Eliza Fletcher, a Memphis teacher and mother, is reported missing the morning of September 2, 2022 after she doesn't return home from her morning jog. A search is launched shortly thereafter and comes to an end on September 5th when her body is found by police. Suspect, Cleotha Abston has been arrested and charged for her murder. 

In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss what the autopsy report shows, what her cause of death was determined to be, what drugs were found in her system, and more.

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Show Notes:

0:00 - Intro

0:50 - Background and overview of case

1:42 - The autopsy report: how you read it and what you learn from it

16:17 - Eliza’s cause of death

22:16 - What the gunshot wound tells us

26:23 - Internal and external beveling

28:03 - Le Fort fracture

32:25 - Submission

34:10 - Fentanyl 

40:13 - Was Eliza Fletcher raped?

43:36 - Wrap up 

Eliza Fletcher, a Memphis teacher and mother, is reported missing the morning of September 2, 2022 after she doesn't return home from her morning jog. A search is launched shortly thereafter and comes to an end on September 5th when her body is found by police. Suspect, Cleotha Abston has been arrested and charged for her murder. 
In this episode of Body Bags, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan and Jackie Howard discuss what the autopsy report shows, what her cause of death was determined to be, what drugs were found in her system, and more.
Subscribe to Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan :
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/body-bags-with-joseph-scott-morgan/id1587763116" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Apple Podcasts</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/385AEt9XDYJoCyWtGZo3bw?si=j4zNy8vhQISmIFTA0HvASg&amp;dl_branch=1" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">Spotify</a>
<a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-body-bags-with-joseph-scot-87375583/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="2">iHeart</a>
 
Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Background and overview of case
1:42 - The autopsy report: how you read it and what you learn from it
16:17 - Eliza’s cause of death
22:16 - What the gunshot wound tells us
26:23 - Internal and external beveling
28:03 - Le Fort fracture
32:25 - Submission
34:10 - Fentanyl 
40:13 - Was Eliza Fletcher raped?
43:36 - Wrap up

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan: Eliza Fletcher Mother, Teacher, Heiress, and Victim

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b00c3bc1-7cbe-4d71-b546-af3000dbfac0/transcript

Nearly four decades after the Colonial Parkway murders first shocked Virginia, new DNA links have expanded the known scope of the case while raising questions about investigative accountability.

In this episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum is joined by Bill Thomas, whose sister Cathy Thomas was one of the original victims, and Kristin Dilley, his long-time investigative partner and co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder."

They walk through the latest DNA identifications tied to Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., the procedural barriers that keep his profile out of CODIS, and the growing divide between state-level momentum and federal inaction.

Their discussion centers on what happens when evidence advances while communication and action stall.

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

Guest Bios:

Bill Thomas is a victim advocate and the brother of Cathy Thomas, one of the original victims of the Colonial Parkway murders. For nearly four decades, he has worked with law enforcement, forensic experts, and journalists to seek answers in his sister’s case and accountability for all affected families. Bill is co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder," where he focuses on cold cases, investigative transparency, and the systemic challenges families face in long-term homicide investigations.

Kristin Dilley is a true crime podcaster, researcher, writer, and teacher based in Williamsburg, Virginia. Kristin has worked alongside Bill Thomas for more than seven years and is the co-host of "Mind Over Murder," where she examines cold cases with an emphasis on evidence, patterns, and victim-centered accountability.

About the Host

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a Metro Atlanta Police Department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than 4 decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for "CSI: Atlanta" and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.



Social Links:

• Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com

• Twitter: @149zone7

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast



Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, "Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist," releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

 

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl McCollum opens Zone 7by addressing stalled accountability in long- running cold cases

• (0:45) Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley return to Zone 7 and reflect on their investigative partnership

• (2:00) Bill remembers his sister Cathy Thomas, her Naval Academy legacy, her character, and her friend Rebecca Ann Dowski

• (5:15) How advocacy and podcasting have helped families move forward on the Colonial Parkway murders

• (9:15) The January 2024 public announcement linking Allen Wade Wilmer Sr. to multiple victims

• (10:15) The confirmed DNA connection to Laurie Ann Powell

• (13:15) Why Wilmer’s DNA is not in CODIS despite evidence of sexual assault

• (17:00) Federal communication failures and the limits of victim services updates

• (19:15) The contrast between FBI silence and Virginia State Police persistence

• (22:45) Whether Cathy Thomas’s case is closer to resolution and what emerging patterns suggest

• (25:15) Evidence handling failures and the long-term consequences for families

• (33:15) Closing reflections on persistence, accountability, and the cost of waiting decades for answers



 

Nearly four decades after the Colonial Parkway murders first shocked Virginia, new DNA links&nbsp;have expanded the known scope of the case while raising questions about investigative&nbsp;accountability.
In this episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum is joined by Bill Thomas, whose sister Cathy Thomas was one of the original victims, and Kristin Dilley, his long-time investigative partner and co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder."
They walk through the latest DNA identifications tied to Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., the procedural barriers that keep his profile out of CODIS, and the growing divide between state-level momentum and federal inaction.
Their discussion centers on what happens when evidence advances while communication and action stall.
Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps&nbsp;others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.
Guest Bios:
Bill Thomas is a victim advocate and the brother of Cathy Thomas, one of the original victims of the Colonial Parkway murders. For nearly four decades, he has worked with law enforcement, forensic experts, and journalists to seek answers in his sister&rsquo;s case and accountability for all affected families. Bill is co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder," where he focuses on cold cases, investigative transparency, and the systemic challenges families face in long-term homicide investigations.
Kristin Dilley is a true crime podcaster, researcher, writer, and teacher based in Williamsburg, Virginia. Kristin has worked alongside Bill Thomas for more than seven years and is the co-host of "Mind Over Murder," where she examines cold cases with an emphasis on evidence, patterns, and victim-centered accountability.
About the Host
Sheryl &ldquo;Mac&rdquo; McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a Metro Atlanta Police&nbsp;Department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners&nbsp;with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than 4 decades of experience, she has&nbsp;worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which&nbsp;integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.
Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore&rsquo;s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for "CSI: Atlanta" and induction into the National Law&nbsp;Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023. 
Social Links:
&bull; Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
&bull; Twitter: @149zone7
&bull; Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
&bull; Instagram: @officialzone7podcast 
Preorder Sheryl&rsquo;s upcoming book, "<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824">Swans Don&rsquo;t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, </a>Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist," releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.
&nbsp;
Highlights:
&bull; (0:00) Sheryl McCollum opens Zone 7by addressing stalled accountability in long-&nbsp;running cold cases
&bull; (0:45) Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley return to Zone 7 and reflect on their investigative&nbsp;partnership
&bull; (2:00) Bill remembers his sister Cathy Thomas, her Naval Academy legacy, her&nbsp;character, and her friend Rebecca Ann Dowski
&bull; (5:15) How advocacy and podcasting have helped families move forward on the Colonial&nbsp;Parkway murders
&bull; (9:15) The January 2024 public announcement linking Allen Wade Wilmer Sr. to multiple&nbsp;victims
&bull; (10:15) The confirmed DNA connection to Laurie Ann Powell
&bull; (13:15) Why Wilmer&rsquo;s DNA is not in CODIS despite evidence of sexual assault
&bull; (17:00) Federal communication failures and the limits of victim services updates
&bull; (19:15) The contrast between FBI silence and Virginia State Police persistence
&bull; (22:45) Whether Cathy Thomas&rsquo;s case is closer to resolution and what emerging&nbsp;patterns suggest
&bull; (25:15) Evidence handling failures and the long-term consequences for families
&bull; (33:15) Closing reflections on persistence, accountability, and the cost of waiting&nbsp;decades for answers 
&nbsp;

Colonial Parkway Murders Update_ New DNA Links and the CODIS Question

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4cc15cc1-2889-4b4b-a2a4-b3dd003cb734/transcript

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert

Listen here to some of our top stories this week.

Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert" aria-label="Link https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert">https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert</a>
Listen here to some of our top stories this week.
Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.&rdquo;

Unlicensed Driver Intentionally Runs of 6 YO| Crime Alert Recap Saturday 01.24.26

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4916bf9a-7bef-4e47-bbba-b3dc00f028e0/transcript

Netflix’s docuseries, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is a four-part series from executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

Its popularity is proven, with nearly 22 million viewings tallied in its opening week. Now, Combs is "pondering" suing over episodes and "stolen footage,” revealing behind the scenes images of Diddy, in the day leading up to his arrest.

Diddy still faces many sexual assault civil complaints, but is appealing his conviction on two lesser counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Now, we learn Diddy is getting out on May 25, 2028.  

Netflix&rsquo;s docuseries, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is a four-part series from executive producer Curtis &ldquo;50 Cent&rdquo; Jackson.
Its popularity is proven, with nearly 22 million viewings tallied in its opening week. Now, Combs is "pondering" suing over episodes and "stolen footage,&rdquo; revealing behind the scenes images of Diddy, in the day leading up to his arrest.
Diddy still faces many sexual assault civil complaints, but is appealing his conviction on two lesser counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Now, we learn Diddy is getting out on May 25, 2028.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS 'PONDERING' SUING NETFLIX OVER 'Reckoning' SERIES, PRISON RELEASE DATE MOVED UP

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/84abe1a7-6223-4d52-853a-b3dc00ddf34d/transcript

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan: Eliza Fletcher Mother, Teacher, Heiress, and Victim

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