According to authorities, a man Cleotha Abston has been charged in relation to the disappearance of a Memphis teacher who was allegedly kidnapped while out for a jog on Friday morning.
According to a tweet from the Memphis Police Department early on Sunday, Cleotha Abston, 38, was charged with exceptionally aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence.
“Eliza Fletcher has not been located at this time. MPD Investigators and officers, along with our local and federal partners, continue searching for Mrs. Fletcher,” the post said.
Fletcher, 34, was out on a jog at 4:30 a.m. on Friday when an unknown person approached her, according to police. According to authorities, she was removed from the area after being dragged into a dark, mid-sized SUV.
After finding the car they were looking for in the case, police detained Abston on Saturday.
“The vehicle of interest has been located and a male who was occupying the vehicle has been detained,” police announced on Twitter.
Police took pictures showing Fletcher running in the area close to the University of Memphis. Police said in an alert that she was last spotted wearing a pink jogging top and purple running shorts.
Fletcher is described by the authorities as White, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with brown hair and green eyes. She has 137 pounds on her.
CrimeStoppers Executive Director Buddy Chapman stated in a press statement obtained by CNN station WHBQ that the teacher’s broken phone was discovered close to the location where she is thought to have been kidnapped.
According to a tweet from St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Fletcher teaches junior kindergarten.
In a tweet, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated that it was helping Memphis police with their investigation.
