Eliza Fletcher, 34, was out on her usual morning run near the University of Memphis when she went missing.
Her family offered a $ 50,000 reward for information that led to the arrest of whoever was responsible for her disappearance after police claimed she was kidnapped.
His body was discovered three days later.
Cleotha Abston, 38, was uploaded with kidnappings and murders.
But who was it Elisa Fletcherhow did her family make billions and what do we know about how she died?
Memphis police officers are conducting a search after Fletcher’s disappearance
Who was Mrs. Fletcher?
He worked as a kindergarten teacher at St Mary’s Episcopal School.
The 34-year-old was married to Richard Fletcher III and they had two boys.
His grandfather, the late Joseph Orgill III, was a hardware store businessman and philanthropist from Memphis.
How did the family business become so successful?
Despite coming from a wealthy background, Ms. Fletcher decided to pursue a career in teaching and not with the family business.
His late grandfather was a billionaire who oversaw the huge growth at a Memphis hardware supply company known as Orgill.
The company is said to be worth more than $ 3 billion (£ 2.6 billion) and employs around 5,500 people.
Initially founded in 1847, it underwent a series of name and ownership changes before Joe Orgill III became president of the company in the late 1960s.
The company expanded through the acquisition of other businesses and now describes itself as the “largest independent hardline distributor in the world with annual sales of $ 3 billion.”
According to the company’s website, it serves more than 11,000 retail stores, centers, and resellers in the United States and Canada.
It also provides its services to outlets in 50 other countries.
Orgill says it “celebrates 175 years” and is headquartered in Collierville, Tennessee.
‘Liza has touched the hearts of many’
After her disappearance, her family posted a video asking for help in finding her.
In the statement, they also offered a $ 50,000 reward for information on the case.
“We believe someone knows what happened and can help,” said his uncle Mike Keeney.
After the discovery of her body, her family claimed to be “heartbroken and devastated” by their “senseless loss”.
“Liza has touched the hearts of many people,” they said, describing her as “such a joy for so many”.
“Now is the time to remember and celebrate how special she was and to support those who cared for her,” read the family statement.
In a Facebook post, St. Mary’s Episcopal School, where Fletcher taught kindergarten, said faculty and staff began Tuesday in the chapel and lit candles to remember her as “a bright light in our community.”
‘Smell of decadence’ and the discovery of purple running shorts
Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said it was too early in the investigation to determine how and where Fletcher was killed.
Davis said the body was found behind an empty duplex. An affidavit from police said officers noticed vehicle tracks near the duplex driveway and “reeked of the smell of decay.”
According to the affidavit, purple running shorts that looked consistent with those Fletcher wore were found in a nearby discarded trash bag.
Who is the suspect Cleotha Abston?
Cleotha Abston Saturday, September 3, 2022. Photo: Shelby County Sheriff’s Office / AP
Abston, 38, is now charged with first degree murder and first degree murder by kidnapping.
He was arrested by US marshals on Saturday, September 3 after his DNA was found on a pair of sandals near where Fletcher was last seen.
Police also linked the vehicle they believe was used in the abduction to a person on property where Abston was located.
Abston had previously been sentenced to 24 years in prison for another kidnapping. He was only 16 when he kidnapped a Memphis attorney, Kemper Durand, in 2000.
Mr. Durand managed to escape after a few hours and Abston was jailed after pleading guilty to particularly aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
Abston reportedly forced Mr. Durand into the trunk of his car at gunpoint. After several hours, Abston took Mr. Durand out and forced him to drive to a gas station to withdraw money from an ATM.
Mr. Durand died in 2013 but in a statement to the court he said he was “extremely lucky” to have managed to escape from Abston, adding, “It is very likely that I would have been killed if I had not escaped.”
According to Mr. Durand’s statement, Abston had also been charged with a number of crimes prior to his kidnapping, including aggravated assault with a weapon and rape, some of which dated back to when he was only 12 years old.
Abston did not serve his full sentence and was released after 20 years.
Some prominent Tennessee Republicans were quick to argue that if Abston had served his entire sentence, Fletcher would still be alive.
