Local former NBA Star’s Ex-Wife Arrested for Murder

[Cootie Brown]

Lorenzen Wright (Ren) was a local basketball star that played for the University of Memphis and then went on to have a 13 year career in the NBA. He wasn’t a superstar, but he was a very good player as evidenced by the fact he played 13 years in the NBA.

My wife and I attended the same c of C church with the ex-wife’s father and step mother. We were not close friends but we did fellowship with them in their home numerous times. Ren had been traded to the new NBA Memphis Grizzlies franchise that had recently been relocated from Vancouver to Memphis. My wife and I and another couple had season tickets to the Grizzlies and had become huge NBA fans.

Ren’s wife’s name was Sherra. We met her several times at her father and step mother’s home. Needless to say she is a beautiful woman. She and Ren had 6 children. At the time Ren was making 8 million a year according to contract information that was leaked. He’d just signed a new contract. Ren was a legit NBA player, but not an All Star caliber player. He did, however, score 30 points and grabbed 30+ boards (rebounds) in one game. So, 8 million a year seemed likely for a player of his caliber. He was usually good for 8-15 points a game and 8-15 rebounds too. And he was a good defensive player.

He provided Sherra with an extravagant lifestyle. Her father once told me Ren’s making 8 mil a year and I think Sherra is spending 10. It was no secret that Sherra spend a lot of money and didn’t deny herself much of anything that she wanted. Ren’s career ran its course and the last year he played with Cleveland as a backup center, but his salary was still in the millions. Sherra and Ren eventually divorced and Ren’s career in the NBA came to and end.

The City was shocked one day when it was announced his body had been found with 12 gunshot wounds. He was murdered execution style. He was killed in a remote place but in a place with lots of homes around it. Our kids used to take the path where his body was found as a short cut when they were in high school. So, we were familiar with that area.

I’m not clairvoyant but I told my wife the day the news broke that Sherra killed him. I watch a lot of Date Line and 48 Hours. It’s always the spouse. My wife asked me why I suspected Sherra and I said because he was shot 12 times. It was rumored that this was a drug deal gone bad, but I told my wife a drug dealer isn’t going to shoot his victim 12 times. Two shots behind the ear is their style. Shooting someone 12 times indicates rage and rage and love are sometimes hard to separate. I'm pretty sure the police thought the same thing, but they couldn't find any evidence to prove it.

The case went unsolved for 7 years and then it was suddenly announced the murder weapon had been found 75 miles from Memphis in a remote lake that no one but locals would even know exists. I told my wife somebody talked to collect the reward. It simply isn't possible for anyone to accidentally find that weapon where it was located.

An arrest was soon made. The man was a local guy with a past criminal history but nothing in several years. People that knew him said it couldn’t be him. Everybody that seemingly knew him said he was a great guy. Later it came out that he attended the same church that Sherra attended. (Hum) I told my wife again that Sherra killed Ren, and hired this guy or else he was her lover. I also said he might take the fall for her but since she lives in California now I doubt it.

I was fixing coffee this morning when my wife came running down the hall hollering “She did it. They’ve arrested Sherra for first degree murder!” U.S. Marshals arrested her in California and are extraditing her to Memphis today.

The story is still unfolding but at a news conference the DA seems to believe they have all the evidence they need to convict both of them. It seems two guns were used to execute Ren, so it would logically seem like there were two shooters. And two people are under arrest. She had it all. I can’t imagine what she was thinking but it seems likely she’ll spend the rest of her life in prison.

As one detective said on a Dateline show, we're fortunate that most criminals aren't very smart.

[FinallyFree]

I didn't live in the Memphis area when all this happened, so now I am finding out about it. That is really interesting that you knew Sherra and her family!

[Cootie Brown]

I didn't live in the Memphis area when all this happened, so now I am finding out about it. That is really interesting that you knew Sherra and her family!

We knew her father & step mother thru church. We met Sherra at her fathers house a few times but didn't really know her. Her father passed away from cancer before the murder. Her father was active in AAU basketball. He showed us his trophy room. He had a room full of stuff from some of the all time great NBA players & coaches. Her father was a big deal in the amateur basketball circles & he was in contact with a number of NBA scouts.

He was a genuine good guy & helped a lot of kids get their lives turned around thru sports. It's a blessing he didn't live to see all of this play out.

[B.H.]

I have found out two things about well off people.

1. They can be really good at what they do and make money off it. But they really are stupid in everything else.

2. You would think having more would make people more empathetic and helpful towards others. In reality it makes them arrogant and self centered.

[Cootie Brown]

When you grow up poor & you're suddenly making millions of dollars & you can have all the things you used to only dream about, it's difficult to obtain, much less retain, any kind of rational perspective. And especially when you know it won't last beyond 10-15 years or a career ending injury the next game.

[Cootie Brown]

Sherra went to court after their divorce and Ren's murder, and won the right to his million dollar life insurance policy and his NBA retirement. I'm just guessing but I think his retirement check would be in the neighborhood of $20-$25,000 per month. The money was supposed to be for their 6 kids, but the news reported that she blew through the million dollar life insurance policy in the first year. And I assume she has been living off of his retirement check.

Hopefully, the children will now get the proceeds from his retirement income. I'm hopeful the entire story will be on Dateline sometime next year. I can't imagine they would pass up a story like this.

[faithfyl]

I wonder what her motive was to kill her ex-husband?

[Cootie Brown]

I wonder what her motive was to kill her ex-husband?

His million dollar life insurance policy that she went to court to get. I don't know how much his retirement was but I'd guess it was in the $15,0000 + per month range. She went to court to get that too

They were divorced & her standard of living had been significantly reduced.