TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 28, 2024

Cleotha Abston, the man authorities charged with abducting and killing Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher while she was out on a run in 2022, has pleaded guilty. The plea comes after more than two years of criminal litigation and will allow Abston to avoid the death penalty, The Commercial Appeal reports. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said Abston now will face life in prison without the possibility of parole. Fletcher's family reacted to the deal, saying, "We accept the outcome that [Eliza's] murderer has pled guilty to all charges, will wake up in prison for the rest of his life and cannot harm anyone else." In May, Abston was sentenced to 80 years in prison for the 2021 rape of Alicia Franklin.