Wife of killed NBA player Lorenzen Wright charged with his murder

The wife of a former NBA player who was killed in 2010 has been arrested and charged with his murder.

Lorenzen Wright played 13 years in the NBA for five different teams. He spent the bulk of his career playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in his home town. His wife Sherra was arrested in December and checked into Shelby County jail on Saturday (20 January) night.

Lorenzen was reported missing on 18 July 2010 and his body was found 10 days later. He was shot several times and police have spent the last seven and a half years investigating his murder.

Sherra was living in California when she was charged and was forced to return to Memphis, Tennessee. A man, Billy R Turner, has also been arrested and charged with the murder. Sherra and Turner had known each other from church. Turner has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Shelby County District Attorney's office alleged in December that Turner and Sherra Wright had conspired to kill Lorenzen. Police had a breakthrough in the case in November when they found the murder weapon, a gun, in Mississippi Lake.

Wright was awarded $1 million USD from a life insurance policy on her husband. She faced court over how the money should be spent after it was revealed the funds were intended to service Lorenzen's six children. She settled out of court.

Lorenzen is also alleged to have left home on the last night he was seen alive with cash and drugs. Sherra says she heard her husband say he was going to "flip something for $110,000".