Wright’s wife charged with NBAer’s murder
Memphis police pins slaying on her 7 years after death
Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The ex-wife of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright was charged in his slaying, more than seven years after his body was found in a field in his hometown of Memphis.
Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said Saturday that Sherra Wright was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Lorenzen Wright, who played for five teams over 13 seasons as a forward and center in the NBA. He was 34
Police and federal marshals in Riverside County, Calif., arrested Sherra Wright, 46, Friday night on a fugitive from justice warrant, online records show.
Wright’s decomposing body was found in suburban Memphis on July 28, 2010 — 10 days after he was reported missing. He was shot multiple times. The seven-year investigation into his death has been one of the Memphis Police Department’s most high-profile unsolved cases.
The case had a break earlier this month, when Billy R. Turner was indicted on a first-degree murder charge Dec. 5 in Wright’s death. Turner has pleaded not guilty. Media reports have said Turner, a landscaper, and Sherra Wright attended the same church. Rallings would not discuss the connection between Turner and Wright, but he said police were confident they knew each other.
A release from the Shelby County District Attorney’s office says Turner and Sherra Wright conspired to kill Lorenzen Wright. Sherra Wright has a court hearing Monday in California. Officials were not certain Saturday when she would be returnedto Memphis.
Police said a month ago that they had found a gun used in the killing in a lake near Walnut, Miss., about 75 miles east of Memphis.
“The weapon was key,” Rallings said.
The District Attorney’s office said the first attempt at killing Wright occurred between April and July 2010 and involved Turner traveling to Wright’s home near Atlanta. The indictment says Sherra Wright and Turner acquired firearms and recruited a co-conspirator, who was not named.
Rallings said police are looking at other people in the investigation.
Sherra Wright received $1 million from her ex-husband’s life insurance policy. She agreed to a settlement in 2014 in a court dispute over how she spent the insurance money meant to benefit their six children, The Commercial Appeal has reported.