Heiress Eliza Fletcher died from gunshot to the head: autopsy

Eliza Fletcher, the Memphis teacher who was kidnapped and killed while out for a morning run, died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to her autopsy.

In addition to the gunshot wound, Fletcher suffered blunt-force injuries to her leg and jaw fractures.

Eliza Fletcher, left, and Cleotha Abston

Cleotha Henderson, also known as Cleotha Abston, was arrested in the case and charged with first-degree murder.

Fletcher, 34, was the granddaughter of late billionaire Joseph Orgill III, who founded the hardware distributor Orgill Inc. She was also a kindergarten teacher and mother of two.

While out for a pre-dawn run on Sept. 2, Fletcher disappeared. Her body was found three days later on a street near where she was last seen.

Henderson, 38, was arrested a day before Fletcher’s body was found. He previously served 20 years in prison for the armed kidnapping of an attorney. He was released in 2020.

Henderson was also charged with raping a different woman, 22-year-old Alicia Franklin, in September 2021. The rape charges weren’t filed until days after Fletcher disappeared.

With News Wire Services