Among the many NBA teams that Lorenzen Wright graced during his thirteen years of play were the Memphis Grizzlies, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Los Angeles Clippers. Aside from his philanthropy and community service, he was famous for his agility, defensive prowess, and ability to grab rebounds.
In Memphis, his hometown, where he spent the majority of his life and work, he was also a much-loved character. Unfortunately, he was shot and killed on July 19, 2010, when he was 34 years old. It took seven years for his murder to be solved, culminating in the arrest and prosecution of his ex-wife and her friend. Lorenzen Wright’s story, including who killed him and why, is detailed here.
How Lorenzen Wright Was Killed?
Lorenzen Wright disappeared from his ex-wife Sherra Wright’s Collierville, near Memphis, home at before midnight on July 18, 2010. He intended to see his lover in Atlanta the following day after visiting his six children who resided with Sherra. He had made a tidy sum by selling off some of his valuables and was now toting around a substantial sum of money.
To further ensure his safety, he possessed a firearm that he had borrowed from a buddy. The prosecution claims that for months, Sherra Wright and her companion Billy Ray Turner plotted the murder of Lorenzen Wright out of jealousy and avarice.
Allegedly, they had previously attempted to assassinate him on April 14, 2010, when they trailed him to his Atlanta residence and fired shots, but failed to hit him. They plotted their next move, which involved luring him to a remote field in southeast Memphis, where Turner opened fire with two firearms. More gunfire interrupted Wright’s attempt to dial 911.
Animals had already begun to feed on his decaying corpse when it was discovered ten days later. At least five bullets had struck him; two had struck his skull and two had struck his chest. Homicide by gunshot wounds was the official cause of death.
Who Killed Lorenzen Wright and Why?
In December 2017, following a breakthrough in the investigation, the two primary suspects in the murder of Lorenzen Wright—his ex-wife Sherra Wright and her friend Billy Ray Turner—were both apprehended. Police in Mississippi tracked down one of the murder weapons to Turner, who had purchased it from a criminal with a criminal record
. The weapon had been discovered in a Mississippi lake. In Wright’s skull, they discovered a piece of bullet that belonged to the same pistol. Wiretapped talks between Sherra and Turner, captured by the police, revealed their discussions about the murder and their alibis.
Nearly 12 years after his death rocked the basketball world, former NBA player Lorenzen Wright’s murder case came to a close Monday when a Memphis jury found a man guilty of first-degree murder. https://t.co/PUH8Ao7RA9
— CNN International (@cnni) March 22, 2022
Sherra and Turner were accused by the prosecution of killing Lorenzen Wright for financial gain and vengeance. Using the million dollars from Wright’s life insurance policy, Sherra bought expensive automobiles, mansions, and vacations. After Wright’s NBA career ended, she continued to collect $26,000 per month in alimony and child support payments from his more than $55 million in earnings.
But Wright was having financial difficulties and had declared bankruptcy in 2009. In addition to requesting child custody, he had accused Sherra of being aggressive and unfaithful. Wright, according to Sherra, was violent and uncaring, and he even threatened to murder her and their children. Along with other illegal acts, she had accused him of distributing drugs.
Sherra and Turner were presumed innocent, according to the defense, who claimed that the police had falsified and altered evidence to support their case. Police allegedly planted the gun and bullet fragment, and they said the wiretapped discussions were twisted and misconstrued. They went on to say that Wright’s assassination was a result of his ties to the criminal underworld.
The Outcome of the Trial and the Sentencing
In March of 2022, in Memphis, the trial of Billy Ray Turner and Sherra Wright got underway. Experts, relatives, and eyewitnesses all testified during the three-week trial. After three hours of deliberation, the jury found Turner guilty on all counts. All three counts of first-degree murder, including conspiracy to conduct first-degree murder, were found guilty of him.
Life without parole plus forty years for the additional charges was his sentencing. On the other hand, Sherra Wright avoided a trial by pleading guilty in 2019 to get a lesser sentence. Both the first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder counts of which she pleaded guilty. Her 30-year prison term includes a nine-year parole eligibility period.
After more than a decade of seeking answers and punishment, Lorenzen Wright’s loved ones finally got justice with the verdict and sentence. Debbie Marion, Wright’s mother, spoke of her relief and contentment with the verdict, expressing her wish for her son to be able to rest in peace.
After losing both parents, Wright’s children expressed their forgiveness toward their mother and expressed hope that she would grow from her transgressions and find redemption. They expre’ssed a desire to carry on their father’s work and ensure that his memory would be remembered.
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