Memphis Church Mourns Death of Church Member Abducted, Murdered while Jogging

A church in Memphis, Tennessee, is mourning the loss of a young woman who was recently kidnapped while jogging and later murdered.

Eliza Fletcher – a wife, mother of two and kindergarten teacher – was kidnapped by a man at around 4:30 am last Friday (September 2) while jogging near the University of Memphis campus. According to Church Leaders, her husband, Richard, called the police when his wife did not return home from her run.

After a long and intensive search, Fletcher’s body was found on Monday. The suspect, later identified as 38-year-old Cleotha Abston Henderson, was taken into custody and has been charged with first-degree murder, premeditated murder and first-degree perpetration of kidnapping. According to Commercial Appeal, Henderson was released from prison in 2020 after serving nearly two decades for kidnapping.

After her body was found, Fletcher’s church, Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, asked for prayers for her family and the Memphis community.

“We’re grieving the loss of dear church member, Liza Fletcher. Please pray for her family & the Memphis community. We’re seeking shelter in the Father of mercies & the God of all comfort whose Son is the blessed hope of the resurrection & will at the Great Day heal us & our world,” the church tweeted on Tuesday.

We’re grieving the loss of dear church member, Liza Fletcher. Please pray for her family & the Memphis community. We’re seeking shelter in the Father of mercies & the God of all comfort whose Son is the blessed hope of the resurrection & will at the Great Day heal us & our world. pic.twitter.com/0YW9PAClZ7

— Second Presbyterian (@2PCMemphis) September 6, 2022

Hours after Fletcher was kidnapped, the church opened its doors for prayers, and a soloist performed the hymn “Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul.” The song was also streamed live on Facebook.

The church’s senior pastor, George Robertson, told reporters that they were hopeful but realistic about the search’s outcome.

“We’re not pollyannaish,” he said. “But we are praying for mercy, and I think that’s the prayer. The prayer is mostly for mercy.”

Robertson described Fletcher and Richard as “both very active and great leaders in our congregation.”

Both are “inspirations in the sense of their zest for life and love of running and athletics,” the pastor continued. “But what’s most important at this time is they have a very deep and profound trust in Christ, who they have leaned on throughout their lives and who has made a real significant impact on each of them personally. That is Ritchie’s trust right now.”

Fletcher, a graduate of both Baylor and Belmont universities, was the granddaughter of a local billionaire businessman and philanthropist.

More than 3,000 people will gather this Friday for a special event titled “Finish Eliza’s Run,” where they will complete the 8.2-mile route that Fletcher would typically run. According to the event’s description on Facebook, participants will “stand up for the women in the Mid-South and emphasize that women should be able to safely run any time of day.”

Meanwhile, other running groups across the country plan to run on Friday morning in Fletcher’s honor.

Photo courtesy: ©Meiying Ng/Unsplash

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.

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