Report: Mother of Eliza Fletcher’s Accused Killer Claims He Is Innocent and Being ‘Railroaded’

Cleotha Abston, Eliza Fletcher
Memphis Police
Amy Furr

The mother of murder suspect Cleotha Abston reportedly claimed he is innocent after the 38-year-old felon was arrested in connection with Eliza Fletcher’s murder in Memphis, Tennessee, earlier this month.

Sixty-five-year-old Virgie Abston claimed he was being “railroaded” during a recent interview with the Daily Mail, noting the suspect told her from jail he was innocent, the outlet reported Tuesday.

The outlet quoted her: “I talked to him and he said he didn’t do it. … He said [to me]: ‘They’re trying to put me in some stuff, mom,'” she continued.

The woman said she believed what he told her and described him as a “good person.”

Fletcher’s body was found on September 6 and the suspect’s charges were upgraded to first-degree murder, according to Breitbart News.

Abston was later rebooked on separate charges related to the rape of a woman last year, according to the Mail.

Fletcher would still be alive if her accused killer had been put in jail for the prior rape he allegedly committed, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said last week:

In September 2021, her alleged killer raped an innocent victim. It took a year for Memphis Police to receive the results and have the rape kit processed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Tragically, the rape kit was returned the same day that Fletcher’s body was discovered with DNA allegedly matching that of Fletcher’s killer. Had it not taken so long, Eliza Fletcher would be alive today and her killer would be behind bars.

Fletcher’s body was located just over seven miles away from where she was abducted while jogging at the University of Memphis campus.

The Breitbart News article, published on September 6, continued:

Police announced on Tuesday that Cleotha Abston, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree murder in perpetration of kidnapping in addition to his kidnapping and tampering with evidence charges on Monday in connection with Fletcher’s abduction.

…

During the investigation into Abston, his brother, Mario Abston, 36, was arrested and charged with drug and firearm offenses, according to police. However, he is not believed to have been involved in the investigation.

Cleotha Abston’s criminal history began when he was a child, according to an WREG report:

Per the Mail article, though Virgie Abston said she believes her son is innocent, she also appeared to distance herself from her sons’ alleged actions, telling the outlet, “The boys are on their own. What they do, I do not know.”

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