Overview

• Cleotha Abston was found guilty of aggravated rape, kidnapping, and unlawful weapon possession from a 2021 incident.
• The victim met Abston on a dating site and was assaulted in his vehicle; she testified she complied out of fear for her life.
• Abston's trial for the murder of Eliza Fletcher, a Memphis teacher, is pending; he allegedly kidnapped her during a morning run.
• The 2021 rape case was only charged after Fletcher's murder, due to delays in processing the sexual assault kit.
• After Fletcher's death, Tennessee passed a law requiring faster reporting on sexual assault kit testing times.