Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was an American professional basketball player who played for 13 seasons in the NBA. Drafted seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1996, he also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers. His career spanned from 1996 until 2009. Wright's life came to a tragic end when he was murdered in 2010, and the investigation and subsequent trial drew considerable media attention.
On November 4, 1975, Lorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was born. He would later become a professional basketball player.
In 1996, Lorenzen Wright was drafted seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers out of the University of Memphis.
On April 26, 1997, during his rookie season, Wright scored a postseason career-high of 17 points in a game against the Utah Jazz.
On December 26, 1997, Wright scored a season-high 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
During the 2000-01 NBA season Wright averaged a career high 12.4 points per game with the Atlanta Hawks.
In 2000, Lorenzen Wright, along with other Memphis NBA players, provided financial assistance to Travis Butler, a Memphis orphan.
On June 27, 2001, Wright was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
On January 6, 2003, Wright scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 106-102 win over the New Orleans Hornets.
In March 2003, Wright founded the Sierra Simone Wright Scholarship Fund after the death of his infant daughter.
In 2003, Wright returned to the University of Memphis to finish his degree.
On February 16, 2008, Lorenzen Wright was part of a multiplayer trade, going from Atlanta to Sacramento for Mike Bibby.
On July 18, 2010, Lorenzen Wright went missing.
Lorenzen Wright died on July 19, 2010, after going missing the day before.
On July 22, 2010, Lorenzen Wright's family filed a missing-persons report.
On August 1, 2010, Memphis police searched Sherra Wright-Robinson's home and found burned pieces of metal and a letter addressed to Lorenzen Wright and her.
In 2011, the reward for information related to Lorenzen Wright's killing stood at $21,000 from various sources.
On November 9, 2017, the gun believed to have been used to murder Lorenzen Wright was found in a lake in Walnut, Mississippi.
On December 5, 2017, Billy R. Turner was indicted on first-degree murder charges related to the death of Lorenzen Wright.
On December 15, 2017, Lorenzen Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright-Robinson, was arrested in Riverside, California, in connection with his murder.
In December 2017, Lorenzen Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright-Robinson, was charged with facilitating his murder.
On July 25, 2019, Wright-Robinson pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In March 2022, Billy Ray Turner was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder in Lorenzen Wright's case.