I missed it. — -- Deborah Marion, the mother of murdered Memphis-born NBA player Lorenzen Wright, confronted Wrights alleged killer with one chilling question during his first court appearance on Thursday -- How could you have murdered my son?. A Tennessee man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 2010 murder of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright . I know as soon as this child sees me, she is running. He was born to Herb Wright, a father, and Deborah Marion, a mother. It seems like this pair wasnt romantically involved for long, so Lorenzen, in his senior year, moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to be closer to his mother. Even there, separated by miles, the father will be with his son, inside his head and whispering advice. Brian Barone didnt recruit Shamar and Lamar Wright because he felt some cosmic connection. When you're young, you know, you want to do all the things other kids are doing. Now the son is a 6-foot-11-inch star and the father is the women's basketball coach at Shelby State Community College, the school for which he played when he was a 6-6 forward and the nation's best junior college rebounder. Lorenzen Wright was reported missing by his mother, Deborah Marion, on July 22, 2010 and on July 28, his badly decomposed body was discovered in the woods of Memphis, ten days after he had last been seen alive. His mother is named Deborah Marion. This case is not going to be resolved anytime soon," Coffee said. She was charged with murder in the first degree. While out on bail between trials, he told authorities he helped Sherra and Billy Ray Turner, the alleged triggerman, dispose of the murder weapon, directing police to a pond some 45 miles from where Lorenzens body was found. In 2015 while the coach at Butler Community College in Kansas, Barone was arrested for DUI. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Finally, having seen and heard enough, Herb Wright reacted. Daughter Loren followed two years later. He was visiting Memphis when in the evening on July 18 he left Sherra Wright's house. He's not where I want him to be yet.". ), A day later, with their mother in jail awaiting extradition to Tennessee, the boys played a basketball game. While Memphis police are in the midst of a . Phone: Cell/Mobile/Wireless and/or landline telephone numbers for Myrtle Farrington in Fulton, MO. Jimmie Martin, Sherras cousin, was acquitted of the first-degree murder of his girlfriend in 2009, but the jury deadlocked on a second-degree charge. Coffee called Wright a sacred son of Memphis and told his mother, Deborah Marion, that the trial might not bring her closure but would celebrate the good about her son. His birth sign is Scorpio. Police determined he was shot in the early hours of July 19. Cashing in on the insurance policy served as the motive. Lorenzen Wright married Sherra Robinson. You almost dont believe it. Hey, Brian said to Tony. Wright, according to his ex-wife, left his home in Collierville, Tennessee on the night of July 18, 2010. He was born on November 4, 1975 in Oxford, Mississippi. He tries to explain his circumstance, but the person who answers says they dont do that sort of thing. ABCs 20/20: Mystery in Memphis takes an in-depth look at the homicide case of Lorenzen Wright, the professional athlete who played in thirteen NBA seasons in his career. Born on November 4, 1975, in Oxford, Mississippi, Lorenzen Wright is the son of Herbert Wright Jr. and Deborah Marion. Worried, she notified the police. Ordered to pay $26,000 per month in child support and alimony, Lorenzen quickly fell behind. The marriage lasted 13 years. Maybe a Buick. Memphis Grizzlies forward Lorenzen Wright (42) reaches for a loose ball as Dallas Mavericks forward Antoine Walker, rear, defends in the first quarter, April 13, 2004, in Dallas. Lamar made the All-CIF second team. ABC According to prosecutors, Martin claimed that after Wright was murdered, Wright Robinson and Turner confessed to him that they did it and needed his help in disposing the evidence, which is how he knew the location of the murder weapon. Lorenzen and Sherra Wright Robinson had six children together: sons Lorenzen Wright Jr., Lamar Wright, Lawson Wright, Shamar Wright and daughters Loren Wright and Sierra Wright. He stood at a height of 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) tall and weighed 260 lb (118 kg). Wait, is that our dad?. Both of Lorenzens parents were loud and active when it came to their sons murder case, especially Deborah. Marion, the slain players mother, said shes convinced the insurance policy was Sherra Wrights motivation. On November 9, 2017, the gun believed to have been used to murder Wright was found in a Walnut, Mississippi lake. The slaying is one of the most highly publicized murder cases in Memphis history. We found out, my oldest son found out on the news. Sometimes it comes in waves. She has worked previously at ESPN and the Philadelphia Daily News. Had Miller not released his brother. Lorenzen Wright died on July 9, 2010 (age 34), in Memphis, Tennesse. We'll be back," one of them snarled. Follow Dana on Twitter @DanaONeilWriter. And, on July 25, 2019, when she pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with a possibility of parole in 7, Deborah promised that she would be at the release hearing to ensure that Sherra served maximum time. This was a wondrous time for father and son, but this summer, like all summers, finally would end. In those four words, he says all anyone needs to say about Lorenzen Wright. Born on November 4, 1975, in Oxford, Mississippi, Lorenzen Wright is the son of Herbert Wright Jr. and Deborah Marion. Marion now turns her attention back to Sherra Wright in a bid to keep her ex-daughter-in . They gave us counseling at our school and every day theyd ask me how I felt, Shamar remembers. And, when Sherra Wright, their former daughter-in-law, and Billy Turner were arrested in connection with this case, they were ready to testify in court as well. He was back in his hometown on July 19, 2010, hanging out with friends and his older son for the better part of the day, before returning Snoop to Sherras in Collierville, just outside of Memphis. He continued his exploits in college and was drafted, 7 th overall, into the NBA . I think thats how I thought I should feel.. After his mother was arrested and his basketball season over, Snoop left Tennessee-Martin (he was a grad transfer, having already finished his degree at Robert Morris a year earlier) and returned to California. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, and Cleveland Cavaliers. My grandchildren need counseling, their mother killed their father. Lorenzens mom says she is ready to go before a judge to get her grandkids. At the time of Wrights slaying, Martin was facing charges of killing his girlfriend, and he said his cousin helped pay part of his legal fees. Sherra is famous for being the ex-wife and mother of six to Lorenzen Wright, who died on July 19, 2010. after receiving a 30-year prison sentence in 2019 in connection with the hoopers murder. Lorenzen was just 10, but already he was emulating his father, a former junior college star who was playing in Finland and dreaming of the NBA. I just want to get there and love on them, especially my baby granddaughter. Shamar, slightly ahead skill-wise, is seeing more playing time as the Cougars struggle to gain footing in Division 1. Lorenzen Wright made headlines as the seventh overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft - but he also won the hearts of so many because of his impact on thousands of kids who were inspired by him. The next day, in Oxford, Lorenzen blithely began his new school year, and in Memphis a group of wise guys dropped by the rec center. Wright was last heard from during a 911 call to a Germantown, Tennessee dispatcher on July 19, 2010, when he can be heard screaming "God damn" as gunshots rattle off in the background. Barones father and older brother were part of the Grizzlies staff. Heplayed for Lafayette high school in Mississippi before moving to Memphis where he spent his senior year playing for Booker T. Washington High School. he would ask his son on these occasions. . "My work ethic," Lorenzen says, "he taught me that. That`s all that matters., Related: Records show signs of trouble in Wrights finances. We already did everything else. The family received an undisclosed sum in a lawsuit stemming from the negligence. Wright's defense attorney planned to use a battered woman defense. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. On a last-ditch hope, he pulls out his phone and Googles his father, showing the other Brian a story about his dad, hoping both to legitimize his story and maybe get a little empathy. I get pulled over, theres a car and another car, and another car, and then an undercover car, Sherra says in a telephone call from prison, arranged by Snoop. The family relocated to Memphis in 2001, where Lorenzen returned as the citys hero, playing five years with the Grizzlies. ET on ESPN. Lorenzen Wright Age. Neither Turner nor Sherra Wright testified during the trial. He has played every game and started the last four, and is averaging 3.8 points and 2.7 boards per game. (Featured Image Credit: Brad Vest / The Commercial Appeal). On Dec. 15, 2017, seven years after their fathers death, the boys were returning home with Sherra from one of their games, arguing over where to stop for takeout food. They still have what Barone calls the twin thing, especially on the court where they seem to possess an almost intuitive sense for each other. Sherra Wright received $1m from her ex-husbands life insurance policy and settled a court dispute in 2014 over how she spent the insurance money meant to benefit their six children. According to online reports, the mother of slain former Atlanta Hawks player Lorenzen Wright threatened him if she caught him with other women.. Is there a triplet? he recalls thinking, though he was still a bit unsettled about Shamars commitment. Wright founded the Sierra Simone Wright Scholarship Fund after the death of his infant daughter in March 2003. Maybe so theyll realize he knows what it is to ache. How do I explain it? Lamar says. Everyone knows your business. After his infant daughter, Sierra Simone Wright, died in March 2003, he established the Sierra Simone Wright Scholarship Fund. In first grade, Sherra and Lorenzen tried to give the boys some independence from one another, putting them in separate classrooms at the Harding Academy. She says she'll attend parole hearings when the time comes. A motive for the slaying was not clear, though Hagerman said the killers were driven by jealousy and greed. However, that all changed when Lorenzen was 7-years-old. He was raised in Oxford, Mississippi. She is the author of three books, including "The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History. The coach tries to find the right words, but he has no idea what those words are. Goddamn! he yelled, before the line went silent. Tony Barone didnt take over as interim coach until the following season. ", In response, Marion said, "I want to apologize, but if anybody had a son that was murdered they'd feel me.". Police arrested 46-year-old Billy Turner on Tuesday and charged him with first-degree murder. 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