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- [00:07]
Carter Roy
This is Crime House. Since its founding in 1946, the National Basketball association has grown to become one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. With millions of fans and billions of dollars at play, the stakes are high and the competition is fierce. Every year, thousands of college players fight for their dreams of going pro. And there's one surefire way to get an NBA team's attention. Crushing it during March Madness. For those who make the cut, it might seem like a fairy tale, but a lot of the time, the reality of being an athlete is much darker than anyone knows. And in some cases, it's even deadly. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon, and we don't always get to know the real ending. Hi, I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime, a Crime House original. Every Tuesday I'll explore the story of a notorious murder or murders. I'll be bringing awareness to stories that need to be heard with a focus on those who are impacted. At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Murder True Crime Stories. Wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly matters. And for ad free and early access to Murder True Crime Stories plus exciting Crime House bonus content, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. Before we get started, you should know this episode includes graphic discussions of murder. Listener discretion is advised. With March Madness kicking off, this one part special is highlighting two notorious basketball related murders, one from the world of college basketball and one from the NBA. First, we'll dive into the disappearance and murder of 21 year old Patrick Dennehy, a promising young player with dreams of going pro. In the summer of 2003, he transferred to the Baylor University Bears, but before he could play a single game, he vanished. The winding investigation led detectives to a shocking discovery that involved the university's head coach. After that, we'll move to the murder of 34 year old Lorenzen Wright, who played for several NBA teams but was retired at the time of his death. In the wake of Lorenzen's murder in 2010, detectives searched far and wide for his killer. After nearly a decade, they arrested several people and it turned out the mastermind was closer to home than anyone ever thought possible. All that and more coming up. I've got some exciting news. Crime House Studios is launching a new original show called Killer Minds, hosted by licensed forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels and Crime House's Vanessa Richardson. Each episode features a deep dive into the psychology of a notorious murderer. From serial killers to cult leaders, deadly exes and spree killers, Killer Minds is a Crime House Studios original. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, sure thing. Hey, you sold that car yet?
- [04:27]
Carvana Representative
Yeah, sold it to Carvana.
- [04:29]
Carter Roy
Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy.
- [04:32]
Carvana Representative
The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency, no interest over 36 months. Yeah, no. Carvana gave me an offer in minutes, picked it up and paid me on the spot. It was so convenient.
- [04:44]
Carter Roy
Just like that.
- [04:45]
Carvana Representative
Yeah.
- [04:45]
Carter Roy
No hassle?
- [04:46]
Carvana Representative
None.
- [04:47]
Carter Roy
That is super convenient. Sell your car to Carvana and swap hassle for convenience.
- [04:52]
Dr. Tristan Engels
Pick up fees may apply.
- [04:55]
Pluto TV Advertiser
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- [05:28]
Carter Roy
By the mid-1990s, the Baylor University men's basketball team was floundering. In the nearly 50 years since the school's program was established, they'd only had one March Madness appearance by 1999. The Waco, Texas based team was desperate for a change, so they searched for a new coach. They had their eyes on Dave Bliss, who'd had success with the Southern Methodist and New Mexico University men's basketball teams. That year, Baylor awarded him a whopping five year $3 million contract, making Bliss one of the highest paid coaches in the Big 12 Conference. But even with Dave Bliss at the helm, the team continued to struggle. After a mediocre 200203 season, Bliss knew he needed to find more talented players. So besides recruiting better high school seniors, he looked for college athletes willing to transfer from other schools. One of those students was Patrick Dennehy. By the time 21 year old Patrick came to Baylor in the summer of 2003, he was hoping for a fresh start. Born and raised in Santa Clara, California, Patrick had always dreamed of going pro. Unfortunately, he wasn't recruited by any of the major teams like Duke or Kentucky out of high school. Instead, he hoped his path to the NBA would begin at a smaller school, the University of New Mexico, where Dave Bliss used to coach. Patrick's time at New Mexico was filled with a lot of ups and downs on and off the court. Allegedly, he got into an argument with a teammate after a particularly tough loss, and at one point he was permanently kicked off the team for leaving a workout early. Despite these issues, Bliss saw something special in the young player and in 2003 he asked Patrick to join the Baylor Bears. Patrick jumped at the opportunity after his missteps at New Mexico, he wasn't sure he'd get another chance on the court. Luckily, he wasn't in it alone. He quickly bonded with one of his new teammates, 21 year old Carlton Dotson. Carlton was also a transfer student. He'd joined Baylor a year earlier. Originally from Maryland, Carlton got his start playing for a small junior college in Texas. Then in 2002, Coach Bliss offered him a spot at Baylor. Even though Carleton had a year on Patrick, the two quickly hit it off. In fact, they were so close, Patrick let him crash at his place when Carlton was going through a rough patch in his love life. According to Carlton's estranged wife, he had mental health issues, including paranoia. It took a toll on their marriage, and by the time Carlton was staying at Patrick's, he and his wife were separated. Still, despite Carlton's personal struggles, he and Patrick were hopeful heading into the 20032004 season. They wanted to make it a winning one. Unfortunately, neither one would end up playing in it. June 15, 2003 was Father's Day. Usually, Patrick always called his stepfather to celebrate and tell him how much he loved him. But not this time. It was strange, but Patrick's family didn't immediately worry. Maybe he was busy with basketball and couldn't call just yet. But they weren't the only ones to notice. Something was off. The next day, June 16, Patrick's roommate Chris Turk came back to their apartment after a week out of town. When he got there, he noticed Patrick's two dogs looked like they hadn't been fed in days. Chris wondered if Patrick had decided to go on a last minute trip and forgot about his pets. For the next three days, no one heard from Patrick. And by June 19, four days after Father's Day, his parents had a sinking feeling that something was very wrong. They contacted Baylor's basketball staff, but they didn't seem concerned. They told Patrick's parents that his friend Carlton was also mia. The two boys must be out together having some fun. Patrick's parents weren't convinced. They decided if Baylor wasn't going to do something, they would. That day they filed a missing persons report with the Waco Police Department. The initial search didn't seem to lead detectives anywhere. It isn't entirely clear where they looked for Patrick or who they spoke to. But on June 25, 2003, six days after Patrick was reported missing, his Chevy Tahoe was discovered In Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1400 miles away from Baylor. It was suspicious, to say the least. But nothing about the car indicated foul play, and investigators didn't find anything in or around the vehicle that might have led them to Patrick. For the moment, it seemed like detectives were out of leads. But then, on June 30, a suspect landed in their lap. That day, Waco police got a call from the authorities in Delaware. Apparently, Patrick's cousin had told them he was dead and the killer was Patrick's best friend, Carlton Dotson. Police back in Texas were stunned. If this was true, they needed to speak with Carlton right away. A few days later, they found him in his home state of Maryland and brought him in for questioning. But Carlton wasn't under arrest yet and didn't have a lawyer present, so he was very careful about what he said. In the end, he didn't give them any new information about Patrick's whereabouts or whether he was still alive. With no help from Carlton and no evidence to hold him on, detectives were forced to look elsewhere. Over the next few weeks, investigators continued to question those closest to Patrick. But no matter how many people they talked to, no one seemed to know what happened to him. However, despite the lack of leads, these interviews did help detectives learn what happened in the days leading up to Patrick's disappearance. Apparently, Patrick and Carlton were involved with some local drug dealers. In early June, Patrick and Carlton started receiving threats from them. At first, it seemed like nothing more than hot air. But then someone broke into Patrick's car. The incident sent the boys into a frenzy, and they decided to buy guns to protect themselves. Now, with Patrick missing, the authorities looked into the allegations. But they couldn't find anything to substantiate the claims or lead them to Patrick. It seemed like detectives were back to square one. But finally, about a month after Patrick disappeared, on July 17, 2003, they caught a break. That day, Carlton called his local police in Maryland. He said he wanted to talk to them and the FBI. Both parties brought him in for questioning. But it didn't go exactly as planned. During the interview, Carlton seemed panicked. He said demons were after him because he was, quote, jesus, son of God. It seemed like another dead end. But then, a few days later, Maryland detectives got a second call from Carlton. This time, he was contacting them from a psychiatric hospital. Apparently, he'd had a mental breakdown and was seeking treatment. But he was well enough to tell the detectives everything he told them that back in June, a day or two before Patrick's disappearance, the two of them had gone to a friend's property on the outskirts of Waco to practice shooting their new guns. As they fired off round after round, something strange happened. According to Carlton, Patrick had pointed his gun at Carlton and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed, but Carlton was freaked out. In response, he'd aimed his weapon at Patrick's head and fired, killing his friend. After Carlton realized what he'd done, he he'd made a run for it. He hopped into Patrick's Chevy Tahoe and drove all the way from Texas to Maryland. Along the way, he convinced a relative to wire him some money. According to Carlton, this relative also helped him clean the car of any evidence and dump it in Virginia, where the authorities eventually found it. Carlton said he hid out in Maryland for a few weeks, but when detectives brought him in for questioning, he knew the jig was up. And once he was in the hospital, he decided he was ready to confess. That's when he called the police and the FBI. After listening to Carlton's story, investigators had no doubt he was their man. Now it was time to bring Patrick some justice. On July 21, 2003, over a month after Patrick was reported missing, 21 year old Carlton was arrested and charged with first degree murder. As he waited to be extradited to Texas, Waco PD began searching the property where Carlton said he'd shot Patrick. After four days, they found a decomposed body and soon authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Patrick Dennehy. It certainly wasn't the outcome Patrick's family had been hoping for. But with Carlton in custody, it seemed like the case was finally closed. Now Patrick's loved ones could lay him to rest and seek justice for his murder. Except it wasn't the end of the story. Because while looking for Patrick, detectives learned some disturbing details about Baylor University and coach Dave Bliss. It turned out the Baylor men's basketball team was hiding some very dark secrets.
- [17:17]
Shopify Advertiser
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- [17:46]
Carter Roy
Hey, everyone, it's Carter. With an exciting update, Crime House Studios is launching a new original show called Killer Minds. Hosted by licensed forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels and Crime House's Vanessa Richardson, each episode of Killer Minds features a deep dive into the psychology of a notorious murderer, from infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes and terrifying spree killers. Along with Vanessa's immersive storytelling full of high stakes twists and turns, Dr. Engels will be providing expert analysis of the people involved, not just how they killed, but why. Killer Minds is a Crime House Studios original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
- [18:46]
Greenlight Advertiser
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- [19:20]
Carter Roy
By the end of July 2003, the disappearance and murder of 21 year old Patrick Dennehy had been solved. After over a month of tireless searches, authorities had found Patrick's body and his killer, his own teammate and best friend, Carlton Dotson. But while the Waco, Texas Police Department worked to build a case against Carlton, they came across some unexpected information about Patrick, and it made Baylor University and its men's basketball head coach look very bad. All at Patrick Dennehy's expense, apparently. When Dave Bliss first approached Patrick about joining the team, he promised him a scholarship. The only issue was the basketball program had already awarded all their available scholarships by that point. Bliss knew that, but he also knew Patrick couldn't afford the tuition otherwise. So Bliss paid Patrick's tuition himself without him knowing. He also threw in some additional gifts, including Patrick Chevy Tahoe. While these allegations didn't have any legal ramifications, they did violate the National Collegiate Athletic Association's bylaws. The NCAA is very clear a coach cannot personally pay for an athlete's tuition, nor pay him in other ways. If the claims against Bliss were true, Baylor was looking at some major consequences, including losing scholarship funding or postseason bans. If that happened, the Bears wouldn't be allowed to play in tournaments like March Madness. And of course, it also meant their coach might be forced to resign. Even just one of these punishments could set the team back years. Bliss knew he could be in serious trouble, but instead of owning up to his mistakes, he decided to drag Patrick Dennehy's name through the mud. While the authorities were searching for Patrick earlier that summer, Bliss had started spreading some nasty rumors about Patrick and Carlton. He told anyone who would listen they were drug dealers, which was pretty convenient, since Patrick wasn't exactly able to defend himself at the time. But Bliss was willing to do whatever it took to protect his reputation. He hoped to control the narrative by raising the possibility that any money Patrick had, including tuition payments, had actually come from selling drugs. But if Bliss wanted that story to stick, he needed some help. Just before the end of July 2003, around the time Carlton Dotson was arrested, Bliss approached his assistant coaches. He told them he wanted to find some players who would support his claims against Carlton and Patrick. According to Bliss, he he knew he could get a player named Harvey Thomas to support his drug dealing allegations because Bliss had lied for Thomas. Apparently, Bliss had watched Thomas in a pickup game before he was officially recruited, which was a violation of NCAA rules. Bliss promised to keep the game a secret as long as Thomas went along with his plan. Thomas didn't want to put his basketball career in jeopardy and agreed. With Thomas on board, Bliss wanted two more players to back him up. It's not clear how he convinced them to take his side, but by early August 2003, Bliss had his three guys, and they met with an internal committee that was investigating the allegations against Bliss. They testified that Patrick Dennehy was a drug dealer. It looked like Bliss was in the clear. But then, on August 8, 2003, it all blew up. That day, Bliss met with the head of the investigative committee. At this time, they asked him to submit a copy of his bank statements. Bliss knew this was the one piece of evidence he couldn't lie about. Not only would these statements reveal that he had been paying for Patrick's tuition, but they would also lead to the revelation that he had paid for another player's tuition, too. The same day he was asked about the bank statements, Dave Bliss resigned as head coach. In the wake of the resignation, Baylor sanctioned itself by declaring that it would not play in any postseason games that year. But the story wasn't over yet, because while all of this was going on, there was still a major question to answer, one that was far more important than any basketball game. Would Carlton Dodson be found guilty of murdering Patrick Dennehy? As the university attempted to distance itself from Bliss, the authorities prepared for Carlton Dotson to go on trial for murdering Patrick Dennehy. But before he could take the stand, Carlton was evaluated by doctors. According to them, Carlton suffered from hallucinations stemming from his belief that he was Jesus. So in the fall of 2004, a judge deemed Carlton unfit to stand trial and sent him to a mental health facility instead. But just a few months later, that decision was reversed. According to Carlton's doctors, he was faking his condition. With that, Carlton was back in the hot seat. In June 2005, he went on trial, but it wouldn't be a long process. Carlton pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. With Patrick's killer now behind bars, the only loose ends to tie up were those connected to Dave Bliss and Baylor University. Eventually, Bliss admitted to lying to the internal committee. In 2005, Bliss received the equivalent of a 10 year ban from working within the NCAA. But that didn't stop him from accepting other coaching jobs. Throughout the 2000s and 2000s, bliss bounced around smaller schools not affiliated with the NCAA. However, his career took another turn in 2017 when a Showtime documentary detailed his role in the 2003 Baylor scandal. Apparently, not all of Bliss assistant coaches had been willing to support his version of events. One of them, a man named Abar Rouse, secretly recorded every single meeting they had. Rouse handed those recordings over to Showtime and they were featured in the film. Now all of America could see just how low Bliss was willing to go to protect himself. Because Bliss hadn't only trashed Patrick Dennehy's reputation, he allegedly knew Patrick was in danger and did nothing. According to some reports, Bliss knew Patrick had received threats but chose to ignore it. Something Bliss had repeatedly denied. Whether it's true or not, it's clear that Dave Bliss was willing to betray Patrick in order to save himself. A young man he'd personally asked to play for him, who some said looked up to Bliss like a father figure. All just to avoid being caught in a problem of his own making. After the show aired, Dave Bliss retired from coaching. But the damage he'd done was irreversible and Patrick Dennehy paid the ultimate price. Coming up, another basketball related murder covering the tragic death of Memphis Grizzlies hometown hero Lorenzen Wright. Patrick Dennehy's story is a tragic one. And unfortunately, it's not the only basketball related murder that's made headlines. Even when a player does manage to achieve his dreams in go pro, it doesn't mean he leaves danger behind. Sometimes it follows him and comes from the most unexpected place possible. Such was the case with Lorenzen wright. On Sunday, July 18, 2010, 34 year old Lorenzen flew into Memphis, Tennessee after 13 years in the NBA.
- [28:49]
Billy Ray Turner
He.
- [28:50]
Carter Roy
He had recently retired and settled down in Atlanta. But Lorenzen's ex wife Shara and their children still lived in the area. So he was constantly flying into Memphis to see the kids. Lorenzen also made sure to see his friends when he was in town. That day, his buddy Phil Dotson picked him up from the airport. They spent a few hours hanging out at Phil's place. Then they went to a local gym to pick up Lorenzen's son, Lorenzen Jr. Where he was playing basketball. According to Phil, Lorenzen said Shara wanted them to drop Junior off at her house. They arrived at her place in Collierville, a suburb of Memphis, around 10pm he watched as Lorenzen and Junior got out of the car and headed to the front door. But something wasn't right. According to Phil, Lorenzen said he needed to, quote, deal with this and would call Phil later that evening. It was the last time he'd see his friend alive. A few days later, Phil got a call from Lorenzen's mom, Deborah. She wanted to know if he'd spoken to Lorenzen recently. Phil said he hadn't heard from him since he dropped Lorenzen and his son off at Shara's the other night. When Debra contacted Lorenzen's other friends in the area, they all said the same thing. No one had heard from Lorenzen in days. Some wondered if he'd left town without saying goodbye. Deborah hoped they were right. But after four days had passed with no word from her son, she couldn't sit around and do nothing. On July 22, she reported Lorenzen missing. It didn't take long for the news to spread like wildfire through the city. For many in Memphis, Lorenzen was a hometown hero. Although he'd actually grown up in Mississippi, his family had moved to Memphis when he was a teen. He attended Booker T. Washington High School where he played basketball. And it didn't take long for Lorenzen and his coaches to realize he was good. Really good. After high school, Lorenzen played for the University of Memphis. After just two seasons, the 21 year old became the seventh overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. His professional career began with three seasons on the Los Angeles Clippers. After that, Lorenzen bounced around playing for teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings. But it's safe to say the highlight of his career was probably playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, his hometown team. Lorenzen was beloved in the Memphis community. He was gracious to fans of all ages and more importantly, he volunteered constantly. Whether it was speaking at local high schools or visiting sick children at the hospital. Lorenzen was always happy to do it. He spent five seasons with the Grizzlies, and by 2009, 33 year old Lorenzen was ready to retire. After 13 years in the NBA, he knew it was time to call it quits and move on to other things. But despite Lorenzen's charisma and positive attitude, not everything in his life was sunshine and roses, Especially his marriage. At the time of his disappearance in July 2010, Lorenzen and his wife Shara were estranged. But it hadn't always been that way. He first met Shara while he was a student at Booker T. Washington High School. She was his basketball coach's daughter. And although Shara was five years older than Lorenzen, the two quickly hit it off and began dating. They stayed together through all of Lorenzen's big life changes, from playing college ball to going pro. They had several kids and got married in 1998, when Lorenzen was 24 and Sherra was 29. It seemed like they were happy together and in it for the long haul. But then in 2003, their 11 month old daughter Cierra tragically died of sudden infant death Syndrome. From then on, their relationship was never the same. Over the next few years, their marriage deteriorated. When Lorenzen retired from the NBA in 2009, he decided to live in Atlanta, while Shara and the kids stayed in Memphis. By early 2010, the couple officially divorced, but seemed to be on decent terms. Even so, 39 year old Shara was the last person to have seen Lorenzen before he went missing on July 22nd of that year. And in the wake of his disappearance, she was one of the first people detectives talked to. Sherra told investigators that on the night of the 18th, Lorenzen dropped off their son, stayed for a little bit, then left. But a few days later, Shira added some more details to her story. According to her, Lorenzen had a box of drugs with him that night. She implied he'd gotten mixed up in dealing narcotics. She also claimed he was being followed by unknown gunmen in the days before his disappearance. But even with all the additional information from Scherra, investigators weren't any closer to finding Lorenzen. Over the next few days, they searched far and wide. The authorities reached out to Lorenzen's friends in Memphis, Atlanta, Mississippi and everywhere in between, but no one had seen or heard from him. But on July 27, nine days after he went missing, they got an unexpected lead from a local 911 dispatcher. She told her supervisor about a strange call she'd gotten back on July 19, the day after Phil dropped Lorenzen off at Shara's. That day, she heard 11 gunshots on an emergency call and a voice on the other line. The person spoke briefly before the call was cut off. When the dispatcher tried calling back, no one answered. For some unknown reason, the dispatcher waited eight days to report the incident. Police didn't waste any time in tracking the call. Using data from cell phone towers in the area, they were able to pinpoint a rough location of where the call had come from. It led them to a wooded area near Germantown, about seven miles outside of Memphis. Officers searched the region known as Callous Cutoff with cadaver dogs. It didn't take them long to find the body of Lorenzen Wright. Lorenzen's remains were taken to a coroner for an autopsy. The report revealed he'd been shot multiple times in the head and chest. The report also indicated the bullets came from two different guns, meaning there appeared to be two killers. They knew this wasn't a robbery gone wrong. Lorenzen had been found with a gold chain still around his neck. Beyond that, the area where he was found was littered with bullet casings. Based on the evidence, it seemed like whoever had done this to Lorenzen took him to Callous, cut off with the intention of killing him. But there weren't any fingerprints or other identifying information at the crime scene, which meant detectives were still a long way from pinpointing a suspect. The only thing they could do was dive into Lorenzen's personal life. They needed to know if there was someone out there who would have wanted him dead. Detectives searched far and wide for his killer. But before long, they realized their primary suspect was right under their noses this whole time. Foreign.
- [37:50]
Billy Ray Turner
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- [38:42]
Dr. Tristan Engels
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- [39:13]
Jeremy Schwartz
Would you go in your pursuit of the American dream? Would you put in the work911 what's your emergency? Would you take a big risk?
- [39:21]
Carter Roy
What's the problem? What's the problem?
- [39:23]
Jeremy Schwartz
Would you cheat? Would you lie?
- [39:26]
Carter Roy
Would I shock? Would I shot? Would you kill my mom and dad? My mom is right there.
- [39:34]
Jeremy Schwartz
I'm Jeremy Schwartz and I'll be taking you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws exploring the dark side to the American dream. You'll meet the picture perfect brothers who teamed up to kill their parents. The thief who stole babies and ruined countless lives. The crypto king who siphoned off billions in the name of saving the world and plenty more. From assassins to gangsters to killers and con artists. Whatever the case, who whoever the criminal. You don't know the full story until now. Go to americancriminal.com or search for and follow American Criminal wherever you get your podcasts.
- [40:18]
Carter Roy
In July 2010, the body of 34 year old former NBA player Lorenzen Wright was found in a wooded area outside of Memphis, Tennessee. An autopsy revealed he'd been shot multiple times by multiple guns. But beyond the bullet casings found at the crime scene, there was barely any other evidence for investigators to go on. So detectives started looking for a possible suspect or suspects as well as a motive. Almost immediately, the rumor mill led them to one person, Lorenzen's ex wife, 39 year old Shara Wright. The month after Lorenzen's body was found, Shera's former assistant reached out to investigators. She told detectives they should look into Shara and allegedly even gave them audio recordings of Shara threatening Lorenzen. Those recordings haven't been made public, but we do know investigators followed up on the assistant's tip and continued to ask around about Shera, and the more people they spoke to, the more they noticed something odd. No one came to her defense. In other words, people wouldn't have been entirely shocked if she had something to do with Lorenzen's death. Shara must have picked up on the gossip, because she doubled down on what she'd already told investigators. That Lorenzen had gotten himself mixed up with drug dealers. And as new information began to surface, it seemed like maybe she was right. Soon, detectives learned that Lorenzen had been in a bad place financially. Despite earning roughly $55 million over the course of his NBA career, by 2010, Lorenzen was nearly broke. In fact, two of his houses were facing foreclosure. Lorenzen and Scherra apparently had a history of frivolous spending. New cars, new houses, new clothes, new everything. Investigators and media outlets discovered that two years earlier, in 2008, Lorenzen was hard up for cash. So he decided to sell off two expensive cars to a drag racer named Bobby Cole. However, Cole was more than just a race car driver. He was a drug trafficker for a major cartel. Some suspected that perhaps Lorenzen was using the cars to help launder drug money. The DEA and the FBI looked into the connection. Their findings were definitive. There was absolutely no evidence to support that Lorenzen was involved in drug trafficking. More than likely, he simply sold the cars to Bobby Cole, and that was the extent of their relationship. So it was extremely unlikely he'd been killed in some sort of drug related dispute. While the feds worked to clear Lorenzen's name, the people of Memphis continued to keep an eye on Shara. From detectives to reporters to the public, everyone was watching her. And before long, they all found the motive they were looking for. It turned out Lorenzen wasn't the only one with money troubles. Allegedly, Shara was $3 million in debt, which meant she might have been desperate for cash and willing to kill Lorenzen to get it. For the next two years, detectives watched and waited to see what Sherra would do. And in 2012, they finally got their smoking gun. That year, Sherra received a $1 million life insurance payout from from Lorenzen's death. This was part of her and Lorenzen's divorce settlement and was meant to go to their kids. But as their mother, Shera was in control of the money until the kids were 18. This led some people to wonder if Shara had arranged to have Lorenzen killed in order to get the funds sooner rather than later. But less than a year later, the money was gone. Shera had spent it all. Even though this seemed like a clear motive, investigators couldn't find any clear evidence to link Sherra to the crime. And in the years that followed, the case slowly ran cold. Memphis police didn't give up looking for Lorenzen's killer. But the more time that passed, the less hopeful they felt. In the meantime, Shara got on with her life. She eventually wrote a novel about a cheating NBA player from Memphis called Mr. Tell me anything and claimed it was inspired by her relationship with Lorenzen. She also made plans to write a sequel in which that same NBA player was murdered. The similarities weren't lost on the public. There's no doubt Scherra's work was distasteful, but still, it didn't mean she was involved in Lorenzen's death. At some point, she decided she wanted a fresh start and moved to Riverside, California. She remarried and tried to move forward, but back in Memphis, people continued to hope for closure. However, by 2017, seven years had passed and the investigation still hadn't progressed. Then, in November of that year, Memphis PD got a tip from an undisclosed source. The tipster said there was evidence related to Lorenzen Wright's murder. In a lake in Walnut, Mississippi On November 9, law enforcement waded through the muddy water and found a gun. Despite all the years that had passed, forensics tests confirmed it was one of the two guns used to murder Lorenzen. And it didn't take them long to figure out who shot it. On December 5, 2017, a man in a white hoodie and black beanie walked into a convenience store in Collierville, the town in Memphis where Sherra used to live. A moment later, police rushed inside and surrounded him. They told the man he was under arrest for the murder of Lorenzen Wright. The suspect was 47 year old Billy Ray Turner, a local landscaper and church deacon with a rap sheet that included kidnapping and assault. And the authorities were pretty sure they knew who Turner's accomplice was. Ten days later, police arrested Shara Wright out in Riverside, California. They charged her with first degree murder. It was welcome news for the people of Memphis. But they were left asking themselves, how were Shara Wright and Billy Ray Turner connected and what were their roles in Lorenzen's death? The answer finally came five months later. During a May 2018 bond hearing. The public learned the name of the man who had led police to the gun, Jimmy Martin. At the time, Jimmy was a convicted murderer serving a 20 year sentence for killing his girlfriend in 2012. He was also Shara Wright's cousin. According to Jimmy, back in 2010, Shara had told him about her plot to kill Lorenzen. She said she and her friend Billy Ray Turner, who she was sleeping with, wanted to kill Lorenzen for his life insurance money. If Jimmy helped clean up the crime scene. Shera would give him a portion of the payout. Jimmy agreed. At the 2018 bond hearing, he testified that he was in Batesville, Mississippi on the night of the murder. A day or two later, Shara picked him up and they drove to Memphis together to get rid of the evidence. In the car, Cher told him the deed was done. She and Billy had killed Lorenzen, he said. Shara went on to explain how she'd lured Lorenzen into the woods where Billy ambushed him. After that, she and Billy both shot Lorenzen several times. By the time Jimmy and Shara arrived at the crime scene, Lorenzen had been dead for a few days. According to Jimmy, he helped Sheriff find one of the guns she'd accidentally left behind. Then they drove back to Mississippi, where they dumped the weapon in a lake. The evidence was overwhelming. In July 2019, 48 year old Shara Wright pleaded guilty to orchestrating Lorenzen's death. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison. In 2022, her accomplice, Billy Ray Turner, had his day in court. A jury also found him guilty of murder and he was sentenced to 41 years. For the people of Memphis, it was the end of a dark and painful chapter in the city's history. While Scherra had tried to tarnish Lorenzen's name, in the end the truth won out. Today, Lorenzen is remembered for his talent, his kindness, and most of all for his contributions to the city of Memphis and the game of basketball. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime Stories. That's it for our March Madness special, but come back next next week as we resume our regular programming. True Crime Stories is a Crime House original. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media. Crime House don't forget to rate, review and follow True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and for ad free and early access to Murder True Crime Stories plus exciting bonus content. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Robert Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Carroll, Joe Guerra, Hania Said, and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.
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Carter Roy
What drives a person to murder? Find out from a licensed forensic psychologist on Killer Minds the Crime House Original Podcast. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.