USA: A suspect was arrested in the kidnapping of the billionaire kindergarten teacher

A 38-year-old man who spent most of his life in prison was accused of kidnapping the billionaire heiress and kindergarten teacher Eliza Fletcher - after his sandals with DNA on them were found at the scene of the kidnapping

news agencies

05/09/2022

Monday, September 5, 2022, 12:08 p.m. Updated: 12:15 p.m.

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A 38-year-old man who served most of his life in prison was accused of kidnapping billionaire heiress and kindergarten teacher Eliza Fletcher - after his sandals with DNA on them were found at the scene of the kidnapping, the Memphis police announced last night (Sunday).

Fletcher, 34, a married mother of two whose grandfather was a wealthy philanthropist and business magnate who headed the $3 billion Orgill company, has been missing since Friday after she went for a morning run and was abducted by a man who forced her into a car.

The suspect in the kidnapping was identified using DNA (photo: screenshot, Twitter)

The suspect, Chloe "Pokey" Abston is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

The police affidavit details how investigators identified Abston in the kidnapping caught on security cameras and how his Champion flip flops played a key role.

According to the affidavit, before 7 a.m. local time on Friday, a passerby found Fletcher's phone and flip-flops on the street where the kindergartener was running when a black GMC Terrain pulled up next to her.

Investigators found DNA on the flip-flops and found a match to 38-year-old Avaston.

Investigators then found a security video in which Abston was seen wearing the champion's flip-flops the day before the abduction.

The owner of the cleaning service company where Abston worked gave detectives his phone number, and police used it to locate the phone at the scene of the kidnapping, according to the affidavit.

The kidnapped Eliza Fletcher (photo: official website, Memphis Police)

When the police showed up at Abston's house to arrest him, a GMC Terrain with a broken tail light was parked near the house.

Abston tried to escape but was arrested.

According to police, Abston was seen at his brother Mario's house after the abduction.

Mario told the police that he saw Kela cleaning the interior of the car, washing his clothes and "behaving very strangely".

Abston refused to tell investigators where the victim was, according to the affidavit.

Mario Abston was also arrested, but not in connection with the kidnapping.

He was charged with possession of fentanyl and heroin as well as a rifle.

Kela has a long criminal history that started when he was a teenager.

According to the Memphis Flyer, in 2001, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping a local attorney and forcing him to withdraw money and give it to him;

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

It was released in 2020.

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