MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cleotha Abston-Henderson has been found guilty of aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and possession of a gun by a convicted felon by a Shelby County jury.
The jury reconvened Friday after closing arguments on Thursday as Abston was accused of the 2021 rape of Alicia Franklin. The jury spent close to four hours on Thursday trying to decide whether or not to convict Abston for the charges.
Abston is also accused of raping and killing Memphis school teacher Eliza Fletcher in 2022, the same week a forensics team completed Franklin's rape kit results.
Opening statements began Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in the rape trial against Abston (aka Henderson). Previously, a judge denied his request to draw a jury outside of Shelby County for this trial.
During the second day of testimony on April 10, several witnesses took the stand, including MPD investigators and one of Abston's ex-girlfriends. After the state rested its case, the defense told the court Abston had chosen not to take the stand.
The defense rested its case Wednesday evening and closing arguments were given Thursday morning. The jury begab deliberations about 1:30 p.m.
After being arrested for Fletcher’s murder, Abston was charged with raping Alicia Franklin in September 2021 — about a year before Fletcher was killed. He was not arrested on rape charges before Fletcher's killing because evidence from a sexual assault kit test had not been available at the time, authorities have said.
Abston is expected to go on trial by the end of 2024 for Fletcher’s murder. That case was pushed back because Abston recently got two new lawyers, and they said they need more time to go through the evidence. The previous public defender for Abston withdrew from the case due to a conflict of interest.
Abston could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder in Fletcher’s case.
Fletcher was running on the University of Memphis campus when police said she was forced into a vehicle after a struggle about 4 a.m. Sept 2, 2022. Investigators said her body was found Sept. 5 behind a vacant home after a massive search lasting more than three days.
U.S. Marshals arrested Abston a day after the abduction after police said they detected his DNA on a pair of sandals found near where Fletcher was last seen, according to an arrest affidavit.
Abston also faces charges of identity theft and of being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun in other cases. He also previously kidnapped a prominent Memphis attorney in 2000 when he was 16 years old. He spent 20 years in prison for that crime.