Lorenzen Wright slaying mystery deepens

By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The ex-wife of Lorenzen Wright has told police he left her house the night of his death with a box of drugs and an unknown amount of cash, the Commercial Appeal of Memphis is reporting, citing court records.

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Lance Murphey, AP Family and friends of slain NBA basketball player Lorenzen Wright at a memorial service in Memphis on Aug. 4.

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David J. Phillip, AP Memphis Grizzlies' Lorenzen Wright (42), shown in a 2005 photo, dunks the ball against Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11), of China, in Houston.

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Sherra Wright told detectives that Wright talked to someone on the phone before he left with the drugs and money.

"During the conversation with the unidentified individual, Sherra Wright told Det. Young she heard Lorenzen Wright say he was going to flip something for $110,000," a police affidavit obtained by the newspaper says.

Shortly after that call on July 18, Wright left the home in a vehicle driven by an unidentified person, Sherra Wright told police.

The former NBA player was reported missing a few days later. On July 28, he was found shot to death in a wooded area in southeast Memphis. According to the Commercial Appeal, as many as a dozen gunshots can be heard on the 911 call made from a cell phone in Wright's possession.

Wright's 13-year career included two stints with the Atlanta Hawks, and he had a home in the Atlanta area.

Last week's memorial service for Wright, a Memphis native, drew 3,000 fans and friends to the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Wright's six children each wore a different team hat from his career.

The 6-11 power forward known as "Ren" was remembered as a devoted father and community hero.

Memphis Police Lt. Alan Ruhl told the Commercial Appeal that the investigation is developing.

"We are awaiting the examination of several articles of evidence by various sources," he said. "Lorenzen Wright's extensive travels have required that homicide investigators conduct interviews in jurisdictions which are well outside of Memphis.

"This course of interviewing and developing evidence is not unique to the Wright investigation. The MPD homicide bureau is going to great lengths to bring justice to Lorenzen Wright and his loved ones, as we do in every other investigation."