fletcher

Billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher was found dead on September 5 in Memphis, Tennessee. The missing kindergarten teacher and heiress had gone out for a jog when she was kidnapped on September 2. According to security footage, she was approached by an individual and forced into a black GMC Terrain.

Her body was discovered by the steps of an old single-storey property not far from where the vehicle she was kidnapped in was last seen.

On September 3, Memphis police found the vehicle and detained its driver for questioning. Her uncle Michael Keeney had also offered a reward of $50,000 for her safe return.

“Liza has touched the hearts of many people. The family has met with the police and we have shared with them all the information we know. More than anything we want to see Liza returned home safely,” said Keeney.

Memphis police have now charged Cleotha Abston, 38 with first-degree murder and kidnapping.

During his arraignment Abston told the judge that he could not afford a lawyer and was appointed a public defender. He appeared wearing a mask and in the green prison uniform, swaying back and forth looking at the family of the victim.

Bond was set at $510,000 and his court appearance was on September 7.

Fletcher, 34, was the granddaughter of the late Joseph Orgill III. Orgill passed away in 2018 at 80. He was a billionaire hardware magnate and philanthropist. His company Orgill Inc which supplies more than 700,000 hardware and home improvement products to stores around the globe is reportedly worth more than $3 billion.

She was a mother to two young children with husband Richard Fletcher III. The two got married in 2014. Despite her billionaire status, Fletcher lived an ordinary life and had a fondness for running often setting off for a jog in the wee hours of the morning. In 2019 she finished the St Jude marathon in 22nd place which qualified her for the Boston marathon.

She worked as a junior kindergarten teacher at St Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis.

Her school paid tribute to her on September 6 with the following tweet. “This morning our faculty and staff started the day in chapel. We lit candles to remember Liza who was a bright light in our community. Liza embodied the song that we sing every week in Early Childhood chapel. This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.”

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