Preparedness
Tennessee Criminal Receives 80-Year Sentence: Justice for Alicia Franklin
Cleotha Abston, a man whose name has been synonymous with shocking crimes in Tennessee, has recently been handed an 80-year prison sentence. Abston gained notoriety in September 2022, when he was taken into custody over his alleged involvement in the abduction and subsequent murder of Eliza Fletcher, a billionaire heiress and mother of two. The horrifying series of events included Fletcher being forced into a black SUV, an act caught on surveillance video.
Fletcher, a 34-year-old kindergarten teacher, had been out jogging on Central Avenue in Memphis when she was kidnapped. Her lifeless body was discovered days later near an unoccupied duplex.
A year prior to the Fletcher incident, in September 2021, Abston reportedly committed another horrendous act. He allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted another woman, known as Alicia Franklin, at gunpoint. On a recent Friday, a court sentenced him to 80 years in prison for the crimes against Franklin.
Abston received 40 years for aggravated rape, 20 years for aggravated kidnapping, and 20 years for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He chose to waive his right to a formal sentence hearing. Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee decided that these sentences would be served consecutively.
Judge Coffee shared a chilling detail with the courtroom.
“When this defendant placed a gun to her face, to her neck and told her quote ‘BLEEP’ if you say anything or move, I will kill you.’ This is especially troubling.”
Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman expressed his commitment to justice in a statement following the ruling.
“We’ve been committed to justice for Alicia Franklin and Liza Fletcher since the awful crimes against them. My office asked for, and he received an 80-year maximum sentence with no possibility of parole.”
Hagerman further insisted on the importance of a severe sentence for Abston.
“His violent history and these crimes demand sentences that ensure he’ll get out of prison, ever,” Hagerman continued. “This sentence alone ensures that — but we are not done.”
The arrest of Abston, now aged 40, occurred a full year after his alleged crimes against Franklin, and only in the wake of Fletcher’s tragic death. His criminal record, unbelievably, dates back to when he was only 12 years old. Over his lifetime, he has been involved in more than 30 infractions.
Fletcher’s autopsy reported a fatal gunshot wound to the head, along with injuries to her right leg and jaw. As for the case involving Fletcher’s kidnapping and murder, Abston’s trial is slated to begin on June 17.
Prosecutors have made it clear they will seek the death penalty if Abston is convicted of first-degree murder in relation to Fletcher’s death. As the legal proceedings move forward, the hope for justice for these victims remains resolute.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
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The attorney for the 17-year-old accused of attempting to murder Ricky Pearsall, a first-round draft pick for the 49ers, is challenging the charges. According to the defense, the incident, which occurred during an attempted robbery earlier this month, does not constitute attempted murder.
“It was a rather extended struggle between Mr. Pearsall and my client,” stated public defender Robert Dunlap in an interview with David Lombardi of TheAthletic.com.
“They were really fighting back and forth on the sidewalk. As you might imagine, Mr. Pearsall gets the best of it. He does kind of — I don’t know if you’ve ever wrestled or not — a nice hip toss and throws my client to the ground and ends up on top of him. . . . I think [the video] supports that this is an attempted robbery and not an attempted murder.”
Dunlap also addressed and refuted a report alleging that his client had brought a gun to school.
“My client did not have a gun at school,” Dunlap said. “It’s a false report.”
Despite these arguments, prosecutors have chosen to charge Dunlap’s client with attempted murder. However, they have not yet determined if the young defendant will be tried as an adult.
The next court hearing for this case is scheduled for September 26.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
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A son, armed and vigilant, responded to a potential burglary at his mother’s unoccupied home in West Virginia during the early hours of the morning. The encounter ended fatally for the alleged intruder.
Authorities reported that the son, checking on the residence around 3:45 a.m., encountered an individual who turned toward him holding an object.
“Unwise move on the part of the intruder.”
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a male stating he had just shot an intruder at his mother’s Inwood home on Winchester Avenue.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered a male lying face down with a gunshot wound. Immediate life-saving measures were administered until emergency medical services arrived, but the individual was pronounced dead shortly after.
The deceased was identified as 38-year-old Joshua Boone from Williamsport, Maryland. The sheriff’s office confirmed that Boone’s next of kin had been notified.
The investigation revealed that the son, identified by WDVM-TV as Michael Marshal, had gone to the home after hearing about a possible break-in. Marshal told deputies that Boone turned toward him “with something in his hand,” prompting Marshal to fire his handgun.
Boone was located in the garage of the residence, where the fatal shot occurred.
The Department of Criminal Investigators processed the scene for evidence and is conducting a thorough investigation into the shooting. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be presented to the Berkeley County Prosecutors Office.
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding this case to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 304-267-7000.
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A tragic incident in Michigan has resulted in a teenage boy facing severe charges after allegedly shooting another teen and fatally wounding the teen’s mother, who was trying to protect her son.
Anthony Deshawn Sneed, 15, is being charged as an adult with multiple serious offenses stemming from the incident that occurred on September 4th in Clinton Township.
The charges against Sneed include felony murder as a juvenile defendant, second-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, and four counts of felony firearm possession.
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the conflict began when Sneed got into a fight with the son of Tanseen Sherrod.
During the altercation, Sneed allegedly stole a handgun from the other teen.
When Sherrod attempted to intervene in hopes of calming the situation, she was tragically shot by Sneed, authorities reported.
Details surrounding the exact nature of the fatal confrontation have not been made public.
The other teen involved in the incident was also shot and sustained critical injuries, though his current condition has not been disclosed.
Following the shooting, Sneed fled the scene but turned himself in to Detroit authorities the following day.
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