Lorenzen Wright Murder Case Closed; Suspect Convicted 12 Years After NBA Player's Death
Nearly 12 years after his death rocked the basketball world, the murder case of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright came to a close Monday when a Memphis jury convicted a Tennessee man.
Billy Ray Turner was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy in the death of Wright. The 6-foot, 11-inch center played for the Memphis Grizzlies during his 13 seasons before retiring after the 2008-09 campaign.
Judge Lee Coffee of the Shelby County Criminal Court sentenced Turner, 51, to life in prison for the murder conviction. Other charges will be settled at a later date.
On July 28, 2010, Wright's bullet-riddled body was found in a field in his hometown of Memphis. Before he was discovered, the 34-year-old father of six had been missing for days.
Coffee called the former NBA star "a sacred son'' of Memphis.
His mother, Deborah Marion, said that the verdict will never bring her any closure since she will never see her son again. However, it will provide "some satisfaction" for her and her family. Marion told reporters she would visit her son's grave on Monday evening.
The shooting is one of the most highly publicized murder cases in the history of Memphis, Tennessee, CNN reported.
Wright's Ex-wife in Part of The Killing
Turner had already pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon as a convicted felon after being found with two guns when he was arrested in the 2017 murder of Wright. He is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence for a separate gun charge.
Prosecutors allege Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright, masterminded a plan to kill her former husband and sought the help of Turner and her cousin, Jimmie Martin.
More than seven years after the killing, Turner and Sherra Wright were indicted in December 2017. Sherra entered a guilty plea to the facilitation of murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in July 2019, per ESPN.
Turner and Sherra had a secret romantic relationship, according to prosecutors.
Meanwhile, Martin was facing charges of killing his girlfriend at the time of Wright's slaying, and Sherra helped pay part of his legal fees. Martin was convicted and is currently serving time in jail. He has been granted immunity from prosecution in the Wright case.
Martin testified that Sherra recruited him and Turner to kill Lorenzen Wright.
According to Martin, he and Turner met with Sherra to plan the murder and then went to Lorenzen Wright's condo in Atlanta to shoot him, with the understanding that he would be compensated.
Turner and Martin, armed with handguns, went to Wright's condo and discovered someone sleeping in the living room - but it was not Lorenzen Wright. The two returned home without killing anyone.
Martin informed prosecutor Paul Hagerman that he was in Batesville, Mississippi, just after midnight on July 19, 2010, when the shooting occurred. Martin said he only went to the Memphis field with Sherra several days after the shooting.
Lorenzen Wright was visiting Memphis from Atlanta. Martin testified that Sherra lured her ex-husband to the field and then, together with Turner, ambushed and chased Wright. Wright attempted to run away before they shot him in the field.
The jury heard a chilling 911 call made by Lorenzen Wright, which captured the sound of multiple gunshots.
Martin further said that Turner and Sherra disposed of evidence from the shooting scene and that he went with Turner to discard the weapon in a north Mississippi lake.
In 2012, Martin claimed that he told detectives where the gun was hidden. FBI divers later discovered it.
Killers Were Driven by Jealousy and Greed, Says Prosecutor
Defense attorney John Keith Perry questioned parts of Martin's testimony, claiming that the information he provided to investigators was a farce and full of lies. He called Martin's story "crazy, contrived'' in the closing arguments.
On the other hand, Prosecutor Paul Hagerman defended Martin's testimony, saying his immunity agreement required him to tell the truth, and his statements given to investigators and prosecutors have been consistent.
Turner and Sherra did not testify during the trial.
Although the motive for the slaying was unclear, Hagerman said the killers were driven by jealousy and greed.
Sherra received $1 million from the life insurance policy of her former husband and settled a court dispute in 2014 about how she spent the insurance money meant to benefit their six children.
Marion, the slain player's mother, believes Sherra was motivated by the insurance coverage.
Marion said: "That's what it was about. Money.''
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: BREAKING: Billy Ray Turner Convicted of Lorenzen Wright's Murder (Verdict Reached)
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