CNN
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A person has been charged in reference to the disappearance of a Memphis trainer who investigators imagine was kidnapped whereas jogging on Friday morning, police mentioned.
Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with significantly aggravated kidnapping and tampering with proof, in accordance with a Tweeter from the Memphis Police Division launched early Sunday.
“Eliza Fletcher has not been positioned at the moment. MPD investigators and officers, together with our native and federal companions, proceed to seek for Ms. Fletcher,” the submit learn.
Fletcher, 34, was jogging round 4 a.m. Friday when a black GMC Terrain SUV handed by her whereas she was jogging, in accordance with surveillance footage obtained from the incident. A person was then seen getting out of the automobile and “aggressively ran” in direction of Fletcher and compelled her into the passenger aspect of the SUV. As soon as the 2 people have been contained in the SUV, the automobile remained in a car parking zone for roughly 4 minutes earlier than driving off, in accordance with footage cited in an affidavit obtained by CNN.
Abston was arrested on Saturday after police discovered a automobile they have been in search of within the case.
U.S. Marshals positioned the GMC Terrain in a car parking zone close to Abston’s residence, in accordance with the affidavit. The automobile had the identical distinctive harm and partial license plate identification seen in surveillance footage of Fletcher’s abduction.
Abston was positioned close by by U.S. Marshals and tried to flee however was taken into custody, in accordance with the affidavit.
DNA recovered from a pair of sandals discovered close to the place authorities imagine Fletcher was kidnapped helped Memphis investigators determine and arrest Abston in reference to Fletcher’s disappearance, in accordance with the affidavit.
Investigators found surveillance footage captured at a neighborhood theater the day earlier than Fletcher disappeared, which confirmed Abston carrying what authorities imagine to be the identical pair of Champion sandals discovered on the crime scene, in accordance with the affidavit.
Further surveillance footage, coupled with statements from Abston’s employer, confirmed that the automobile suspected of being concerned in Fletcher’s kidnapping is owned by a girl related to Abston’s house handle.
Cellular phone data additionally place Abston on the website on the time of Fletcher’s abduction on Friday morning, in accordance with the affidavit.
Fletcher’s broken telephone was discovered close to the scene the place she was allegedly kidnapped, CrimeStoppers government director Buddy Chapman mentioned, in accordance with a press launch obtained by CNN affiliate WHBQ.
In accordance with the affidavit, a witness mentioned he noticed Abston at his brother’s home after the kidnapping. The witness and his brother mentioned Abston behaved surprisingly as he cleaned the inside of his SUV and washed his garments within the sink.
In accordance with the affidavit, Abston declined to share Fletcher’s location.
Images launched by police present Fletcher working within the neighborhood close to the College of Memphis. She was final seen carrying a pink jogging high and purple working shorts, police mentioned in an alert.
Fletcher is white, 5-foot-6, has brown hair and inexperienced eyes, police mentioned. She weighs 137 kilos.
The mother-of-two’s household is providing a $50,000 reward via CrimeStoppers for info resulting in an arrest within the case, WHBQ reported.
“We sit up for Eliza’s protected return and hope this award will assist police seize those that dedicated this crime,” her household mentioned in a press release shared by Chapman.
In a submit on Twitter, St. Mary’s Episcopal School mentioned Fletcher is a kindergarten trainer.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a tweet he assists the Memphis police within the investigation.
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