02 February 2024 , 18:25
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A family man suddenly vanished in mysterious circumstances before his brother found a fleeing intruder and one soda cup which would provide the vital clues to shed light on the bizarre missing persons' case.
Dean Wright could not reach his brother, Ray Wright, 55 and panicked when he saw his texts and calls were going unanswered. He then visited his house and found crucial evidence that would lead to solving the case of his brother’s abduction, in what Investigator Ashley Englefield believed to be a motive of "strictly revenge."
In January of 2018, after a few visits to Ray’s home, noticing nothing unusual except his brother’s truck missing from its spot, Dean used his spare key to open the front door after knocking and receiving no answer. Dean was disturbed to smell marijuana, as his brother was not known to smoke it.
Californian Dean told CBS 48 hours: “And immediately I smelled marijuana smoke. And that's when I knew … this is completely wrong because he didn't like that … And I'm getting increasingly tense about it … So, as I walked forward … I saw a cup on the countertop. And that had not been there. And it had condensation on it … I took another step-and-a-half …"
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Ray was noticed as missing when he stopped answering calls (@48hours/youtube)Dean saw one soda cup on a table that looked out of place, and heard someone, who he then came face to face with. He said: "[The intruder] yelled at me, 'Get out of here …' And I said, 'Who are you?' … 'Where's Ray?'" Dean then called 911 as the intruder escaped.
Ray’s daughter, Haley Kendall, had a similar story saying when she initially tried to contact her dad she could not get through. She told “48 hours: "I called, and I called, and I called, straight to voicemail every time." Ray’s other daughter, Kennedy Wright said: "It was really scary."
One soda cup ignited a trail of clues to solve the case (SACRAMENTO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE)The soda cup was “the one piece of evidence left by the burglar at the victim's residence," according to Rocklin Police Sergeant Zack Lewis.
Ten days after these events, police found Ray’s missing truck abandoned near an apartment complex, without its licence plate. There were also brown stains on the carpet liner in the back of the vehicle which were confirmed to be Ray Wright's blood.
Ray's involvement in a crash proved crucial context (@48hours/youtube)Six days after the truck was discovered, an officer driving noticed its registration had expired, and on calling it in the van refused to pull over and a police chase ensued. After the fugitive car eventually crashed, police identified the driver as Victor Gray. When Police ran a registration on the vehicle it was registered as Ray’s van.
The straw from the cup was then used and matched to the DNA on file for Victor when he was behind bars. Investigators then searched the van that Victor crashed and found a trove of Ray’s belongings. Inside Gray’s phone, they found a photo of a handwritten letter to someone named "Bob."
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His daughter described the experience as ''scary'' (@48hours/youtube)Sacramento County Prosecutor Matt Chisholm said: "And it's clear that Victor has grievances with Bob. The grievances stem about not being paid for delivering the 'dude' to you."
The letter read: "I'm done waiting and need a fat package today." Prosecutors believe Victor was demanding payment from Bob for delivering Ray Wright to him. In the letter, prosecutors say Gray said how he "hand-delivered you your revenge."
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Police found Ray's blood in an abandoned van (@48hours/youtube)It was then found that Ray had badly injured Robert "Bobby" Manor when drunk driving, also injuring Bobby's wife, who almost died. Ray Wright was convicted of felony DUI and ordered to pay damages to the victims. Placer County District Attorney Investigator Ashley Englefield said, "he had occasionally made payments on that debt, but not very much."
Bobby was left disabled and witnesses who knew Bobby told police he never forgave Ray, and after the father of two disappeared, Bobby told the witnesses: "I got him."