Feb. 28, 2003 Sierra Wright, the 11-month-old daughter of Memphis Grizzlies' center Lorenzen Wright, died Saturday morning at the family's home in Memphis, Tenn. Phil Dotson: Being married, and having kids at such an early age He was, I think, forced to be an adult really quick. He declined to comment to ABC News for this report. The player had been hit by five bullets from two guns; two shots to the head, two to the chest and one to his right arm. Completely unexpected, out of the blue he calls me and says, Hey bud, Im in town, lets hang out, Dotson said. Phil Dotson: "Have you talked to Lorenzen? On July 22, his family filed a missing person report. After her, were twins Lamar and Shamar Wright who were then followed by their youngest, another daughter, Sofia Wright, who today, is in her early teens. He took care of Sherra Wright's lawn and was also a deacon at her church. I'm like, "It's -- nothing is going to be enough for you.". Dr. Bill Adkins: When you're used to spending $40,000, $50,000 a month in just change, just spendable income and you get accustomed to that, you know, $10,000 a month seems like poverty row. Yet, Gipson said Wright still had an intimate relationship with his ex-wife. I remember havin' a conversation with an investigator by the name of Darren Goods. That frantic call was placed at 12:05 a.m. on the morning of July 19 -- just hours after Lorenzen was dropped off at Sherra's. She then took Sierra, the youngest of the couple's five children, to the hospital. He is known to put the ball in the hoop from any point on the court. ", "And he was like, 'OK, all right, fine. Prosecutors declined to comment to ABC News for this report. When Wright Robinsons plea bargain was announced in court, the judge allowed Marion the chance to speak to her sons ex-wife. Turner was indicted on first-degree murder charges and pleaded not guilty. Turner has said he is eager to prove his innocence. Wright's uncle, Curtis Wright, told The Associated Press that police called the player's father, Herb Wright, Wednesday afternoon with the news he had died. Who Is Andre the Giants Wife Jean Christensen? Being 6' 11" tall at 17 years old, he turned a lot of heads. Phil Dotson: He had just signed a six-year, $42 million deal at that point. KCAL NEWS REPORT: Memphis police just announced Lorenzen Wright's ex-wife is now charged with murder. I mean, he could run the floor better than any big man I ever saw in my life. James Brown: People running to her defense maybe? So, who conspired to murder Wright? The coroners report said he'd been hit by five bullets from two different guns: two shots to the head, two to the chest and one to his right arm. But then they could actually see their grandson do something, Marion said. And that caused severe issues between him and his wife. Lorenzen Wright was a 34-year-old basketball player in the NBA, who played for a total of 13 seasons after being drafted seventh overall in the 1996 draft. They believe their mother played no role in their . April Thompson: I have heard people say that she liked the wealth I asked her what she was doing for money. And all of that should come out in court. He has already pleaded guilty to a gun charge related to Lorenzen Wright's shooting. This person who, for the past 25 years, had not had any sort of troubles, said John Keith Perry, Turners defense attorney. She received a 30-year prison sentence. His name is Jimmie Martin, a convicted murderer currently serving time in prison. Dr. Bill Adkins: Memphis is a city that, unfortunately, has been divided by race for many, many years. Everybody was cheering. They questioned Robinson and she told them that he left her house around 2am on the 19th of July. Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. She was going through a divorce, and so she felt like it would be a new start for her and the kids as well, and I was like, "OK, let's do it.". In college, Wright scored more than 1,000 points and was mentioned on All-American team She claimed in an interview that the supposedly fictitious story was based on her real life. It turns out though, that more money meant more problems. I don't want to argue with you,'" Dotson said. Deborah Marion [yells in court]: How could you murder my son? But they may not have known that Turner is also an ex-convict who served time for assault and kidnapping over two decades ago. I think what happened to the marriage was that they grew apart, Dotson said. Fighting to stay in the league, Wright was at the tail end of his career when he went back to the Hawks for a time, and then played for the Sacramento Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sherra Wright received $1 million from her ex-husband's life insurance policy. But he didn't get the reaction he expected when he called her to celebrate. And when we pull up at the house he said, 'I'm going to go in here and I'm going to calm her down, and I'll call you later and then we can go out.". Wright, 27, flew back to Memphis after learning of his daughter's death. Dr. Bill Adkins: They both, unfortunately, liked to spend. The case went cold for seven years, until Billy Turner was charged with Lorenzen Wright's murder in December 2017. That ended in July 2010 during a call to 911. Most married couples have trouble with lack of finances. Sherra Wright filed a petition for relief of conviction or sentence after her surprise guilty plea to facilitation of murder in July 2019. Pastor Bill Adkins has been a long-time advocate for unity in the City of Memphis. Wright, 34, had been missing for 10 days before his body was discovered. While playing summer basketball in his junior year of high school, Wright met his ex-wife Sherra Robinson, who became Sherra Wright Robinson. Toney Armstrong: When you have a murder, the persons close to them is the -- most obvious person. It's challenging. April Thompson: A lot of people expected some kind of resolution. Lorenzen Wright spent the next 13 seasons in the NBA, playing for five different teams around the country. April Thompson, an investigative reporter at WREG, the CBS affiliate in Memphis, was on this story from the start. That same year, Wright was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. Lorenzen was traded to Atlanta, which he would call home after leaving the NBA in 2009, while Sherra and the kids stayed in Memphis. ", Kelvin Cowans: We got on the phone and she wasn't happy about it at all, and --. Former NBA player Lorenzen Wright was murdered more than a decade ago in a plan involving his ex-wife, but Wrights family and friends are still dealing with many unanswered questions, including "why? the investigators that took a part in this investigation -- should be celebrated, you know, at this point. That -- that was when I first started to believe that, you know what, maybe I haven't been looking at grief, you know, all this time. Lorenzen Wright's Seven Children. Gayle Rose: he was one young man who was working to make a difference in his children's lives, in other children's lives. While he was awaiting sentencing, Martin allegedly started talking to investigators. An insight into Wright and Robinsons martial life shows that it was less than perfect. It was Lorenzen's mother looking for her son. Part of Alexander Moore Partners Ltd. Ngozika loves nothing more than to turn information into an exciting, delightful, and compelling article that informs and educates, inspires, and motivates the reader. He died on July 19, 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee. Sherra Wright listens as prosecutor Paul Hagerman reads evidence against her during a court hearing on July 25, 2019 in Memphis, Tenn. Wright plead guilty to the murder of her husband, former Grizzlies player Lorenzen Wright. If I knew who did this to Lorenzen you would know who did this to Lorenzen. Lorenzen Wright Jr. was born on April 11, 1995, in Memphis, Tennessee. In an interview with The Commercial Appeal after her guilty plea, Sherra Wright said she did so for the sake of her children. Prosecutors allege that Sherra and Turner had a sexual relationship and that they killed Lorenzen Wright for his million-dollar insurance policy. A jury on Monday convicted a Tennessee man in the murder of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, who was found shot dead in a field nearly 12 years ago in his hometown of Memphis. Two years before the murder, Lorenzen was in need of cash and sold two of his luxury cars to a man named Bobby Cole. Dr. Bill Adkins: What troubled me the most was Lorenzen was killed twice. And said that he felt that he could solve it. Lorenzen. was born in 1975 and from Memphis, Tennessee (USA) and she is 44 years old as of 2019. Just this week, a surprise development in one of Memphis, Tennessee's, biggest murder cases. Gayle Rose: Lorenzen took a very special liking to Max. In the E60 special they claim to have. Sherra, I want to thank you for giving me my grandchildren, thats what I want to thank you for, she said in court. Gayle Rose: He was one young man who was working to make a difference and he symbolized hope in our community. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. In 2010, NBA player Lorenzen Wright died and left six surviving children by his ex-wife Sherra Wright-Robinson. We really wanted to solve it. Then came Loren Wright, their oldest child. Feb. 28, 2023 Updated: Feb. 28, 2023 6:37 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email. . Toney Armstrong: What was different about this particular case is that you're nine days behind. Sherra Wright alleged that her conviction was "unlawfully induced" and involuntarily entered without her understanding the nature and consequences of the plea, her court filing showed. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A jury on Monday convicted a Tennessee man in the slaying of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, whose bullet-riddled body was found in a field nearly 12 years ago in his. Marc Perrusquia: Now, the $64,000 question about that is was Lorenzen a willing part of this? Their children include Lorenzen Wright Jr, Loren Wright, twins Lamar, and Shamar Wright, Sofia Wright, and Lawson Wright. This eventually led them to Wrights remains in a wooded area on a desolate road that he used to take to get to his mothers house. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. / CBS News, Produced by Josh Gelman, Alvin Patrick and Jaime Hellmann, [This story first aired on May 12, 2018. After her book was published, Sherra agreed to an interview with Kelvin Cowans -- a freelance reporter for the Tri-State Defender. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I just hate what happened to my child," his mother said. Marion and her family drove out to Calvary Cemetery to celebrate Wright's birthday. Please enter valid email address to continue. Toney Armstrong: It was heartbreakin'. That day, using more precise cell phone data and aided by cadaver dogs, the search was on. Most troubling for Lorenzen's family was that he seemed to have disappeared without a trace. He was a power forward who played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks , Memphis Grizzlies , Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers. She was probably around 11 months old at the time of her passing, which was very hard on him. SHERRA WRIGHT: I was married to an NBA basketball player for 13 years, April. What Happened to Ray Krocs First Wife, Ethel Fleming? and I believe that's how they met. Circuit Court before the divorce was finalized in February 2010 required Lorenzen to pay $26,650 a month in alimony and child support based on . Kelvin Cowans: she was telling me that the media was hounding her for an exclusive about the finding of the gun and the arrest of Billy Ray Turner, and I was like, "Why don't you do it, you know. She had faced a possible life sentence if convicted at trial. Prosecutor Paul Hagerman [to reporters]: I expect nothing but a fight. We're doing good." . Growing up in Oxford, Mississippi, Wright found a fierce passion for playing basketball. However, the writer is best known as Lorenzen Wright's ex-spouse. Maybe I've been looking at guilt. Also apprehended was a man named Billy Ray Turner. How did they find this gun in the lake? She's a great mom. Philanthropist Gayle Rose is as dedicated to the city of Memphis as Lorenzen was. He had been meeting regularly with Wright's grieving mother, Deborah Marion. Dr. Bill Adkins: I decided to go take a look for myself. Wright stood 6 foot 11 inches tall and weighed 225 pounds and played for the Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Kings, and Cavaliers. James Brown: Never had gotten romantically involved with an interview subject? Not for money, not robbery. After 13 years together, the couple divorced in February 2010. Gayle Rose: I literally fell off my chair and on the ground and cried. The growing problem has put Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the hot seat, with concerns mounting that migrant children have been discharged from shelters and out of federal custody too quickly, pushing them into vulnerable situations where theyre more likely to become victims of child labor. Fourteen months after Lorenzen's death, Sherra received a million-dollar life insurance payout. According to the Shelby County Sheriff's . The couple left Houston and went their separate ways. It was very emotional. But he left nice looking kids here for his grandma. There, in the murky red clay water, they found a gun believed to be used in the killing. Life in the NBA can be hard on a family -- working on the road, in cities far from home for months at a time, can stress even the best of marriages. His body had gunshot wounds. Detectives finally made a headway when a tip led them to a murky lake in Walnut, Mississippi. But in a city divided, both racially and economically, there is something that brings people together. They are steeped in faith. And it was personal. Sherra would later insist that Lorenzen had affairs with multiple women and had been abusive to her and her children.. Lorenzen Wright played for several pro teams before ending up with his beloved hometown franchise, the Memphis Grizzlies. Dr. Bill Adkins: If Lorenzen had never made the NBA, he'd be alive and well right now. Their first child, Lorenzen Wright Jr., was born on April 11, 1995. Even though he had reportedly earned more than $55 million during his NBA career, Lorenzen had burned through most of the money and was almost broke at the time of his death. No one wants to believe that. Charges Dropped Against Teen Wrongfully Arrested . And he asked me for permission to -- to look at -- into the case. The ex-wife of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright pleaded guilty Thursday to facilitation of first-degree murder in his shooting death nine years ago, a surprise development in a high-profile case. Beth Thomas Child of Rage Bio: What Did She Do To Her Brother, Where Is She Now? Tribune Broadcasting. After finding the gun, the case took an unexpected turn. They were getting older. Wright's body was found July 28 in woods outside Memphis after he had been missing for 10 days. Tell Me Anything, a novel that centered around the life of a woman who marries an abusive and unfaithful basketball star. So-- I reached out to him as well, and didn't hear anything back. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A judge reset a hearing on Tuesday to address a request by the ex-wife of slain NBA player Lorenzen Wright to throw out her guilty plea in his 2010 killing in Memphis, Tennessee. Marion, who had reported her son as a missing person, said she became suspicious of his ex-wife. Kelvin Cowans: Absolutely. Once celebrated as one of Memphis' favorite sons, the memory of Lorenzen Wright still haunts this town. They are being charged with killing Wrights ex-husband NBA star Lorenzen Wright. Sherra Wright Robinson Family How old is she? And we just wasn't able to at that time. April Thompson: His mother told me directly, "I have had to live with the loss of a son. Her father happened to be his coach and friends said Wright fell for her. He called Dotson and the two arranged to hang out. It was very emotional. Log in. Gayle Rose | Lorenzen's friend: Well I know at the time Toney Armstrong was their chief of police, and this was very personal to him. Memphis Grizzlies' Lorenzen Wright, center, slides by Denver Nuggets' Kenyon Martin, left, and DerMarr Johnson, right, as he drives to the basket during the first quarter Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, in Memphis, Tenn. Sherra Wright in a Memphis courtroom on Jan. 25, 2018. After the funeral, Robinson claimed her ex-husbands life insurance money and spent it on swimming pools, exotic family trips and several luxury cars. Jul 7, 2020 26 Dislike Share Save Thomas D3 1.63K subscribers Tribute to Sierra Wright, the 11-month-old daughter of Memphis Grizzlies' center Lorenzen Wright who passed away in February. After not hearing from her son for more than 48 hours, Deborah Marion filed a missing persons report with the police. He claims he fell in love with her during an interview about Wright Robinson's life, which included talking about her new book. who knows what and how it all fits together. In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: The tragic case of Lorenzen Wright. Phil Dotson: He never met a fan that he didn't like. One weekend, Wright flew home to Memphis to attend his daughter's dance recital and his sister's baby shower. Sierra later died of SIDS at the age of 11 months. Phil Dotson: That Sunday evening we had gone to pick up his son -- Lorenzen Jr. -- from the gym. Sherra Wright and Billy Ray Turner were charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and conspiracy. The book revolved around a philandering NBA player who later gets murdered. Dr. Bill Adkins: somebody just murdered him. Timeline: Lorenzen Wright's disappearance, killing, and suspects Wright's badly decomposed body was discovered on July 28, 2010, in a grassy field known as Callis Cutoff near the TPC. Wright's mother has. Gayle Rose: Lorenzen is an example to every young boy it doesn't matter white or black that if you work hard and you have the gifts, that you can get at this level. This is the true life story of retired NBA star, Lorenzen Wright. Marc Perresquia: When you read this book, you go, like, "Wow.". "A Murder in Memphis" is set to air at . And I do mean spend. She said the last time she saw Lorenzen was on that Sunday night, July 18, at her home. "Our primary concern is to offer our support to a friend and teammate.". Prosecutors say he claimed he participated in the planning to kill Wright with Wright Robinson and another man named Billy Ray Turner but that the attempt was foiled. Sherra and Lorenze had 7 children in their marriage. Im ready for them to come back to the home with their family. The couple eventually separated in early 2009 and finalized their divorce in February 2010. The NBA, he could run the floor better than any big man ever!, and Lawson Wright the ground and cried his junior year of high school, met! A fight million-dollar life insurance policy new book the last time she saw Lorenzen was the Commercial Appeal her! Feb. 28, 2023 Updated: feb. 28, 2023 Updated: 28... Insurance policy prosecutors declined to comment to ABC News for this report on april 11,.! Dogs, the youngest of the couple eventually separated in early 2009 and finalized their divorce lorenzen wright child dies 2010. 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