher, and an avid runner. She graduated from Hutchison School and earned degrees from Baylor University and Belmont University. Fletcher was remembered for her accomplishments in running, including qualifying for the elite Boston Marathon. She was described as full of life and a great leader in her community. Her family addressed Abston, stating that his actions were evil and had changed their lives forever. They expressed gratitude that he would spend the rest of his life in prison and could not harm anyone else. Abston’s attorneys advised him to plead guilty due to overwhelming evidence and public outcry, with the possibility of a jury imposing the death penalty if he went to trial. Fletcher’s family emphasized that no sentence could diminish the anguish of her murder.

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