Police in Tennessee have ‘detained’ a suspect and located the car being sought in relation to the kidnapping of Memphis billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher.
Authorities are not releasing the identity or the name of the individual in custody.
A large police force was visible at The Lakes At Ridgeway, an apartment building in southeast Memphis on Saturday night. One resident claimed that an ambulance was also seen at the scene.
Another resident shared a picture showing the Memphis Police Department SWAT Team getting ready for raids in the area. Another resident claimed that police have been in contact with an individual living within the apartment.
According to local police, the activities are related to Fletcher search.
The resident claimed that officers entered an apartment through the front door and brought with them a mother, daughter, and baby.
ABC24. Ian Ripple,After being involved in an accident with an Alcohol Tobacco Firearms Vehicle, the SUV was located.
Another resident shared this picture showing the Memphis Police Department SWAT Team getting ready for an attack on the Complex in search of Eliza Fletcher.
ABC24’s Ian Ripple reports that the SUV in question was discovered after it collided with an Alcohol Tobacco Firearms car near the compound.
Fletcher’s relatives, Beasley her father, Adele her mother and brother Gill, as well as their lawyer Mike Keeney, appeared together after the discovery of Fletcher’s car.
Keeney stated that he thanked law enforcement officials for their efforts to find the missing man and added: ‘We believe somebody knows the truth and can assist. Fletcher was overcome by emotion at this point.
A spokesperson from the Memphis Police Department stated exclusively that they were continuing to investigate the matter to determine if the detained male is connected to it. According to the spokesperson, there was no planned press conference for Saturday night.
As they hunt for clues to the mystery case, officers searched a nearby park, where an heirloom was kidnapped and forced into a car.
Eliza Fletcher (34), was last seen Friday morning while she was running in Memphis. A man approached her, and after a short struggle forced her to get into an SUV.
These developments occurred hours after Richard Fletcher, Richard Fletcher III (husband of Fletcher), was seen with other people outside Fletcher’s family home.
Fletcher is a daughter of Orgill’s hardware company founder. Her grandfather, who built the brand into a worldwide success story, left her heirloom to inherit her family’s fortune. However, it is not clear how much Fletcher has.
Fletcher´s family offered a $50,000 reward Friday night through Crimestoppers for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance.
‘We look forward to Eliza’s safe return and hope that this award will help police capture those who committed this crime,’ Fletcher´s family said in an earlier statement.
Pictured with Richie, her husband and their two children: Eliza Fletcher (missing mother)
Fletcher, her family, Beasley, her father and mother, Adele, Gill, Gill, and her husband all appeared before cameras after Fletcher was discovered with the car. Mike Keeney is their lawyer.
Richard Fletcher III was seen Saturday morning outside Eliza Fletcher’s Memphis house with several others.
Fletcher was kidnapped by an SUV police believe.
Eliza Fletcher (34), was last seen Friday morning (left). She was walking in Memphis when a man approached and forced her to get into an SUV.
On Friday evening, media gathered as Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies spent hours in search of a forest area within Overton Park. This vast greenspace is less than 1.5 miles away from the location where Fletcher was kidnapped.
Memphis police were seen towing Fletcher’s white Jeep Wagoneer from her Memphis home Friday afternoon.
On Friday night, deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office spent several hours searching a wooded area of Overton Park, a vast greenspace less than 1.5 miles from where Fletcher was abducted.
According to WREG TV, investigators had reportedly been looking for a tip in connection with the abduction case.
Late Friday night, the state police claimed that the suspect car in this case was a GMC Terrain dark-colored. A blurry surveillance picture of the SUV speeds away from the crime has been released.
Memphis officers were seen towing Fletcher’s Jeep Wagoneer family vehicle from Fletcher’s house.
A pair of garden shears was also labelled by investigators as evidence. The family’s home was surrounded by large numbers of police officers throughout the evening.
Fletcher, who goes by Liza, is a pre-kindergarten teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal School.
Richie says he is a manager for a Memphis boat dealer. He was previously a crossfit coach and project manager for a construction firm.
Richie worked as a technician for the US Coast Guard in October 2001 through October 2005.
Eliza Fletcher (34) is suspected to have been kidnapped. Law enforcement personnel are on the scene.
Eliza Fletcher (34), is being held hostage at the intersection of Central Avenue and Zach H. Culin Street.
According to authorities, she was reported missing because she didn’t return home after her daily morning run. Authorities also said that her phone and water bottle had been found at the University of Memphis.
Fletcher was a fitness enthusiast who would often jog along the same route. During the incident, her cellphone was thrown to the ground.
Mother of two, the 5-foot-6-inch woman is 137 lbs with green eyes and brown hair. The last time she saw her, she was sporting a purple running bottom and a pink top for jogging.
She is the granddaughter of Joseph ‘Joe’ ORGILL III, a hardware magnate who passed away in 2018.
Adele Fletcher is Orgill’s mother. According to Orgill Inc.’s website, their hardware wholesale business, Orgill Inc. has a $3 billion annual revenue.
Eliza Fletcher was pictured being abducted on Friday morning during a 4:30am run near the University of Memphis campus
Orgill, according to the website’s description, is a “largest independent distributor of hardlines in the world with sales exceeding $3 billion annually.” Privately owned.
Company employs over 5,500 employees.
An article about Joe Orgill III published in The Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2018 described him by a friend as someone who is a combination of Bono and Rogers. This is a reference to his charitable activities and friendly demeanor.
The Fletcher family announced the reward money for Fletcher’s crime. They said that they were looking forward to Eliza’s safety and hope the award would help police catch those responsible.
Fletcher posted on Instagram in February that she had attended Orlando’s Orgill Trade Show.
Fletcher is married to her husband at the Second Presbyterian Church of East Memphis.
Fletcher school students were sent a letter Friday informing them that their teacher was missing.
We have not yet told the younger students about Mrs. Fletcher. According to Fox News, Albert Throckmorton wrote that he was supporting older students in learning about this information.
Fletcher is with her husband of eight years, Richard ‘Richie’ Fletcher III. They have two children together
Richie is reportedly a retained lawyer at Venture Libre. Venture Libre makes “bespoke storage solutions for adventure cars”.
Fletcher was described in a 2021 Facebook posting as someone whose smile brightens any room that she enters.
She continued, “She’s a passionate and caring teacher who’s always on the lookout for new ways to educate all students.”
It was concluded that she “knows each student personally and does everything possible to encourage them learning.” She will celebrate both big and little successes in class.
Hutchison School was her school in Memphis. She graduated with the class of 2006. Fletcher graduated from Baylor University with a degree of exercise and sports science. Belmont University gave her her master’s degree in teaching.
Fletcher, who was previously a soccer coach and teacher at St. Mary’s Academy before coming to St. Mary’s in Nashville, taught for a time at Promise Academy.
Her experience as a runner made her qualified to run the Boston Marathon. Fletcher completed the St. Jude marathon in three hours, 26 minutes, and finished 22nd overall.
The motive for Fletcher’s abduction is still unknown.
The scene of Eliza Fletcher’s kidnapping, aged 34, was seen by a helicopter.
Eliza Fletcher (34), is thought to be kidnapped by law enforcement officers.
The home of Eliza Fletcher was packed on Friday by people. Fletcher, according to police was walking near Memphis University and was struck by a SUV with dark paint.
Fletcher’s kidnapping rattled her community. On Friday, a Facebook page called “Eliza Fletcher Missing Memphis, Tennessee” had over 2,000 members.
The University of Memphis was near where she was photographed. Sam Sparrenberg a student from the school said to WREG, ‘Me, my friend were likely the first ones to see the police cars coming out, but we didn’t know that.
He said, “I have never seen anything similar.” My college experience was a learning experience. I have been to the University of Tennessee, and University of Mississippi. I have never seen anything similar.
Fletcher wed Richard James Fletcher III, in 2014 in an extravagant woodland ceremony. Memphis Magazine details the story. According to the profile, Fletcher describes her bride as warm, outdoorsy and athletic.
Richie is employed by Venture Libre. Venture Libre creates bespoke storage solutions for adventure cars.
The family apparently took an extended vacation as per his Instagram posts.
According to Memphis Commercial Appeal, George Robertson (the senior pastor of the church Fletcher attended) described the woman missing as ‘full-of-life’.
Robertson said that Ritchie and Ritchie were both great leaders within our congregation. Two of their little sons have come to hug me and have been coming up to me each week.
He added, “She’s a great inspiration in terms of her zest for life.”
Robertson stated that they have a deep and profound faith in Christ. He stated, “That’s Ritchie’s trust now.”
According to the Second Presbyterian Church, their Facebook page stated that prayer is available at all times.
Hart Robinson spoke to WREG and said that Fletcher was a good friend. She is our goal.
Robinson stated that while they don’t have any idea what is going on, everybody’s desperately trying to find her. And the police in this area are investigating. There is lots of activity. We just need to know if anyone saw or knows anything.
Richie celebrated the anniversary of his and her husband in March with an Instagram photo. Richie wrote, “[Eight]These hot, smoking hot girls have been years in the making. It wouldn’t be the same without her. Even if we have the stomach bug.
One year prior, he posted on Instagram that “Yesterday marked seven years of marriage to this beauty!”
He said, “If you asked us in year 3, if we would make the 7th year, we most likely would have answered NO!” Evidently, we didn’t get the message that healthy marriages are not easy. We put God/Recovery first. Both of us were willing to believe and ask for help.
He said, “We’re so grateful for individual and couple counseling, recovery, and our friends!” “We can’t honestly say that it would have been any other way!”
According to records, Richie was arrested for multiple alcohol-related offenses such as public drunkenness or driving while impaired.
Although no suspects have been found, police identified the abductor as a male.
Memphis’ website provides publicly accessible safety data that shows at least 100 kidnappings have taken place this year.
For information that leads to Eliza Fletcher’s safe return, a $50,000 reward is offered. Anybody with any relevant information should call Memphis CrimeStoppers anonymously at 901-528-CASH (22274).