CLEOTHA ABSTON | Tennessee Man Was Sentenced To 80 Years In Prison For Raping A Woman A Year Before He Was Charged With Kidnapping And Killing A School Teacher Who Was On An Early Morning Run | Memphis Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty | Autographed Letter,

Cleotha Abston. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Memphis, TN. August 2, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED

Cleotha Abston, also known as Cleotha Henderson, has been involved in a series of criminal activities, with charges dating back to the 1990s when he was a juvenile. Here's a summary of the most recent and significant cases against him:

Kidnapping and Murder of Eliza Fletcher: Abston is accused of the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, a 34-year-old kindergarten teacher and mother of two. On September 2, 2022, near the University of Memphis, Fletcher was abducted on an early morning run and forced into an SUV. An autopsy revealed that Fletcher died from a gunshot wound to the head. She also had injuries to her right leg and a jaw fracture. Her body was later discovered near an empty duplex. Prosecutors are seeking the death sentence for Abston, who has pleaded not guilty to counts including first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Rape Conviction: Prior to the Fletcher case, Abston was convicted on April 12, 2024, for the aggravated rape, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon by a felon. The incident took place in September 2021, where he kidnapped and raped a woman he met on a social dating site. He received a sentence of 80 years in prison, with the sentences to run consecutively.

Abston's criminal history includes a previous 20-year prison sentence for a kidnapping he committed at age 16. His DNA was found on sandals near the location where Fletcher was last seen, leading to his arrest in the Fletcher case. An autopsy report showed Fletcher died of a gunshot wound to the head, along with other injuries.

The delay in processing a sexual assault kit in the 2021 rape case meant that Abston was not arrested for those charges until after Fletcher's killing.

No trial date has been set for the murder case, and it is unclear if the case will go to trial within the year. Abston's lawyer plans to appeal the rape conviction and file a motion for a new trial.

Abston was sentenced to 80 years in prison for a rape and kidnapping incident that occurred in September 2021. However, this sentence was handed down on April 12, 2024, which is after the murder of Eliza Fletcher in September 2022.

Here's a simplified timeline to help understand the sequence of events:

• Prior to 2022: Abston served a 20-year term for kidnapping a Memphis attorney and stuffing him into a trunk. The man escaped after Abston drove the attorney to a gas station to get money from an ATM. He did this crime when he was sixteen.

• September 2021: Abston committed the rape and kidnapping for which he would later be sentenced to 80 years.

• September 2, 2022: Abston kidnapped and murdered Eliza Fletcher.

• April 12, 2024: Abston was convicted and sentenced to 80 years for the 2021 rape and kidnapping case.

Confusion may arise from the fact that the sentencing for the 2021 case took place after the murder of Eliza Fletcher.

The September 2021 attack refers to an incident where Cleotha Abston was convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman he met on a social dating site. The details of the case are as follows:

• Incident: In September 2021, Abston kidnapped and raped a woman after meeting her on a social dating site and agreeing to meet at his apartment.

• Conviction: On April 12, 2024, Abston was convicted of aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, and being a felon in possession of a weapon.

• Sentence: He received a total of 80 years in prison, with the sentences to run consecutively: 40 years for aggravated rape, 20 years for aggravated kidnapping, and another 20 years for possession of a weapon by a felon.

This conviction and sentence occurred before the murder of Eliza Fletcher in September 2022. Abston was not arrested on the rape charges before Fletcher’s killing due to a delay in processing the sexual assault kit. This sequence of events has led to significant discussion about the criminal justice system's handling of the case and the processing of evidence.

VIDEO: Eliza Fletcher's Body Identified: Live Update from Memphis | https://youtu.be/OaXZht5F9IY

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