The Early Word: Guilty plea comes in Fletcher case, and Huff finds a home
Happy Tuesday, Memphis. It’s Oct. 29, and we’re firmly in Hallo-week. If you’re looking to celebrate spooky season and stock up on Count Chocula cereal, the new mega Kroger in Arlington is having a costume party today. A grocery store seems like a strange place for a Halloween event, but hey, food prices are scary these days, am I right?
One more thing: The Daily Memphian is giving away a pair of tickets for the Nov. 8 Memphis Tigers football game against Rice. You’ve got until Nov. 4 to enter.
Cleotha Abston entered a guilty plea Monday for killing Memphis runner and schoolteacher Eliza Fletcher in 2022. He was originally scheduled to go on trial in February on several charges, including first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping. Fletcher was kidnapped during an early morning run on Sept. 2, 2022, near the University of Memphis, and her body was found in South Memphis three days later. Abston will serve life in prison without parole for Fletcher’s death; he was already serving an 80-year sentence for the rape of Alicia Franklin. Fletcher’s family shared a statement in court on Monday.
The Memphis Grizzlies lost their home game, 126-123, to the Chicago Bulls last night, but more on that in a few. Because there’s better news: The Grizzlies have signed center Jay Huff to a standard contract after a very impressive showing in the team’s first few games. (I mean, have you seen his reverse dunk?) Huff is a funny guy, and he’s already fitting right in, even if some Memphians around town don’t recognize him as a Grizzly just yet. As for the bad news, Coach Taylor Jenkins blamed Monday’s loss on a “terrible” third quarter and “terrible defense.” In fact, third quarters have been a problem for the Grizzlies since the season began last week, with the team surrendering huge runs during the third quarter of three straight games.
Plus, a South Memphis nightclub was the center of a big drug operation, the Crimson Tide rolled over the Tigers and Back Yard Burgers is bouncing back.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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