New Details In The Lorenzen Wright Mystery

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Lorenzen Wright in position for a rebound.

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Published: 7/28/2010 10:18 pm

Updated: 8/02/2010 8:40 am

MEMPHIS, TN – A body was found in Southeast Memphis near Hacks Cross and Winchester; Specifically, about a half mile northwest of FedEx World Headquarters in a thickly wooded area behind an apartment complex. Sources close to the family tell myEyewtinessNews.com it is former NBA Player Lorenzen Wright.

Sources also tell myEyewitnessNews.com that police have a recording of a call from Wright’s cell phone that may have captured the sound of the gunshots that killed him. According to our sources, Germantown Police received a call from Wright’s cell phone about 1:00a.m., July 19, 2010. It begins with someone who sounds scared shouting two expletives followed by several gunshots, and then silence as the 911 dispatcher keeps saying “hello, hello, I’ve got nothing but gunshots.”

Family and friends are having a difficult time coming to terms with this. The discovery of the body was made July 28, 2010 and news spread fast as hundreds showed up including former teammates and former Memphis Tigers to see for themselves.

“I cried, the emotions hit me immediately,” former Memphis Tiger and NBA Star Penny Hardaway tells myEyewitnessNews.com. “And it’s sad because we lost a good person and a brother.”

According to friends and family, Wright’s body was found in a wooded area behind the Fieldstone Apartments in Southeast Memphis. That’s where homicide detectives spent hours searching for evidence. Close friend Stan McKinley is in shock over the discovery. “To end his career and his life like this here in some woods, that’s not good. You don’t do a dog like this. It’s just a really sad day for the city as a whole.”

The former Memphis Tiger and Grizzly was last seen July 18, 2010 and was reported missing to police July 22, 2010. Wright’s mother and family arrived to the scene and spoke with detectives, possibly to make a positive ID on Lorenzen. As the family searches for comfort, police search for answers.

“This brother has six kids,” McKinley tells myEyewitnessNews.com. “For that reason alone, his friends need closure, his fraternity brothers need closure, but for the kids alone, they need to know what happened to their father.”

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Chip Campbell - 8/1/2010 12:58 AM

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It is more than evident that in Collierville and Germantown a clear prejudice based purely in race does dictate the priority assigned to police matters. As a white male who has academic integrity, it is that I can but only deduct by examining the complete lack of response by Collierville P. D. and Germantown P. D. that a black mans life is of no value by either police department. Absent a full outcry by the citizens which comprise each community, I can but only conclude that racism permeates each community.

Midtownboy - 7/30/2010 12:57 AM

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Where are the "New" details???? Has the county coroner assumed a time of death?....'nuher words, what timne did he assume room temperature????

MOMLLABB - 7/29/2010 1:51 PM

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My youngest son was in the same class with Lorenzen's oldest son when they were younger (they are 15 now). Lorenzen was a great father, always at school, doing things with not only his kids classes but others as well. Those kids will be well taken care of, both emotionally and financially, he would have made sure of that. My prayers go out to each of the kids, and the rest of his family and loved ones. RIP LORENZEN YOU WILL BE MISSED!

Midtownboy - 7/29/2010 12:44 PM

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"MrJ2u" Please refrain from using such foul language, those very same kids may be reading this, you know! I will pray for you....Love, Billy

DeltaV - 7/29/2010 12:42 PM

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Not the 911 dispatchers fault. They MAY have gotten a tower location but that would be about it most times, and that could be anywhere in a several sqaure mile area. It is not like on TV, and in most places you are not going to get GPS coordinates. Do you know how many calls like this come in? It is not even SLIGHTLY unusual. There are a ton of brain damaged idiots that think it's funny to make crank calls like that. I had 3 people in one night call in that they were being attacked, screaming, yelling, and in one of the calls heard shots in the background. 2 were crank calls and one was a drunk arguing with his brother. You could chase calls like this all night, and when you have no location and no context to even BEGIN to know where to look what can you do? Then there are the other 1000 people calling in for such serious crimes as getting the wrong condiment on their burger, or wanting to know what the best seats are at the Redbirds game, or maybe even to report the SERIOUS pain in their big toe that requires an ambulance. Maybe dispatch DID call back and the story doesn't say so, but it was not like he was gonna pick up the phone at that point. Even if they had an exact location it would not have prevented his death. The blame lies with whoever pulled the trigger, not the dispatcher.

tinygirl53 - 7/29/2010 12:13 PM

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i was very sad and hurt to hear of the new of our beloved brother Lorenzen Wright my heart go out to his family. this a time we as a country needs to take a stand againtest crimes

wrangler2004 - 7/29/2010 11:39 AM

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John, I agree racism needs to stop as well, but if you want it to stop, you can't go making comments like that. Let's keep our comments related to the story and think about what Lorenzen's friends and family are going through. I know what it is like to loose a loved one in that manner and it is not an easy thing to say the least. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

redneckdaddy - 7/29/2010 11:31 AM

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i hope they find the people who did this, i imagine there is more than one....shouldnt take large sums of money with you anytime, least of all late at nite. it doesnt say he brought it on himself but as alot of coaches say to players...nothing good happens after 12am...god be with his family and friends....i remember him beating our high school team in the state championship in the eighties....a tragedy

mslll62 - 7/29/2010 11:22 AM

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In defense of the 911 operator, a cell phone call that lasted maybe 15 seconds and was disconnected? I am sure it was reported and followed up on. It takes more time than that to find a location where a cell phone is. This 911 operator heard the shots that killed a man. My prayers are with you. I know that is something they will live with for the rest of their lives. Not sure I could do that job!

mslll62 - 7/29/2010 11:19 AM

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Are you really bringing in race? Geez people! I call friends my brother and my sister and I am white. Stop reading racisim into everything! We did lose a good man, father and brother! My prayers to his children. I am sure he was proud of each and every one. I also pray that the detectives find this creep who did this and put them away from a long time!

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