Man accused of killing Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher charged with separate rape

Cleotha Henderson, the man accused of kidnapping and killing teacher Eliza Fletcher in Memphis, has been charged with rape in an unrelated case and appeared in a Shelby County courtroom Monday.

Henderson, 38, was indicted last Thursday for a Sept. 21, 2021, incident with a different woman. He has been charged with aggravated rape, kidnapping and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Eliza Fletcher, left, and Cleotha Henderson

The DNA evidence was in a long queue to be tested before the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was able to test it on Sept. 5. The testing pointed to Henderson, who had been arrested the day before.

He remains in the Shelby County Jail after not being granted bond when he was charged with Fletcher’s murder after his arrest last Sunday. Fletcher was abducted while on a run near her apartment on Sept. 2 and found Sept. 5, the same day the DNA evidence in the other case was tested.

Cleotha Henderson appears in Judge Louis Montesi courtroom for his arraignment on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Memphis, Tenn. (Mark Weber/)

Henderson is also facing separate charges for identity theft, theft of property $1,000 or less and fraudulent use/illegal possession of a credit or debit card $1,000 or less after a woman reported her Cash App card and Wisely Card were used at gas stations without her knowledge after her wallet went missing at the movie theater she works at.

Surveillance video showed a cleaner, later identified as Henderson, taking the wallet.