48 Hours - Lorenzen Wright: No Defense

Episode Date: May 13, 2018

An NBA star and Memphis hero is gunned down in the woods. Seven years later police get a tip leading to a stunning arrest. Who killed Lorenzen Wright? CBS News special correspondent James Brown investigates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to this podcast ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app today. Even if you love the thrill of true crime stories as much as I do, there are times when you want to mix it up. And that's where Audible comes in, with all the genres you love and new ones to discover. Explore thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals, with more added all the time. Listening to Audible can lead to positive change in your mood, your habits,

and even your overall well-being. And you can enjoy Audible anytime, while doing household chores, exercising, commuting, you name it. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free. Visit audible.ca. In 2014, Laura Heavlin was in her home in Tennessee when she received a call from California. Her daughter, Erin Corwin, was missing. The young wife of a Marine had moved to the California desert

to a remote base near Joshua Tree National Park. They have to alert the military. And when they do, the NCIS gets involved. From CBS Studios and CBS News, this is 48 Hours NCIS. Listen to 48 Hours NCIS ad-free starting October 29th on Amazon Music. Here's right inside. Nice move by Lorenzen. Lorenzen was the hometown boy that makes good. He made it out of his situation and made big. He fought so hard on the court and he was such an imposing figure. The city

just would melt with his accomplishments on the court. There's thousands of little boys in Memphis who were impacted by Lorenzen Wright. You look at the pictures of him, you know, big smile on his face. He was a person who would volunteer for the community. He had time for the youth of the city. I mean, you know, we all fell in love with Lorenzo. It's just the way it is. When he first disappeared, people just thought that maybe he was tired and he wanted to get away. His mother called me saying that, have you talked to Lorenzen? I can't reach him.

911, where's your emergency? I don't have nothing but gunshots. Lorenzen Wright's mother runs toward investigation. Police in Memphis, Tennessee have found the body of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright. According to the autopsy report, it appears that he was shot by at least two different people. You can just listen to their tape and know that he was in trouble. All the speculation started then, you know, what happened, who was involved. It was a big mystery in Memphis.

His wife basically said that the last time that she saw him, he was getting into a car with two unidentified individuals. We literally, through everything we had at this investigation, we wanted to solve it. We really, really wanted to solve this case. Days become weeks and weeks become months and months become years and you don't have any answers. We never knew if we were ever going to find out who killed Lorenzen. Police have found the gun they think was used to kill Lorenzen Wright seven years ago. How unusual is it to find a key piece of evidence

some seven years later? It's the needle in the haystack. They found the needle in the haystack. Do you believe that someone, some people, over the last seven years, knew who the killer or killers were, but withheld the information? I think that you can say for a certainty there was two people that knew. Today, we're able to announce another piece of the puzzle is in place. All I can say right now is both defendants have attorneys now. announce another piece of the puzzle is in place.

All I can say right now is both defendants have attorneys now. Sir, I'll be real quick. How? Why? Who? This was Lorenzen Wright. Who would be hating him that much? Hot shot Australian attorney Nicola Gaba was born into legal royalty. Her specialty? Representing some of the city's most infamous gangland criminals.

However, while Nicola held the underworld's darkest secrets, the most dangerous secret was her own. She's going to all the major groups within Melbourne's underworld, and she's informing on them all. I'm Marcia Clark, host of the new podcast, Informants Lawyer X. In my long career in criminal justice as a prosecutor and defense attorney, I've seen some crazy cases, and this one belongs right at the top of the list. She was addicted to the game she had created. She just didn't know how to stop. Now, through dramatic interviews and access,

I'll reveal the truth behind one of the world's most shocking legal scandals. Listen to Informant's Lawyer X exclusively on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And listen to more Exhibit C true crime shows early and ad-free right now. Have you ever wondered who created that bottle of sriracha that's living in your fridge? Or why nearly every house in America has at least one game of Monopoly? Introducing The Best Idea Yet, a brand new podcast from Wondery and T-Boy about the surprising origin stories of the products you're obsessed with

and the bold risk-takers who brought them to life. Like, did you know that Super Mario, the best-selling video game character of all time, only exists because Nintendo couldn't get the rights to Popeye? to life. Like, did you know that Super Mario, the best-selling video game character of all time, only exists because Nintendo couldn't get the rights to Popeye? Or Jack, that the idea for the McDonald's Happy Meal first came from a mom in Guatemala? From Pez dispensers to Levi's 501s to Air Jordans, discover the surprising stories of the most viral products. Plus, we guarantee that after listening, you're going to dominate your next dinner party. So follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can listen to The Best Idea Yet early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. It's just the best idea yet. Music Perched on the banks of the Mississippi River, Memphis, Tennessee has always been a city of contrast, famous for its place in music history. Music history, and infamous for its place in the American Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King has been shot to death in Memphis, Tennessee.

Memphis is a city that unfortunately has been divided by race for many, many years. Pastor Bill Adkins has been a longtime advocate for unity in the city of Memphis. It's a lot better than it used to be, but there are still divisions. Decisions, unfortunately, are still made along racial lines. but there are still divisions. Decisions, unfortunately, are still made along racial lines. But in a city divided, both racially and economically, there is something that brings people together. Ladies and gentlemen, the Memphis Rituals. Welcome you to FedEx 4-Up and to tonight's game.

Basketball in Memphis became an instrument of change in which brought races together. You know, Memphis basketball was literally everything, and Lorenzen was a big part of that. Once celebrated as one of Memphis' favorite sons, the memory of Lorenzen Wright still haunts this town. Put in perspective how big the Lorenzen Wright story is here in Memphis. It's huge.

I mean, Lorenzen Wright was a true hometown hero. He was beloved. Mark Pereskia has been writing for the Memphis newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, for almost 30 years. You talk about big murders in the history of Memphis, you got Martin Luther King, okay? You can't trump that one, but he comes very close. That significant?

That significant. Born in Oxford, Mississippi, Wright moved to Memphis to play basketball at Booker T. Washington High School. And being 6 feet 11 inches tall at 17 years of age, he turned a lot of heads. I decided to go take a look for myself. What did you see? Oh yeah, I saw this huge kid that could run the floor like a gazelle. I mean, he could run the floor better than any big man I ever saw in my life.

Lorenzen went on to dazzle fans at the University of Memphis, but not for long. Thinking about what I'm going to be doing next year, whether I'm going to be at the University of Memphis or at the NBA. The Los Angeles Clippers select Lorenzen Wright. When he stepped onto that podium, everybody just cheered. I mean, every water hole, every sports bar in this town

had it on the TV screen. Everybody was watching. Everybody was cheering. Lorenzen Wright spent the next 13 seasons in the NBA, playing for five different teams around the country. He reportedly earned a career total of $55 million. Wright was known for his hard work on the court. But it was his work off the court

that truly endeared him to his fans at home. He never met a fan that he didn't like. He would sign every autograph that he came across. Perhaps no one knew Lorenzen better than Phil Dotson, Wright's best friend and fraternity brother at the University of Memphis. He was a pillar in the community, always volunteered, always would be one of the first ones to raise their hand when the team would ask for a player to go into a children's hospital or to go and speak at a school or an event.

He was just that type of guy. He was one young man that was working to make a difference, and he symbolized hope in our community. Philanthropist Gail Rose is as dedicated to the city of Memphis as Lorenzen was. They were once king and queen of the Mardi Gras. My relationship was really about our mutual interest in Memphis and that generous big heart of his. It was Gail's son, Max, that brought them together at a summer basketball camp. interest in Memphis and that generous big heart of his. It was Gail's son, Max, that brought them together at a summer basketball camp.

Lorenzen took a very special liking to Max. And you know, for Max at age 11, this is a hero, a real life hero that he gets to be in the gym with. Lorenzen is an example to every young boy, doesn't matter if white or black, that if you work hard and you have the gifts that you can get at this level. He loved children. Especially his own. Wright was the father of seven children. He married his high school girlfriend, Shara Robinson, after his second season in the NBA.

Lorenzen was in high school playing for Shara's father. Her father was one of Wright's coaches. And she would come to practices and I believe that's how they met. 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. The arguments primarily were about two things, infidelity and finances. Being married and having kids at such an early age, he was, I think, forced to be an adult really quick.

And at the same time, in that world, not really being focused on his relationship and his marriage as probably should have been. In 2001, Wright signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was back home with his family and with money in his pocket. I think he had just signed a six-year, $42 million deal at that point, so he was great. It turns out, though, that more money meant more problems. They both, unfortunately, like to spend, and I do mean spend.

Most married couples have trouble with lack of finances. His problem was affluence and how to handle that affluence, and that caused severe issues between him and his wife. But it was a family tragedy in 2003 that would break Lorenzen's heart and eventually his marriage for good. His daughter Sierra passed away of sudden infant death syndrome. She was probably around 11 months old at the time of her passing, which was very hard on him. Over the next few years, Lorenzen and Shara separated and later divorced. Lorenzen was traded to Atlanta,

which he would call home after leaving the NBA in 2009, while Shara and the kids stayed in Memphis. I'd gotten a phone call from him that he had gotten in town. Lorenzen often returned to Memphis from Atlanta to spend time with his kids. That Sunday evening, we had gone to pick up his son, Lorenzen Jr., from the gym.

He'd been playing basketball that evening. Dodson says Shara insisted Wright bring their son home to her house that night. And I ended up dropping him off that night at about 10 o'clock p.m. And when I dropped him off, he said, let me go in here and deal with this, and I'll give you a call later. But Lorenzen never called his friend that night. Instead, he called for help.

Jardine 9-1- 911, where is your emergency? Hello? Hello? To hear more of Lorenzen's 911 call, join us on Facebook at 48 Hours. At 48 hours. In the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Peru and New Zealand, lies a tiny volcanic island. It's a little-known British territory called Pitcairn.

And it harboured a deep, dark scandal. There wouldn't be a girl on Pitcairn once they reached the age of 10 that would still a virgin. It just happens to all of us. I'm journalist Luke Jones and for almost two years I've been investigating a shocking story that has left deep scars on generations of women and girls from Pitcairn. When there's nobody watching, nobody going to report it, people will get away with what they can get away with. In the Pitcairn Trials, I'll be uncovering a story of abuse and the fight for justice that has brought a unique, lonely Pacific island to the brink of extinction. Listen to the Pitcairn Trials exclusively on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

As a kid growing up in Chicago, there was one horror movie I was too scared to watch. It was called Candyman. It was about this supernatural killer who would attack his victims if they said his name five times into a bathroom mirror. But did you know that the movie Candyman was partly inspired by an actual murder? I was struck by both how spooky it was, but also how outrageous it was. Listen to Candyman, the true story behind the bathroom mirror murder,

wherever you get your podcasts. Two days after dropping off Lorenzen at his ex-wife's home, his friend Phil Dotson got an unexpected call. It was Lorenzen's mother looking for her son. Have you talked to Lorenzen? I can't reach him. And I said, well, I figure he might just be out of town.

He's not answering the phone call. So I reached out to him as well and didn't hear anything back. After not hearing from her son for more than 48 hours, Deborah Marion filed a missing persons report with the police. This is April from Channel 3. April Thompson, an investigative reporter at the CBS affiliate in Memphis, was on this story from the start. His mother, Deborah, really kind of pushed that something's not right

and made people realize that he wouldn't have been gone this long that no one heard from him. I know where he could be that I don't know where he is. We've checked all his friends from here to Atlanta, Mississippi, everywhere, so I don't have a clue. It was really kind of strange in how it happened that he had disappeared and he was gone over all of these days, and nobody knew anything. Most troubling for Lorenzen's family was that he seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Phone goes straight to voicemail. Just rings four times, and it goes straight to voicemail.

But what they didn't realize at the time was that Lorenzen had actually left behind a clue. On the 911 recording, Lorenzen's dying words. Jordan 9-1-1, where's your emergency? And the sound of 11 gunshots. Hello? That frantic call was placed at 12.05 a.m. on the morning of July 19th, just hours after Lorenzen was dropped off at Shera's.

Hello? The call came in to a 911 dispatcher in Germantown, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis. But it ended before the caller could give his name and location. Hello. I don't have nothing but gunshots. The dispatcher had trouble identifying the exact location of the call, and for reasons that are still unclear, the Germantown police did not investigate or notify any surrounding police departments. Lorenzen Wright had made a desperate call for help, and no one knew about it. As the days passed, Lorenzen's disappearance became one of the biggest mysteries Memphis had ever seen. Lorenzen's ex-wife, Shara, went on the news, appearing shaken.

He was fine. And he's fine now, and I can't, I'm not going to believe anything other than that he's fine now. She said the last time she saw Lorenzen was on that Sunday night, July 18th, at her home. He wasn't able to spend the night because he wasn't here quite that long, but he ran out and he never came back. But a few days later, when police questioned Shara, her story had surprising new details. By her account, he left with a box of drugs. She implied that Lorenzen was involved in some sort of drug transaction and was planning to, quote, flip something for $110,000.

She also told the police that there were these mysterious gunmen who were stalking him in the days before the murder. Then, on July 28, 10 days after Lorenzen was last seen, Shelby County authorities were finally told about the 911 call. Why it took that long remains a question. Where is your emergency?

Well, that day, using more precise cell phone data and aided by cadaver dogs, the search was on. Police in Memphis, Tennessee have found the body of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright. The police find Lorenzen's body near a backwoods road some 20 miles outside of Memphis. And I turned on the television and I saw Debra, his mom, running down the road trying to get to his body. It was a total shock. It was just unbelievable that he was dead. I literally fell off my chair and on the ground and cried. The coroner's 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. He was still wearing a watch and a chain. Somebody just murdered him, not for money, not robbery, just wanted him dead. To April Thompson, the crime seemed personal. Whoever had something to do with this, it was something deep down. It was very emotional. It was very emotional. Gossip started spreading and suspicion quickly fell on Shara. All of the arrows were pointing towards her. When you have a murder, the person close to him is the most obvious person. Tony Armstrong served with the Memphis PD for 27 years and was their deputy director back then.

In my experience in working homicides, there's always been somebody to come to that person's defense. You got the wrong person. That's just not in this person's character to do this. I never got that with Sherry. People running to her defense, meaning? Not to me. Sherry had told police that Lorenzen owned a shotgun and a handgun and kept them on the property. So armed with a search warrant,

they went through the house looking for the guns. But the weapons were not located. A week later on August 4th, Lorenzen's hometown turned out in force to say one last emotional goodbye at the FedEx Forum. His grandmother, his father Herb, his mother Deborah, his ex-wife Shara, and their six children were dealing in their own ways with Lorenzen's death. With the community still in shock, the city's mayor, A.C. Wharton, made this promise.

We are working night and day and that justice will be done. That's our pledge. Despite the enormous pressure to solve the murder of Lorenzen Wright, the investigation was hampered from the very beginning. What was different about this particular case is that you're nine days behind. Nine days behind. Because his body wasn't found for a long time after he had initially been reported missing. Important forensic evidence was lost due to decomposition,

and the killers had a nine-day head start. When we first picked this case up, we inherited a cold case. Meanwhile, in their search for possible suspects, detectives were uncovering details of Lorenzen's private life. And it was troubling. 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. They had two homes, expensive homes, that were in foreclosure.

Shara said they were bouncing checks left and right. Two years before the murder, Lorenzen was in need of cash and sold two of his luxury cars to a man named Bobby Cole. Cole was a drag racer who worked the circuit. It turns out he also had ties to a notorious drug syndicate. Authorities were already watching Cole when Lorenzen sold him the cars, and investigators suspected the vehicles were used to launder drug money. Now, the $64,000 question with that is, was Lorenzen a willing part of this?

I've been told that the connection was real tenuous, that Lorenzen didn't really know Bobby Cole, that he was introduced by a third party, and it was kind of a passing relationship. They questioned, you know, was he doing it for laundering money, but Lorenzen bought cars like you and I buy shirts, and he just, you know, he'd get tired of it, he'd sell it. Just simply put. The DEA ultimately found no drug connection between Lorenzen and Cole.

But it cast a shadow over Lorenzen's squeaky clean image and reinforced Shera's accusations that he was involved in a high-stakes drug transaction the night he was murdered. What troubled me the most was Lorenzen was killed twice. He was killed physically, then his character was assassinated. People now don't think of him as that charming, happy young man who played for Memphis. Now they think of him as a drug dealer. Despite the drug allegations against Lorenzen, many people were still suspicious of Shara. Three months after the murder, she agreed to talk to April

Thompson. What was that like? I was surprised that she agreed to the interview. There was a lot of speculation going around that she knew something, that she had something to do with it, and I just told her, I said, this is your opportunity to tell your side of the story. Did you have anything to do with Lorenza's murder? No, April. No. If I knew who did this to Lorenzo, you would know who did this to Lorenzo.

I have heard people say that she liked the wealth. I asked her what she was doing for money. So how are you getting by now? I was married to an NBA basketball player for 13 years, April. My watch is a car, or my ring is a house. I mean, he was good to me. 14 months after Lorenzen's death, Shara received a million-dollar life insurance payout.

This million-dollar insurance policy was set up for the benefit of their children. And, of course, she being the mother wound up being the fiduciary. So that's an intriguing element to this. Did she have a financial motive in all of this? Because here's a quick million. But before long, Shara was nearly broke again, having blown through the million dollars in just 10 months, spending most of it on expensive homes, luxury cars, and extravagant trips. When you're used to spending $40,000, $50,000 a month and just change, just spendable income,

and you get accustomed to that, you know, $10,000 a month seems like poverty row. By early 2014, almost four years after the murder, Shara had moved on and remarried. And still, there were no arrests for the murder of Lorenzen Wright. The case grew cold. I don't remember ever going more than a month without somebody asking me about Lorenzen Wright's murder. Have you all made any headway on it? Where are you on it? Oddly, nearly five years after Lorenzen's death, it was Shara who drew attention back to herself by publishing a book called Mr. Tell Me Anything. It was about a philandering

NBA player. When you read this book, you go like, wow. Shara claimed it was based on her life with Lorenzen. The book is about a woman who has been wronged, who's very embittered, who's been abused emotionally, has been cheated on. And Shara also claimed to be writing a sequel, with a philandering husband in her first book is murdered. Shara was very interested in getting money. After her book was published, Shara agreed to an interview with Calvin Cowens,

a freelance reporter. It would prove to be a fateful meeting. In walks this 5'10 goddess. I just couldn't forget, you know, how I felt when I saw her. I thought she was beautiful. Her perfume was unfair, you know, and so that's how it all started. I had never interviewed a woman and then dated her never crossed the line never have gotten romantically involved with an interview subject never not one Cheryl was the first within six

months she agreed to leave her marriage leave Memphis and move with him to Houston Houston was my idea and she was up for it. Absolutely. 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, okay, let's do it. What was life with Shara like? It was great.

Shara, she's hilarious. She's funny. She's spiritual. She's a great mom. I mean, we had a great time. Even though Kelvin had heard the rumors about Shara's involvement with Lorenzen's murder, he remained devoted to her.

I didn't even believe she had anything to do with it. I wouldn't have ever moved away with her if I thought she was guilty. You know, you have to understand, she had written a book about her life with Lorenzen, okay? Now, where I come from, you don't write books about people you help kill. By 2016, six years after the murder of hometown hero Lorenzen Wright, Memphis had all but given up hope that the crime would be solved. How did this impact the city as a whole? The clouds hung over the city for some time. The grief over losing Lorenzen, but then just this thing of,

why can't they catch these guys? What's going on? A lot of people expected some kind of resolution, and it just seemed like there wasn't one. Well, I know at the time, Tony Armstrong was their chief of police, and this was very personal to him. And he pledged that he would find the killer. Armstrong says his department never gave up on the investigation. I can tell you that we threw everything but the kitchen sink at this investigation. And it was personal. He had been meeting regularly with Wright's grieving mother, Deborah Marion.

And it was heartbreaking, just gut-wrenching, to sit across the desk and talk to her and to see the pain that she was in. I wanted to be able to make that phone call to her and tell her, you know, that we found the person responsible for this. I wanted to deliver that news to her, and we just wasn't able to at that time. Meanwhile, the relationship between Wright's ex-wife, Shara, and Kelvin Cowens had soured. I can't say it didn't work out because she was an awful person,

but there were signs of greed that I wasn't used to. The tipping point came when Lorenzen's father, Herb Wright, received a $200,000 check from the NBA for his son's estate. She's telling me about it. She's asking me, what should I do about this money? Should I go after it? Should I go to court? And I said, no. I said, leave the money alone. Let them put it in the kids' trust. They can get it later. We're doing good. And she was like, no, I don, leave the money alone. Let them put it in the kids' trust. They can get it later. We're doing good. And she was like, no, I don't want Herb to have it. I'm like, nothing is going to be enough for you. The couple left Houston and went their separate ways.

Calvin came back home to Memphis, and Shara moved her kids to Riverside, California, where her brother is the pastor of a church. Within months, she was married for a third time to a music producer, Tim Robertson. Back in Memphis, the rumor mill implicating Shara was still grinding away. She was at the spotlight of this whole thing as, you know, kind of, you know, seemingly suspect number one.

But rumors don't equal proof, and police director Tony Armstrong's tenure had come to an end. Had already announced my retirement. I remember having a conversation with an investigator by the name of Darren Goosey, and he asked me for permission to look into the case and said that he felt that he could solve it I knew that he was on to something and I just prayed that he would have some success with it

Armstrong's prayers were answered Seven years after the murder of Lorenzen Wright, on November 9, 2017, acting on a tip, Memphis police went to this lake in Walnut, Mississippi. Here, in the murky red clay water, they found a gun believed to be used in the killing. They found the murder weapon. And for them to be able to recover their gun is a pretty remarkable feat. Although Kelvin Cowens had broken up with Shara, he thought she would be happy when the gun was found. But he didn't get the reaction he expected when he called her to celebrate. I said, hey, the police have done this great thing. They found the gun.

They killed Lorenzen. We got on the phone, and she wasn't happy about it at all. Really? And that bothered me. That was when I first started to believe that, you know what, maybe I haven't been looking at grief all this time. Maybe I've been looking at guilt. After finding the gun, the case

took an unexpected turn. On December 5th, police arrested this man, Billy Ray Turner, in a convenience store in Collierville, Tennessee. It was almost like a surreal moment, really. I mean, because, you know, we kept hearing these things about Shera. Then they arrested this guy, Billy Turner, who nobody had even heard of. Who is Billy Ray Turner, and how does he fit into the case? If he is who this investigation says that he is, he's a murderer.

He's a cold-hearted murderer. Billy Ray Turner is a 47-year-old landscaper. He took care of Shara Wright's lawn and was also a deacon at her church. A lot of people, when they talk about Billy Ray Turner, his friends and congregants out there, they say, hey, they got the wrong guy. But they may not have known that Turner is also an ex-convict who served time for assault and kidnapping over two decades ago. As far as Mr. Billy Ray, I have never met him, don't know him, but I do know that

Shara is quite capable of manipulating a man. Shara's the type of person where she can make you go jump off a bridge. Get back up, go back up there and jump again. Okay? After Turner's arrest, Shara and Cowans spoke by phone again. 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, it's unnatural for you not to do it. You know, and she's like, well, they're just going to twist my words. I said, the public wants to hear from you, Shara, you know.

And she just wasn't, she wasn't with it. Ultimately, it wasn't up to Shara Wright. Memphis police just announced Lorenzen Wright's ex-wife is now charged with murder. Ten days after Turner's arrest, she was taken into custody in Riverside, California. Turner's arrest, she was taken into custody in Riverside, California. Back in Memphis, despite all the rumors, the news evoked mixed feelings. Tough. Really tough. And I just sat there. Thinking.

Just, how could you? How could you? She was arrested and our worlds were just blown up. There's some part of me, to be honest with you, that doesn't want to believe that and just can't take that in. Memphis police did not say why they arrested Shara, but seven long years after the murder of Lorenzen Wright, they finally got their suspects. How could you have murdered my son? That's what I need to know, just how?

The journey has led you right back to the person that was supposed to be as close to him as anybody, and that was his wife. So it's easy for somebody to say, well, the obvious suspect was right there in front of you the whole time. But look at it in a positive light. You can basically say that they never gave up.

Investigators that took a part in this investigation should be celebrated. You know, at this point, you know, there's still a case to be tried in court. Court. The former wife of NBA star Lorenzen Wright appeared at an extradition hearing today. Sheryl Wright faces a charge of first-degree murder for his death. After the arrest of Shera Wright in December 2017, the Memphis Court of Public Opinion

seemed to come to its own conclusion. Do you think Shera Wright killed Lorenzen Wright? I hate to say it, but it seems like she did. I do. I think Lorenzen was killed for money. I believe she did. And that's hard to say. On January 25th, the real court of Shelby County weighed in. Shara Wright was extradited from California to Tennessee.

And there she was, in an orange jumpsuit, arraigned for the murder of her ex-husband. It's really hard, but I'm glad. I've been waiting for seven years for this. Shera Wright and Billy Ray Turner were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and attempted murder. Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman is one of Shelby County's best prosecutors, but he's trying to manage expectations.

Two defendants, years and years, a cold case for years and years. It's challenging. And Sharer's attorneys are sure to mount a fierce defense. Steve Ferris Jr. and Blake Ballen are two of Memphis' best. She's trying to keep her head up and looks forward, like we do, to seeing what actual evidence the state thinks they have. Billy Ray Turner has hired John Keith Perry Jr., an experienced defense attorney with a good record.

His family is a Christian family. They are steeped in faith and they know that at the end of the day they have the strongest belief as well as I that Mr. Turner will be exonerated at the end of the day, they have the strongest belief, as well as I, that Mr. Turner will be exonerated at the end. Wright and Turner pled not guilty to all charges, but the indictments revealed two startling claims. One, a previous murder attempt by Wright and Turner. Supposedly, a few weeks before they actually killed him,

they tried to kill him down in Atlanta. They actually say that Billy Ray Turner was in Lorenzen's house. And the second claim, a third person was involved, someone who claims to have been in on it. Do you think that someone knows, has known, who the killer or killers were, but has just held onto the information? Yes, I do. How did they find this gun in the lake? I mean, I've heard stories about that.

Who knows what and how it all fits together. Kelvin Cowens tried to put all the pieces together by writing a book about his complicated relationship with Shera Wright. No one wants to come to a realization that a mother with no criminal background, mothered seven of his children, would be involved in his murder. No one wants to believe that. be involved in his murder. No one wants to believe that. At a bond hearing last week, a stunning revelation. The prosecution identified the alleged co-conspirator. His name is Jimmy Martin, a convicted murderer currently serving time in prison. He's also Shara Wright's cousin. Martin claims that it was he who plotted with Billy Ray Turner and Shara to kill Lorenzen Wright, first in an aborted

attempt in Atlanta. That they were going to Lorenzen Wright's house in Atlanta, Georgia to murder. And then in Memphis. Or to lure him to Memphis, Tennessee and murder him there. Martin alleges that he was not present for the actual murder, but he did help Turner and Wright clean up the crime scene. He also claims that he went with Turner to the Mississippi Lake to throw away that gun. Martin stated he accompanied Billy Turner to a lake where Billy Turner disposed of a handgun that was used to murder Lorenzen Wright. Prosecutors allege that Wright and Turner had a sexual relationship and

that they killed Lorenzen Wright for his million-dollar insurance policy. As Shara left the courtroom, she and Turner exchanged a passing glance. Prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty in the case, which is fine with Lorenzen's family. His mother told me directly, I have had to live with the loss of a son and death would be too easy. So they don't want the death penalty. But I think they want to know the details of what happened and all of that should come out in court. Not seeking death could signal that the prosecution believes this case is not open and shut. It

seems to hang on the allegations of a convicted murderer. The fact that he is a convicted murderer, yes, there's an absolutely chance that he could have committed the act himself. The trial is scheduled to take place in the coming months. I expect nothing but a fight. This has all the makings of a courtroom drama unlike anything else we've seen here in a very long time. I think everybody will probably be sitting on the edge of their seats. But whatever the outcome, it should provide some measure of closure for the city of Memphis and its favorite son.

He was a one young man that was working to make a difference in his children's lives and other children's lives. He was a generous heart, and he symbolized hope in our community. Now, it would be a shame if throughout all this that we forgot that. Lorenzen Wright from the University of Memphis. If Lorenzen had never made the NBA, he'd be alive and well right now.

And I want everybody to know in this city that he was a good guy. Not what he was portrayed to be, but a good human being. Billy Ray Turner's bond was set at $15 million. Shara Wright's bond will be set at the end of the month. Lorenzen's younger children are living with family in California. To hear more about the alleged murder plot, join us at 48hours.com. If you like this podcast, you can listen ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick survey at wondery.com slash survey.