Sacramento DA gets convictions in a bizarre case with no body, murder for hire
The case involved revenge, DUI incidents
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s office got two defendants convicted of murder without ever locating the body of the victim in a case that included revenge and murder for hire.
A jury trial reached its guilty verdict on Friday, March 17, and convicted Robert Manor and Victor Merle Gray of the first-degree murder of Raymond Wright, with the special circumstance that the murder was committed during the commission of a kidnapping. Additionally, Manor and Gray were convicted of kidnapping for ransom, causing death.
The case had its origins in 2011 when Wright was a DUI driver that hit and injured Manor and his wife. Wright was convicted of felony DUI by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, served his time, and completed his probation.
Wright disappeared on On January 11, 2018, and concerned family members checked his Rocklin home and a shop he rented in Rio Linda. When the victim remained missing, the search extended statewide.
On January 13, 2018, Wright’s brother encountered a strange man inside the victim’s home and called the police. The man ran out of the house, but a soda cup filled with a fresh drink was found in the kitchen, and the straw residue from the cup was tested for DNA and uploaded to the CODIS database.
On January 27, 2018, Gray was under the influence and led CHP on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash, causing injuries to innocent victims. Gray’s van was towed from the scene, and a search located a blood-soaked raincoat, the victim’s wallet, and other property belonging to the victim.
Much of the property was charred, and the blood on the raincoat matched the victim’s DNA. Further investigation revealed a letter from Gray to Manor complaining about not being paid for “delivering dude” and asking Manor to take care of the person “who hand-delivered you your revenge.”
Other evidence also linked Manor to the revenge killing and the hiring of Gray to kidnap the victim from his shop in Rio Linda. The DNA uploaded to CODIS then returned a full profile match to Victor Gray, who was a prior felon.
Wright’s remains have never been located. Manor and Gray both face a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole and will be sentenced on April 28, 2023.
