Authorities say they have discovered a corpse near where Eliza Fletcher was stolen while running last week in Memphis.
Just after 5 p.m., officers in the 1600 block of Victor Street discovered a “deceased party,” according to the Memphis Police Department.
At this time, neither the identity of the corpse nor the cause of death have been established. The probe is still underway.
On East Person Avenue and Victor Street, between 15 and 20 police cars, including a mobile command center, were spotted. A helicopter could also be seen flying overhead. Cops will not say whether the large police presence was linked to the Fletcher probe.
At 5:07 pm, officers in the 1600 block of Victor located a deceased party. The identity of this person and the cause of death is unconfirmed at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) September 6, 2022
Once additional information is available, we will provide an update. pic.twitter.com/LwnCdCYz1z
A crime scene with a mile radius was cordoned off near an abandoned school and less than a mile from 1765 Orleans St., where a witness reported seeing the suspect, Cleotha Abston, wiping blood from a GMC Terrain with floor cleaner and washing his clothing. They claimed he was behaving strangely.
According to an arrest document, US Marshals detained 38-year-old Abston on Saturday after investigators discovered his DNA on a pair of sandals near where Fletcher was last seen. The trial has been scheduled for Tuesday.
Fletcher, 34, was running at 4 a.m. on Friday when a guy approached her and forced her into an SUV after a brief fight, according to officials. Fletcher was reported missing after failing to come home.
As per news reports, Fletcher is the granddaughter of the late Joseph Orgil III, a Memphis hardware merchant and philanthropist.
