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The latest episode of Oxygen's Snapped, a prolific true-crime show covers the death of former NBA star Lorenzen Wright, and his killers Billy Ray Turner and Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright-Robinson, who allegedly murdered Wright in a wooded area in Memphis, Tennessee after he went there to visit his ex-wife and their children. Sherra was later charged as the mastermind behind the crime after authorities scrambled to find clues for nearly a decade following the basketball player's death.
It was rather odd for such a high-profile case to remain unresolved for so long, but the truth finally found the light of day. This was due to a clever plan that was nearly impossible to trace back. With orchestration from Wright's ex-wife, Billy Ray Turner murdered him but was nowhere near the list of suspects as he was not connected to Wright in any possible way. It was only after a discovery in 2017 that led the police to Billy Ray Turner, who was then arrested for first-degree murder.
After a delayed trial and some time in custody, Billy's trial took place in 2022. Earlier this year, he was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy in the death of Wright by a jury of 12 men and women. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Who is Billy Ray Turner and what did he do?
Billy Ray Turner was not considered a suspect or even seemed to have any role in regards to the investigation following the murder of popular NBA star Lorenzen Wright. Lorenzen allegedly disappeared in July 2010 after visiting his ex-wife and children. Earlier that year, he and his long-term wife Sherra finalized their divorce, but with seven kids between them, they remained in touch.
Billy Ray was Sherra's friend from her church. After a failed attempt at getting hitmen to kill her ex-husband, Sherra conspired with Billy to kill her husband. The two pulled off the perfect murder but forgot to dispose of the murder weapon. They also left behind one witness who would prove to be instrumental in cracking this case, Sherra's cousin Martin, who knew about Wright's murder.
With his help, authorities managed to track down the murder weapon from a lake in Walnut, Mississippi. This weapon led authorities directly to Billy, who worked as a Shelby County landscaper and was also a church deacon at Mt. Olive No. 1 Missionary Baptist Church in Collierville, Tennessee. He was initially scheduled for trial in 2019, but new evidence and the pandemic delayed the trial significantly.
Then, 12 years after the murder, a jury of 12 men and women found Billy Ray Turner guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. Sherra was also charged with the same crime, but she took a plea deal. Billy refused to plead guilty and denied any involvement in the murder of Lorenzen Wright.
Sherra was eventually sentenced to 30 years in prison for facilitation to commit first-degree murder and to commit attempted first-degree murder. She will be eligible for parole after 2026. The multiple charges against Billy mean that he will remain in prison for a long time.
The episode covering the murder of Lorenzen Wright aired on October 30, 2022.
